Day 3: Psalm 27:1-4
The Lord is my light and my salvation—
whom should I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my
life—
whom should I dread?
When evildoers came against me to devour my flesh,
my foes and my enemies stumbled and fell.
Though an army deploys against me,
my heart will not be afraid;
though a war breaks out against me,
I will still be confident.
I have asked one thing from the Lord;
it is what I desire:
to dwell in the house of the Lord
all the days of my life,
gazing on the beauty of the Lord
and seeking him in his temple.
Quadriga:
1. This is a Psalm of David, and there are numerous times in David’s life when
these words would be appropriate. It looks back to victories given by God in
the past (my foes and enemies stumbled and fell), it lives in the moment
(of whom shall I be afraid?), and it looks to the future (though an
army deploys against me… though a war breaks out against me). In all
cases, David is placing his hope and locating the object of his desire in one
place: to dwell in that house of the Lord all the days of my life.
Seeing one thing: gazing on the beauty of the Lord. One pursuit: seeking
him in his temple. David’s purpose appears to be both a prayer of praise
and a supplication for rescue. It also may be an instrument of instruction to
the people of Israel to trust in the Lord and center their lives on the place
where God dwells.
2. Jesus is the temple (John 2) and he is the beauty of God (Hebrews 1). He is
that for which David longed without knowing his name. He is the light and
salvation and stronghold for those who seek him. He is the refuge
against enemies, armies, and wars. He is the only source of confidence for all
who follow him.
3. We may apply these words to our lives in a number of ways. First, we may
look to Christ as our hope in all our troubles. Though he was rejected, abused,
and ultimately murdered, he is raised up and glorified- as we shall be. Whether
our salvation is from death or through death, we will be saved in him. Second,
we may look to the troubles of the world as guiding lights in their own way,
sending all people towards Jesus. The troubles of the world are a spur to the
reluctant to go into his house. Third we his church may know that we are the temple
and the beauty of the Lord. Though we may not feel beautiful, Jesus looks at
his church and he is proud of it. We should look to him at his lowly birth in
Bethlehem and know that there is no low state that is not filled with the glory
of God if only Christ is present.
4. The last enemy to be destroyed is death (1 Corinthians 15:26), and it
will be destroyed. The day will come when the enemies, the armies, and the wars
of this world will cease to trouble those whom God has called into his Kingdom.
Like David, our desires will be finally met in the eternal presence of the
Lord, when his beauty has been fully revealed and we reflect him in every
perfection.