Who Shall I Fear? Series

Summer in the Psalms 2024

Psalm 27

Pastor Jefferson M. Williams

Chenoa Baptist Church?07-21–2024

Hola

When I first finished seminary, I worked in a large psychiatric hospital's needs assessment call center. I would take calls, set up assessments, and answer questions from patients, family members, and doctors.

?Every once in a while, we would receive a “mystery call.” This was a fake call from someone at the corporate office to evaluate our skills. Most of the time, they were so bad that we knew right away that they weren’t real.

We were told what day a mystery call would come in but not the time. I had worked most of the afternoon and night and all the calls were legit so we assumed the call would come the next morning.

Five minutes before I ended my shift a call came from one of the units, in-house. I had a friend who worked on that unit so when I answered I said, “Hola! It’s time to party!” Then I heard, “My mother has been hearing voices. What should I do?” It was the mystery call!

I went home that night and told Maxine that I was going to be fired the next morning. I tossed and turned all night wondering how I could be so stupid to answer a call that way. I came very close to having an anxiety attack.

The next morning, a woman walked into our office and asked to see Jefferson. I took a deep breath and started to apologize.

She cut me off and said that they were going to have to work on the system to transfer calls because she didn’t actually hear my greeting but she gave me a 5/5 because I did such a good job on the call.

I spent 15 hours worried about something that God had already taken care of. Has anyone else ever experienced that?

Psalm 27

We know that David wrote this psalm. But we don’t know why he wrote these words in his journal.

As you read the psalm, it’s clear that he has experienced attacks from enemies and God has been faithful to protect and guide him through these crises.

Was it written during the time Saul was trying to kill him? Or when he fought Goliath? Or when we fought the Philistines? Or when his son led a coup against him?

We don’t know but David celebrates his confidence and trust in God in times of trouble and distress. This morning, I pray that we will learn to take our eyes off our circumstances and troubles and focus on the God who promises to be our stronghold.

Charles Spurgeon wrote: “…half of our fears rest in ignorance of God. The more we know of God the more we are bold as lions.”

That doesn’t mean that we will never be afraid. It just means in times of great trouble, we will not be ruled by fear.

This is a confidence based on the character of God.

“The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.” (Hebrews 13:6)

Please turn to Psalm 27.

Prayer.

Be Confident in the Lord’s Protection

* The Lord will deliver you

The Lord is my light and my salvation— whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life— of whom shall I be afraid?

David begins this psalm with three descriptions of God, Yahweh, the promise-keeping, and covenant-making God.

The Lord is my light

Have you ever been in a cave when they turned out the lights? Recently, I was in a cave with Rich Maier and Beth and Ken in Branson. They warned us before they doused the lights.

You couldn’t see your hand in front of your face. There was some nervous laughter and then relief once the lights came back on.

There is something about darkness that makes us uneasy.

In the Bible, darkness represents trouble, danger, confusion, and sorrow.

But the Bible begins with God speaking light into the darkness and it ends with God Himself being the radiance that lights heaven.

John wrote:

“This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him, there is no darkness at all.” (I John 1:5)

David knew that light provided security as he guarded the sheep at night in the open country.

David knew it was easier to fight the enemy in the light than in the darkness.

By His light, God has guided David through some tough times.

“Send me your light and your faithful care, let them lead me; let them bring me to your holy mountain, to the place where you dwell.” (Psalm 43:3)

When things looked bad and David started to lose hope, God “turned his darkness into light.” (Psalm 18:28)

The Lord is my salvation

David understood that he could not be good enough to earn God’s love. He knew where to look if he was in a situation that required deliverance or rescue.