One thing that can so greatly be seen within this psalm is David’s complete trust in the lord. He had a confidence based not in his own abilities, but in the strength of the lord; mounting confidence which his enemies and even armies and war could shake. He knew from his past deliverances that the lord would deliver him, and that no matter who came up against him, their efforts would not be successful.
I would like to look at 3 points I think we can glean from this psalm to strengthen our confidence and trust in the lord from David’s example.
Lesson #1: what was David’s one desire of the lord?
Psalms 27:4 one thing I have asked from the lord, that i shall seek: that I may dwell in the house of the lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the lord and to meditate in his temple.
David didn’t ask for riches or fame. He didn’t ask for wisdom. He asked for his god! His chief desire should be to be near to god. Is that truly our one desire? Above everything we could gain in this life; if we were able to ask one thing of the lord, would it be the same one that David asked for?
Asaph in psalm 73: “Whom have I in heaven but you? And besides you, I desire nothing on earth. 26 my flesh and my heart may fail, but god is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. 27 for, behold, those who are far from you will perish; you have destroyed all those who are unfaithful to you. 28 but as for me, the nearness of god is my good.”
We need to as Paul describes in acts 17:27, to “seek the lord…to grope for him!” Do we reach for the lord like that? Do we believe that without the lord we would not survive? David sure did.
The lord should be our constant pursuit ("one thing i have desired, that will i seek after") we need to live lives as David; realizing that the things that we tend to pursue in this life cannot be compared to our god. We need to reach forward to the prize and not allow the world or the things of the world to get in our way.
Hebrews 11:6 but without faith it is impossible to please him, for he who comes to god must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of those who diligently seek him.
David realized how worthy of his focus the lord was.
The lord is beautiful (psalm 27:4; 50:2; 63:2).
Beautiful? The Hebrew word used here in this context gives us the idea of gazing upon one that you just can’t take your eyes off of; One who is so sweet that you just can’t help but to stare and focus upon. He is worthy of us not taking our eyes and thoughts off of!
He’s the Lord! He’s the all powerful, all-knowing Creator of all things, the giver of life, the giver of salvation. He is worthy of our attention.
Psalms 27:8 when you said, "seek my face," my heart said to you, "your face, lord, I will seek."
David did not hesitate to obey the lord in seeking him, and we shouldn’t either.
This was an easy conclusion for David to reach because he knew the greatness and faithfulness of the Lord. Obedience is necessary if we make the claim to be the lord’s people and if we claim to be seeking the lord. We cannot even say we have fellowship with god or love god if we do not obey his commandments (John 14:15, 1 John 2:3-6)
If we have truly experienced the grace and forgiveness of god as David did, we will not hesitate in living our lives according to god’s will.
We will also have a desire know God’s word
Psalms 27:11 teach me your way, o Lord, and lead me in a smooth path, because of my enemies.
David understood that god’s ways were so much greater than his own and that he was safe in the lord’s hand if he walked in them. He saw god’s word as that lamp for his feet and guide for his path.
We need these same desires for the lord and his word!
Lesson #2: we should offer the lord the "sacrifice of joy"-even during "the time of trouble"
Psalms 27:6 and now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me; therefore I will offer sacrifices of joy in his tabernacle; i will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the lord.
How can someone have so much against them; being totally surrounded by enemies, and still be joyful?
Because he knew that there would be victory! With the lord near he could be joyful because he had all that he needed.
We need to have the same joy that we see in David. It’s amazing to see how men in the scriptures would be suffering and still be joyful because of their confidence in the lord.
Apostles
Acts 5:40-42 suffering is a privilege?
Acts 16:25 (Paul and Silas in prison)
Romans 5:1-5 - does the peace that the lord give you help you get through the troubles that you face in this life. Paul realized that the hope that we have is so great that suffering could not cause his focus on that hope to diminish. He saw that suffering only brought him closer to Christ because it was forming within the character that god wanted him to have.
Wow, do we need to have that kind of an attitude instead of having the “woe is me mentality” when something bad happens to us. After what Christ endured for us, is there anything that we could suffer that is too much to suffer for him?
Paul in prison could write to the Philippians “rejoice in the lord always; again i say rejoice.”
Luke 6:22-23 22 blessed are you when men hate you, and when they exclude you, and revile you, and cast out your name as evil, for the son of man's sake. 23 rejoice in that day and leap for joy! For indeed your reward is great in heaven, for in like manner their fathers did to the prophets.
Our joy should lead to praise
James 5:13 is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms.
(acts 16:25; Ephesians 5:19-20; Colossians 3:16; James 5:13).
Lesson #3: even if those closest to us disappoint us, god will never disappoint us
Psalms 27:10 for my father and my mother have forsaken me, but the lord will take me up.
“i have become estranged from my brothers and an alien to my mother's sons. “ psalm 69:8
Jesus even experienced what David did
John 16:32 "behold, an hour is coming, and has already come, for you to be scattered, each to his own home, and to leave me alone; and yet i am not alone, because the father is with me.
Jesus knew that no matter who failed him or forsook him, the father would remain with him.
Both of these men had times in their life where they were completely abandoned by their closest relatives or friends. (Psalm 22) but no matter who turned against them, no matter how many enemies surrounded them, they knew that the lord would hear their cries for deliverance.
We can have confidence in our god! He is always faithful!
Faith in the goodness of the Lord sustains when our faith in the goodness of man is shaken. When he had adversaries against him who only wanted to do him harm, David did not despair.
Psalms 27:13 i would have despaired unless i had believed that i would see the goodness of the lord in the land of the living.
No matter what may come before us, we can rest assured that we will see the goodness of the lord. Seeing his goodness will help us see past the evils that are done against us.
David had a confidence in the lord that I want to have. He did not put his confidence in horses, chariots, or armies, but in the lord. He had all that he needed knowing that the lord was near. He knew that no matter how many men arose against him and fought against him, the Lord would cause them to stumble and fall.
We need to have that same confidence in the Lord because we have an adversary that fights us each and every day. If we are seeking the Lord and delighting in his will, the devil’s schemes will be unsuccessful because we have the Lord near.
We need to always remember that if we have the Lord, we have all that we need! We need to build our hopes on things eternal and hold to God’s unchanging hand. We’ll be victorious in this life if we are in His hand!
John 10:27-28 27 my sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. 28 and I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of my hand.
Are you in the lord’s hand?
