Trusting God ... No Matter What Series

Trusting God ... no matter what

Psalm 27

This psalm is by David. Unlike some of the other psalms, we get no other information. Some psalms say what kind of a song they are, or what instruments are used, or what David was going through when he wrote it. We get none of that. In that sense, it is a general idea. God can be trusted ... no matter what.

David speaks in generalities of battle, worship, repentance and confidence.

• When my life is like this / God is like that.

• When my life is in need / God can be trusted

• no matter what

1 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?

2 When evil men advance against me

to devour my flesh,

when my enemies and my foes attack me,

they will stumble and fall.

3 Though an army besiege me,

my heart will not fear;

though war break out against me,

even then will I be confident.

4 One thing I ask of the LORD,

this is what I seek:

that I may dwell in the house of the LORD

all the days of my life,

to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD

and to seek him in his temple.

5 For in the day of trouble

he will keep me safe in his dwelling;

he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle

and set me high upon a rock.

6 Then my head will be exalted

above the enemies who surround me;

at his tabernacle will I sacrifice with shouts of joy;

I will sing and make music to the LORD.

7 Hear my voice when I call, O LORD;

be merciful to me and answer me.

8 My heart says of you, “Seek his face!”

Your face, LORD, I will seek.

9 Do not hide your face from me,

do not turn your servant away in anger;

you have been my helper.

Do not reject me or forsake me,

O God my Savior.

10 Though my father and mother forsake me,

the LORD will receive me.

11 Teach me your way, O LORD;

lead me in a straight path

because of my oppressors.

12 Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes,

for false witnesses rise up against me,

breathing out violence.

13 I am still confident of this:

I will see the goodness of the LORD

in the land of the living.

14 Wait for the LORD;

be strong and take heart

and wait for the LORD. Psalm 27:1-14 (NIV)

The degree to which God can be trusted, no enemy can shake David’s confidence in Him

The LORD is my Light and my salvation

An experiment was recommended to me. It is a way of training your mind to solve new problems. Walk through your house in the dark with your eyes closed.

Without light, you use your other senses to avoid obstacles. In the dark, what will deliver you from tripping? Probably your sense of touch.

In treacherous times, David found that God was what helped him feel his way through. This Psalm is not an abstraction. David is not speaking theoretically or spiritually. He is speaking of real, military enemies, people who have the potential of killing him. He is describing situations he has experienced and can reasonably expect to experience again. God has protected him in battle in the past and David is certain that this will continue.

• God was with him against Goliath

• God was with him against the Philistines

• God was with him against Saul

• God was with him against the Jebusites

• God was with him against his own son Absalom

The main subject of this tirade is his confidence that God will be with him throughout even the most threatening situations. God is His protector and He can be trusted.

That is the essence of verse 3. KJV translates the last part of the verse very literally, it says "In this I will be confident." This refers back to verse 1, thus becoming something of a motto for David in times of danger:

• The LORD is my light and my salvation!

• I will trust that

• No matter what

Remind yourself that God is your protector

The quickest way to burnout is refusing to trust others for their own responsibility. When we fall into this trap, we try to do what others should be doing.

This is especially true when the job is too big for us. God is our protector. We cannot do this job, because we do not see all the forces rallied against us. God does. We are not powerful enough to confront these forces. God is.