Wait On The Lord

WAIT ON THE LORD (PSALM 27)

After a long sermon on forgiveness, the preacher asked how many were willing to forgive their enemies. About half held up their hands. Not satisfied he harangued for another twenty minutes and repeated his question. This time he received a response of about 80 percent.

Still unsatisfied, he lectured for another 15 minutes and repeated his question. With all thoughts now on Sunday dinner, all responded except one elderly lady in the rear. "Mrs. Jones, are you not willing to forgive your enemies?"

"I don't have any."

"Mrs. Jones, that is very unusual. How old are you?"

"Ninety three."

"Mrs. Jones, please come down in front and tell the congregation how a person can live to be ninety-three, and not have an enemy in the world."

The little sweetheart of a lady tottered down the aisle, very slowly turned around and said, "It's easy, I just outlived all those losers!"

The Hebrew word “enemy” occurs 282 times in the Old Testament, with 74 times in the Psalms, more than one fourth. Chapter 27, along with Psalm 18, are the “enemy psalms” of the Bible, where the plural “enemies” occurs four times (vv 2, 6, 11, 12 KJV), more than any psalm in the Bible, except Psalm 27 added the synonym “foes” (v 2).David’s enemies included evil men (v 2) and false witnesses (v 12).

What is an enemy?

Merriam-Webster: One that is antagonistic to another; especially : one seeking to injure, overthrow, or confound an opponent. 2. Something harmful or deadly.

Collins Dictionary: “a person hostile or opposed to a policy, cause, person, or group, esp one who actively tries to do damage; opponent

Oxford Learners: a person who hates someone or who acts or speaks against someone or something.

Britannica: someone who hates another someone who attacks or tries to harm another

In real life, David’s enemies included not only foreign foes, but his mentor Saul and his son Absalom.

Who are our enemies? How do they treat us and how do we treat them? Why is it best to hand your enemies to the Lord than take the issue into your own hands?

Take Care: Let the Lord be Your Help

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.

Here are some thought-provoking quotes for thought:

“Affliction is a pill, which, being wrap up in patience and quiet submission, may be easily swallowed; but discontent chews the pill, and so embitters the soul.” John Flavel

“Affliction may be lasting, but it is not everlasting.” Thomas Watson

“The good man has his enemies. He would not be like His Lord if he had not. If we were without enemies we might fear that we were not the friends of God, for friendship of the world is enmity to God.” Charles Spurgeon

“It costs something to be a real Christian, according to the standard of the Bible. There are enemies to be overcome, battles to be fought, sacrifices to be made, an Egypt to be forsaken, a wilderness to be passed through, a cross to be carried, a race to be run.” J. C. Ryle

“If I could hear Christ praying for me in the next room, I would not fear a million enemies.” Robert Murray M'Cheyne

The Lord occurs 13x in Psalms 27 (vv 1 twice, 4 thrice, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 13, 14 twice), one short of the 14 verses in the chapter, but made 14 by “God my Savior” (v 9). Only two Psalms begin with the declaration “The Lord is my” (Ps 23, 27), including, Psalms 23. Further, “the Lord is my” occurs twice in verse 1. Into the new year, life is frenetic, fierce and fearful, but the Lord is our strength and shield, solace and support. The personal pronoun “my” occurs 14 times in the chapter in KJV. David had a direct, devoted and dependable relationship with the Lord.

Light, salvation and stronghold/strength (v 1). Light is sight/discernment/without darkness, salvation is security/deliverance, without doom, and stronghold is support/defense/without deficiency.

V 1 Light Salvation Stronghold/strength

Sight Security Support

Discernment Deliverance Defense

No darkness No doom No deficiency

Besiege/encamp is encamp (v 3, KJV), encompass, encircle and encroach. My heart will not fear (v 3). It does not mean we have no fears but that we won’t let fear control or contain or coerce or change us. It is a decision, a determination and a declaration. It’s been said, “There is no greater fear than fear itself.” Fear is a terrible menace, a terrifying monster and a treacherous master, but we must not let fear and its impulse, impact and imagination intimidate us, impede, imprison and impair us.