Psalm 27-Kind of Day

 I love the Psalms.  It might sound trite, but, if there is a book where I can find refuge, that book is the Book of Psalms.  I believe that God inspired David to write these precious words so people like me...so many years later, would know where to go when they felt lost...as a reminder of what's important: not spend our life chasing after the things of this world, but to seek the Face of the Lord.

Today, as my devotional reading pointed me toward a particular verse on Psalm 27, I ended up reading the entire Psalm, and realized, today, is a Psalm 27-kind of day, so I would like to share it here, hoping it brings comfort to those who read it:

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 the wicked advance against me

to devour me,

it is my enemies and my foes

who will stumble and fall.

3 Though an army besiege me,

my heart will not fear;

though war break out against me,

even then I will be confident.

4 One thing I ask from the Lord,

this only do I seek:

that I may dwell in the house of the Lord

all the days of my life,

to gaze on 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 sacred tent

and set me high upon a rock.

6 Then my head will be exalted

above the enemies who surround me;

at his sacred tent I will sacrifice with shouts of joy;

I will sing and make music to the Lord.

7 Hear my voice when I call, 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,

God my Savior.

10 Though my father and mother forsake me,

the Lord will receive me.

11 Teach me your way, 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,

spouting malicious accusations.

13 I remain 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.

This entire Psalm speaks to me today, but particularly the last two verses.  Verse 13 brings me hope in God's promise of revealing His "goodness" to us while still here on this earth.  A beautiful sunrise, a graceful deer that barely escaped our car's advance, the sound of the voices of our loved ones, the warmth of an embrace when we thought we were alone, the whispering in our hearts reminding us that He is near...the goodness of the Lord is all around us, in the here and in the now.  Sometimes, the weight of the world and our current circumstances threaten to sink us, blurring our vision; but the goodness of the Lord is with us.  We might just have to wait a bit longer.  But we wait in Him and pray for His strength, and wait some more.  

It is said that when something is repeated in Scripture, it means, it is extremely important.  The repetition is meant for emphasis and attention.  Well, as I see the phrase "wait for the Lord" repeated in verse 14...I tend to actually lose heart...because I don't like waiting...but, today, it is causing me to really understand that sometimes there is nothing else to do but to wait...and it is in that waiting period when God finally makes it clear to us that the strength not to lose heart comes from Him.  He wants us to really see.  When things go by too fast, we can't truly appreciate it...it is in the wait when it is cemented in our souls that He is Lord.

May we remain confident that we will see the "goodness of the Lord in the land of the living."  May we be able to "wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart...and wait for the Lord." In the Precious Name of Jesus.  Amen!