when i started this blog writing about what i learned from the psalms was basically the point of the whole thing.
over the almost year since i started this thing i have been through and seen so much about God in these chapters, but as i mentioned in the previous post, i’m trying to get back to the heart of it…again.
over the last week or so i’ve had a handful of scriptures come up in various places. lamentations 3:22, rev 21:5, jeremiah 33:3, 2 chron 16:9…and psalm 27. sunday alone it came up at least 3 times. i came home that night and dug in. here’s what i got…
the Lord is my light and my salvation
i am a picture person. when i read i create pictures in my head to set up what i’m reading. this is no different. as i’ve read this part of the verse, i find myself picturing this dark dark void where fear is present. but suddenly there is a light that appears, no matter how small, and suddenly the dark doesn’t seem so endless anymore, so hopeless, or so abyss-like. have you ever walked through a church at night? terrifying… playing those games in the dark was always horrible for me because darkness is scary. but even the slightest glimpse of light around a door or from a window allows you to find your bearings again and sort of figure out where you should go.
this is what i think of when i read this verse. in the deep scary darkness the Light shines ever so slightly or maybe super bright but suddenly you have direction again.when you’re lost or confused or have gotten turned around and are scared the Lord shines His light and offers you hope. this light saves you. it rescues you from whatever awaits in darkness. and no longer you have anything to fear.
Light casts out all fear. the Lord casts out all fear. where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty. freedom. (2 cor 3:17)
verses 2-3 are like david is saying, EVEN when all the world is against me, everything is going wrong and falling apart EVEN THEN, i love the NASB rendering in spite of all [that is going on around me] i will be confident [in the Lord]. even then i will look to the Light in the darkness and know that it will all be ok.
and i love verse 4.
one thing i ask of the Lord one thing i seek that i may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life to gaze upon His beauty and to see Him in His temple.of course in david’s form it seems to not fit in after what he’s just said about his enemies and the whole word falling in and all that. maybe he didn’t write it altogether (thats what some bible scholarly people say) but maybe he did. i like to think he did.
it’s like he’s saying… “!!JFKLAJFSFD everything is soooo frustrating!! it won’t get any better… in fact, it just keeps getting worse!! if i could have anything in the world…anything at all, what i’d want is to rest in the Presence of the Lord. to just see His beautiful face. and i just want to do this FOREVER.”
verses 5-6 follow this in almost little kid form. like “MAN if i was there…just LET my enemies come. i’d show them who was sitting high. i’d show them that MY FATHER is protecting me. (don’t you just hear it…my daddy could beat your daddy at basketball!) i’d show them that MY FATHER is not going to stand back and let me be bullied. he seems to be saying MY FATHER is so amazing…and i just want to cheer Him on and shout how awesome He is and jump up and down as He shows those enemies of mine that no one can play this game like Him.
but no, david is saying man, if i were in that temple, my Father would be taking care of my enemies. He’d put me in a safe place high above my enemies, where i was out of their reach. because of this i’d sing and praise Him and shout and worship Him; not because He saved me, because He is worthy of it.
it’s like a sweet daydream (that is actually true!) and then in v 7 he seems to come back to reality but the desire of the dream is so real. “oh please Lord…hear me when i call to you. please answer me.” he wants it so badly!! but v 8…it’s sooo awesome.
this is 7-8 from the MSG
Listen, God, I’m calling at the top of my lungs:
“Be good to me! Answer me!”
When my heart whispered, “Seek God,”
my whole being replied,
“I’m seeking him!”
Don’t hide from me now!
AAAH…soo beautiful! his heart was sooo tuned into God and worshipping Him and knowing that God was his deliverer, salvation, hope, refuge that his heart didn’t have to scream to be heard. it was just a gentle whisper. the world is crashing down (which i think would be loud…right?!) and his heart whispers “seek God” don’t figure it out yourself david…ask God what to do. it was a whisper SO familiar to him that his WHOLE BEING replied i will seek God, no matter what.
and then the next part is so wonderful to me too…david knows the Lord so intimately. he loves Him so much. he seems to beg, “please Lord…never leave me”. i feel like he is saying, i can endure ANYTHING but that. [remember, this is shortly after david has been anointed king by samuel the prophet (1 sam 16) and the Holy Spirit has been removed from Saul because of his disobedience to God (1 sam 15). the Holy Spirit did not dwell in every believers heart forever back then…] david knows that God could take His Spirit away and leave david with room for evil spirits or emptiness…and he can’t handle it. it would be too much. and he ends, of course in true david fashion, proclaiming his hope in God. this time i believe in God’s promise of Kingship to him and that he will be out of this war eventually.i an still confident of this; i will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. he wasn’t going to have to wait until heaven to see the Lord’s goodness. he’d seen it before and he knew he’d see it again on this earth. SUCH hope. and he was willing to wait on it. he knew the Lord to be faithful (heb 10:23). He knew the Lord would provide in His timing (2 peter 3:9). he knew it was better not to quit this fight. he knew he had to stay with His God.
Habakkuk 3:17-18 reminds us that even when it doesn’t seem like good will come, or an end is in sight there is reason to rejoice in the Lord our Savior.
the Lord is my light and my salvation. He is my Joy!
seeking His heart 