Whom Shall I Fear?

Ask any child what they’re afraid of and you’ll likely hear answers such as snakes, the dark, falling off their bike, getting into trouble, not having any friends, being picked on, and bad grades. Ask any adult and you’ll probably hear answers like broken relationships, cancer, car accidents, death, financial disaster, evil people, and suffering. If we’re honest, we have lots of fears, some healthy and several unhealthy. Thankfully, the Bible is not silent about fear. Psalm 27 is one place to turn when we feel afraid.     

Confident

David had lots of reasons throughout his lifetime to be full of fear. His life was often in danger. His sin led to painful consequences. At times his suffering was overwhelming. But as we read the psalms he composed we learn that he knew where to go with his fears. His perilous circumstances were transformed into peaceful ones because of his relationship with the Lord. David could confidently say, “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?” (Ps. 27:1). Even in the midst of “evildoers” and “adversaries and foes” and “war” David was “confident” (vv. 2-3).

               David’s song anticipates a greater king who declared, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12). Like David, you and I have lots of reasons to be afraid. You might have someone in your life who wants to make things really difficult for you. You might have a scary health diagnosis and feel like an army is encamped against you. There may be trouble in your family and you feel like you live in a war zone. Take heart. Jesus said, “do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell” (Matt. 10:28). If we’re honest, we often do the opposite. We often fear people more than God. Don’t do that. Instead, sing with confidence, “the LORD is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” (Ps. 27:1).  

Concealed

If you’re anything like me you seek the Lord plus comfort, convenience, the approval of others, etc. Not so with David, “One thing have I asked of the LORD…that I may dwell in the house of the LORD…to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD” (Ps. 27:4). David was confident the Lord would “conceal me under the cover of his tent” (v. 5). Even though enemies encircled him, he could “sing and make melody to the LORD” (v. 6). 

               What David had to go to the temple to do, believers experience each day, “you are God’s temple and…God’s Spirit dwells in you” (1 Cor. 3:16). Christ, who “became flesh and dwelt [tabernacled] among us” (John 1:14), promised us “another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth” who “dwells with you and will be in you” (14:16-17). Even when enemies encircle us we can lift our heads and sing, for our God conceals us “in the day of trouble” (Ps. 27:5).

Cry Aloud

At this point in the psalm you might wonder if David was really human. Who is really fearless in the face of foes? Who is confident when war arises? Who only seeks the beauty of the Lord in trouble? Not me. But now we learn that David is like us. He is desperate, but in his desperation he knows what to do. “Hear, O LORD, when I cry aloud…Cast me not off…O God of my salvation!” (Ps. 27:7, 9). In the midst of cries he confesses “you [Lord] have been my help…the LORD will take me in “ (vv. 9-10).

               The greater David, our beloved Savior, also cried aloud in distress, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done…And being in agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground” (Luke 22:42, 44). But the Father did not remove the cup of the cross from His Son. From the cross He cried, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Mark 15:34). Because Jesus was forsaken on the cross for the salvation of God’s elect, we can cry aloud in our times of need and know that the Lord will hear us and take us in. He will teach us His way and “lead” us “on a level path” (Ps. 27:12).

Courage

Although David’s troubles were far from over, he could say with confidence, “I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living!” (Ps. 27:13). Then, echoing Moses’s exhortation to Joshua, he implores every believer to “Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage” (v. 14). In saying this he also anticipates Jesus’s words to His disciples before He ascended into heaven, “wait for the promise of the Father…the Holy Spirit” (Acts 1:4-5). In the early days of the church the disciples had lots of reasons to fear and needed to be strong and courageous. The same is true for the church today. Even though we have reason to fear, we instead wait with hope for Christ’s return when we “will see his face” and worship the triune God in the new Jerusalem for all eternity. Whatever you’re afraid of today, confidently cry aloud to the Lord who will conceal you in your time of trouble. 

Sarah Ivill (ThM, Dallas Theological Seminary) is a Reformed author, wife, homeschooling mom, Bible study teacher, and conference speaker who lives in Matthews, North Carolina, and is a member of Christ Covenant Church (PCA). To learn more, please visit www.sarahivill.com.