I’m back with David this morning in Psalm 27 and again he is up to his ears in trouble. Things are threatening to get on top of him. He speaks about ‘evil men’ seeking to devour his flesh, enemies attacking him, armies besieging him. Circumstances where it would be understandable if he became paralyzed with fear. But because of his closeness to God David has reason not to fear and to have confidence for the future:
‘Though an army besieged me, my heart will not fear;
though war break out against me , even then will I be confident.’ (verse 3)
It’s really all about the strength of his inner life, arising from his relationship with the living God. It is astonishing that in the midst of life-threatening troubles his one great desire is to keep company with the God he knows and loves. In Him is the source of David’s security and strength:
‘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.
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.‘ (verses 4-5)
This is the great imperative of David’s life summed up in v. 8:
‘My heart says of you, “Seek his face!”
Your face, Lord, I will seek.‘
With this in mind the final affirmation of Psalm 27 is understandable:
‘I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.’ (vv. 13-14)
There is an old Gospel song which has the refrain:
‘I’ve got confidence
God is gonna see me through,
No matter what the case may be
I know He’s gonna fix it for me.’
It’s very simply put but it’s not that far from the faith of David or indeed that of the Apostle Paul. Men whose hearts said “Seek His face” and knew a strength beyond their own strength and a peace that passed all human understanding. Paul was convinced that the love of the God who did not spare His only Son for the good of us all would never be extinguished. He expected shadows to fall on human experience but never on God’s love for humankind. This is the heart of faith. Knowing this God and trusting Him ‘no matter what the case may be.’
