Psalm 27

Psalm 27

Overcome Fear

I.                    Fear in life is only overcome by continually seeking God; we must continually seek His presence (Vv. 1-6)

a.       In the first half of this psalm, David’s understanding of who God is moves him to express great confidence in Him. Because God is David’s light, salvation, and defense, he won’t live in fear or dread, but will remain confident in the face of his enemies. Fear accompanies darkness, but light is revelatory and leads to understanding. God alone is Light who drives out darkness and fear, and Jesus is the Light of the World who perfectly illuminates the Father so we can understand what He’s like. God is also David’s salvation, or deliverance, who alone is able to deliver him from his enemies and the fear which their threat evokes. In Christ, God frees us from our inescapable enemies of sin and death, which are the source of fear in our lives. David was perpetually under threat of attack from his enemies. But whether they sprung on him swiftly, besieged him, or declared war and maneuvered into position to attack, he was confident they would fail because God was his defense and strength, sufficient to sustain him against any enemy attack, even from within himself. Life will continually reveal our weakness as we’re attacked spiritually, physically, and emotionally, but our weakness is swallowed up the strength and power of God through Christ, who has already overcome all of our enemies! David was able to live confidently in the face of all these circumstances because he continually sought to be in the presence of God and behold His glory above all other things. He found his refuge, strength, and sure footing in all of life’s moments, especially its most treacherous moments, by continually seeking the presence and glory of God. In this way he was able to see all these circumstances, difficulties, and threats through God’s perspective, and not only overcome fear, but serve God, worship Him joyfully and sing His praises. We must have truly worshipful hearts, seeking God’s presence, and exalting His Name. (Vv. 1-6; 2 Sam. 22:29; Neh. 4:14; Ps. 18:1-3, 28; 36:9; 104:1-2; 135:3; Prov. 3:25-26; Isa. 41:10; 60:1-5; Jer. 29:11-13; Micah 7:8; Matt. 10:22-31; John 1:5, 9; 3:16-21; 4:23; 8:12; 15:1-8; 16:33; Rom. 8:15, 31-39; Phil 1:9-11; 1 Tim. 6:15b-16; Heb. 11:1, 6; 1 John 1:5; 4:18-19; Rev. 21:22-27)  

II.                 Fear in life is only overcome by continually seeking God; we must continually seek His grace (Vv. 7-14)

a.       It’s human nature to react swiftly and strongly when we find ourselves in dire need of help. But it’s also human nature to return to our baseline behavior when the threat against us subsides. Sometimes these cycles are the result of external circumstances and other times they’re the result of internal issues within our own lives, but the result and purpose is the same, to expose our true weakness, turn us to God, and reveal our desperate need for His grace. David was confident in the face of the threat of his enemies, but now he finds himself fearfully in need again. He calls out to God prayerfully, confessing his need, and seeking His mercy and grace for forgiveness. God had always been faithful to forgive and deliver David before, and since God never changes, David was confident God would do it again. David praises God for His perfect Fatherhood. Parents come in all varieties; some are good, and some are absolutely awful, but none are perfect except our heavenly Father. David knows that if he’ll humble himself, cry out to God, and desire to do things His way and in His time, he’ll find the acceptance which he can never find in the world, a faithful Father who’s always ready to listen, and a gracious teacher who’ll guide Him in the right way. Faced with fear and despair again, David humbly recognizes his helplessness, prays to God for His grace in his desperate need, and God faithfully and graciously restores his confidence. Even in his humility, David prayed expectantly and boldly, because he continually sought the presence of the Lord, and knew His great goodness and glory. He was confident he would enjoy peace, comfort, and courage in the Lord in the present, and that he’d be secure in Him forever. Even though we must continually deal with fear and often stumble in sin in this present world, God has shown us His grace through Christ, and He is faithful to save all who call on Him, and renew all who continually seek His grace in humble and repentant faith. Through Christ we can joyfully see the goodness and satisfaction of the Lord in the land of the living, and overcome fear each time it rears its ugly head in our lives, by drawing continually closer to Him and seeking His grace. (Vv. 7-14; Josh. 1:6-9; Ps. 16:11; 23:6; 31:9; 37:4-5; 46:1-3, 10-11; 51:1; 65:4; 130:1-8; Prov. 3:5-8; Isa. 28:16; 40:28-31; Matt. 7:7-14; 11:28-30; John 10:10, 27-30; Rom. 5:1-11; 10:13; 11:33-36; 12:1-3; Eph. 2:8-10; Heb. 4:14-16; 6:12; 10:36)