459_My heart shall not fear Psalm 27 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 evildoers assail me to eat up my flesh, my adversaries and foes, it is they who stumble and fall. 3 Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war arise against me, yet I will be confident. 4 One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: 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 inquire in his temple. 5 For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble; he will conceal me under the cover of his tent; he will lift me high upon a rock. 6 And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me, and I will offer in his tent sacrifices with shouts of joy; I will sing and make melody to the Lord. 7 Hear, O Lord, when I cry aloud; be gracious to me and answer me! 8 You have said, “Seek my face.” My heart says to you, “Your face, Lord, do I seek.” 9 Hide not your face from me. Turn not your servant away in anger, O you who have been my help. Cast me not off; forsake me not, O God of my salvation! 10 For my father and my mother have forsaken me, but the Lord will take me in. 11 Teach me your way, O Lord, and lead me on a level path because of my enemies. 12 Give me not up to the will of my adversaries; for false witnesses have risen against me, and they breathe out violence. 13 I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living! 14 Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord! Charles Spurgeon once told the story of a boy groping his way through a forest late at night. In the pitch darkness, every crack of twigs underfoot, every rustle in the bushes, made his heart leap. But suddenly, he heard a familiar voice — the voice of his father calling him from a nearby house. In that moment, fear fled. The forest remained the same, but having someone he trusted nearby brought peace instead of fear. This is the power of presence. Psalm 27 is David’s praise-filled description of his barrier to fear. It was not by pretending strength. It was the anchor of God’s unshakable presence. Like so many of his psalms, this too may have emerged from a season of trouble. Despite enemies, battles, and betrayals, this is not a psalm of despair, but of confidence and triumph. It begins boldly: “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?” Darkness is often terrifying. Danger seems imminent when we can’t see what is around us. But for