The psalmist wrote in Psalms 27: 1, 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? The passage shows the basis of fear. We often counter the spirit of fear with Romans 8: 15 – for you have not received a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption. When we cry, “Abba! Father. However, this quote will not receive its full effect unless we address the root cause of fear as the bible teaches us.
According to David in Psalms 27: 1, fear will be overcome if the Lord is our light; if the Lord is our salvation; and if the Lord is our stronghold. It is these circumstances or considerations that gave David boldness over his fears. We are able to cry Abba! Father by grace based on the aforesaid facts. What are the imports of the following statements of David?
The LORD is my light
Biblically, light is the glory of God. Without light the soul dwells in darkness. Therefore, we need the light of God so we may avoid the pitfalls and obstructions against our souls. Christ Jesus is that light we need in this world of spiritual darkness before we face eternity. In Genesis 1: 3 God said, “Let there be light”, and there was light. God spoke light into a chaotic world to restore order in God’s glory. David found the LORD as his light in darkness.
When Egypt was plunged into darkness for three days before the exodus, Exodus 10: 23 says all the Israelites had light where they lived. God’s glory was over them. In Exodus 13: 21, the LORD went in front of the Israelites… in a pillar of fire by night, to give them light, so they might travel by day and by night. God’s glory leads his people without rest. When Israel needed conquest in battle, Exodus 17: 12 says Aaron and Hur held up Joshua’s hands,… so his hands were steady until the sun set till Israel prevailed.
God’s light prepares us and shows us the way on our spiritual journey to heaven. 2 Samuel 22: 29 says the LORD lightens my darkness. Just as Psalms 36: 9 says in your light we see light, we need Jesus’ light to see God’s light. Psalms 119: 105 says your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. Our feet get steady and firm in God’s light so we do not fear to fall. Hearing the word also gives light which disperses fear. Psalms 119: 130 says the unfolding of your words gives light. Is Jesus our light?
The LORD is my salvation
David overcame his fears because the LORD was his salvation. Only the Lord saves. In 1 Samuel 7: 8 the people said to Samuel, “Do… pray that he (God) may save us from the hand of the Philistines.” Psalms 34: 18 says the Lord saves the crushed in spirit. God’s saving grace overcomes fear. When our souls are saved, there must be no fear. David’s soul was saved when he wrote Psalms 27:1.
David asked of God in Psalms 35: 3… say to my soul, “I am your salvation.” God has been our everlasting salvation and David knew that God spoke in Isaiah 51: 6 that my salvation will be forever and my deliverance will never be ended. God’s assurance is that he is available whenever we are ready with a true heart of repentance. Death should not be a threat to the saved because of eternal life gained in Christ Jesus. Hebrews 6: 9 says salvation brings better things.
David was fearless for the reasons which Jesus expounded in Matthew 10: 28; Luke 12: 4, 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. David knew that salvation belongs to God as it was eventually written in Revelation 7: 10. His declaration of boldness in the Lord was therefore righteous and fulfilling. Jesus said in Luke 19: 10, for the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost. Who is our salvation?
The LORD is my stronghold
Stronghold means a place from danger or a place of fortified security. To David, God was his stronghold. Samuel said God was his stronghold in 2 Samuel 22: 3. Since creation, God has demonstrated that he is the stronghold for those who trust and obey him. Nahum 1: 7 says the LORD is good, a stronghold in a day of trouble; he protects those who take refuge in him. If God is our refuge, fear has no place in us which was David’s positive confession to God’s glory and honour.
Proverbs 10: 29 says the way of the LORD is a stronghold for the upright. The Lord wants us to keep his way so we will overcome. David kept God’s way and it became a stronghold for him. In our walk with Jesus, he will be our stronghold unless we have not repented and submitted our all in all to his pleasure. Jesus said in Luke 13: 3, 5, no, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish just as they did.
Paul wrote referring to the nature of God’s stronghold in 2 Corinthians 10: 4, we destroy arguments and every proud obstacle raised up against the knowledge of God, and we take every thought captive to obey Christ. The thought of evil overpowering us was taken captive by Christ Jesus on the cross so whoever repents and accepts Jesus is protected in the stronghold of the blood of Jesus. Who and where is our stronghold in this life? Let Christ Jesus be our eternal light and stronghold in his holy name.
Prayer
Dear Lord Jesus, we need your light to brighten our world of darkness. Let your saving grace lead our way to eternity by your grace away from the wiles of the enemy so we may rest in your peace. As you were with David, so we pray that you may be with us in our penitence in your blood. Be our stronghold and our light as the king of the universe and our souls. Rest and abide with us in your name, Amen!!
