Psalm 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?
2 When evil men advance against me
to devour my flesh, [a]
when my enemies and my foes attack me,
they will stumble and fall.
3 Though an army besiege me,
my heart will not fear;
though war break out against me,
even then will I be confident.
4 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.
5 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.
6 Then my head will be exalted
above the enemies who surround me;
at his tabernacle will I sacrifice with shouts of joy;
I will sing and make music to the LORD.
7 Hear my voice when I call, O LORD;
be merciful to me and answer me.
8 My heart says of you, "Seek his [b] face!"
Your face, LORD, I will seek.
9 Do not hide your face from me,
do not turn your servant away in anger;
you have been my helper.
Do not reject me or forsake me,
O God my Savior.
10 Though my father and mother forsake me,
the LORD will receive me.
11 Teach me your way, O LORD;
lead me in a straight path
because of my oppressors.
12 Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes,
for false witnesses rise up against me,
breathing out violence.
13 I am still confident of this:
I will see the goodness of the LORD
in the land of the living.
14 Wait for the LORD;
be strong and take heart
and wait for the LORD.
What does the Lord require of us? To do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with our God. But what do we require of the Lord?
When do you pray, and what do you pray for? If you are like most of us, you pray for the things that are important to you: health, food, material wellness, an A on a chemistry test, etc. While we should never underestimate the power of prayer, this Psalm gives us a message about what is the most important thing we should ask of our God.
v.4 “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 God in the temple.”
The psalmist does not pray for money, romantic love, possessions, a job, or a passing grade. He prays to live for and with God. In this manner, our first priority should be to dwell in the house of the Lord, and the rest will be provided. The Psalmist mentions his enemies and obstacles, but he is not afraid. He does not ask God to strike down his enemies, because he has faith that
v. 5 “in the day of trouble God will keep me safe in God’s dwelling;
God will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle and set me high upon a rock. “
We are called to have purity of heart, singleness of purpose. God gave us wonderful and beautiful things on the earth, and God wants us to enjoy them, but our first priority must be seeking the righteousness of the Lord.
Written by a PC Sophomore
Today please pray for the office of academic affairs.
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