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Lyrics
1 The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
2 When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell.
3 Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident.
4 One thing have I desired 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 behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple.
5 For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock.
6 And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the LORD.
7 Hear, O LORD, when I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me, and answer me.
8 When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek.
9 Hide not thy face far from me; put not thy servant away in anger: thou hast been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation.
10 When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up.
11 Teach me thy way, O LORD, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies.
12 Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies: for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty.
13 I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.
14 Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.1
Bible Commentary
1 God is a light to his people, to
show them the way when they are in doubt, to comfort and rejoice
their hearts when they are in sorrow. "He is my salvation, in whom I
am safe and by whom I shall be saved.’’ "He is the strength of my
life, not only the protector of my exposed life, who keeps me from
being slain, but the strength of my frail weak life, who keeps me
from fainting, sinking, and dying away.’’2
2 The psalmist had many enemies,
they were of different sorts, but they were unanimous in mischief
and hearty in hatred. They advanced to the
attack, leaping upon the victim like a lion upon its prey.
Like cannibals they would make a full end
of the man, tear him limb from limb, and make a feast for their
malice. However God's
breath blew them off their legs. There were stones in the way which
they never reckoned upon, and over these they made an ignominious
tumble.3
3
"Though they be numerous, a host of them,—though they be daring and
their attempts threatening,—though they encamp against me, an army
against one man,—though they wage war upon me, yet my heart shall
not fear.’’ Hosts cannot hurt us if the Lord of hosts protect us.2
4
David's
longing to be engaged perpetually in the service of God, to be a
perpetual guest of the heavenly Host, is beautifully expressed in
this psalm. At the Christian sanctuary our minds are
enlightened, our doubts removed, and our hearts comforted by God's
truth.4
5
The safety of believers is not in the walls of the
temple, but in the God of the temple and their comfort in communion
with him.2
The man whom God himself sets on high
above his foes, is like an impregnable
rock which never can be stormed!
3
6 Godly
men of old prayed in faith, nothing wavering, and spoke of their
answer to their prayers as a certainty. David was by faith so sure
of a glorious victory over all those who beset him, that he arranged
in his own heart what he would do when his foes lay all prostrate
before him.3
Whatever is the matter of our joy
ought to be the matter of our praise; and, when we attend upon God
in holy ordinances, we ought to be much in joy and praise. It is for
the glory of our God that we should sing in his ways; and, whenever
God lifts us up above our enemies, we ought to exalt him in our
praises.2
7 At this point in the psalm
there is a complete change in tone from implicit trust to a
plaintive cry for help. This change brings one school of
critics to the conclusion that the psalm is really composed of two
separate psalms. Such a conclusion is not at all necessary
when one grants that, despite the psalmist's confidence in God, the
force of actual circumstances induces him to cry to God for help in
a very real world. Even when assured of God's favor, we need
continually to recognize our need of Him and to request His aid.4
8 This verse is the dialogue
of a beautiful fellowship between David and his God. God had
said to him: "Seek ye my face." David reminds God of His
command, and from the depths of his heart replies, "I will seek thy
face." Here is intimacy indeed, resembling the friendship that
existed between Moses and God. Precious is that fellowship with God
which, in time of need, finds the soul speaking to itself the
counsel of God.4
9 Other
servants had been put away when they proved unfaithful, as for
instance, his predecessor Saul; and this made David, while conscious
of many faults, most anxious that divine long suffering should
continue him in favour. The first petition, "leave me not," may
refer to temporary desertions, and the second word to the final
withdrawal of grace, both are to be prayed against.3
10
Some of the greatest of the saints have been cast out by their
families, and persecuted for righteousness' sake. Then the Lord will
espouse my cause, will uplift me from my woes, will carry me
in his arms, will elevate me above my enemies, will at last receive
me to his eternal dwelling place.3
11
Plainness or downright honesty will direct
us into and keep us in the way of our duty. The
psalmist begs to be guided in a plain path, because of his
enemies, or (as the margin reads it) his observers. His enemies
watched for his halting, that they may find occasion against him.
Saul eyed David, 1 Sa. 18:9. This quickened him to pray, "Lord, lead
me in a plain path, that they may have nothing ill, or nothing that
looks ill, to lay to my charge.’’2
12
The
psalmist says deliver me not over unto the will of mine
enemies; or I should be like a victim cast to the lions, to be rent
in pieces and utterly devoured.3
Herein
David was a type of Christ; for false witnesses rose up against him,
and such as breathed out cruelty,
thirsting after
his blood.
Though
David may have been
delivered into wicked hands of his enemies,
he was not delivered over to their will, for they could not prevent
his exaltation.2
13
The
words "I had fainted" do not occur in the original. They were
inserted to complete the evident meaning of the psalmist: "What
would have become of me, if I had not believed in the goodness of
God!" So many and formidable are his enemies that he would collapse
were it not for his sure belief that he will ultimately see a
revelation of God's goodness on earth.4
14
The
psalmist is primarily exhorting himself. His stronger self is
encouraging his weaker nature not to despair. The psalm closes
with a repetition of the injunction: "Wait, I say, on the Lord," as
if the psalmist would fix deep in our minds the idea that at all
times of doubt and danger, instead of despairing, we should go
forward "in the strength of the Lord God"4
References and notes
1. King James Authorized Version
2.
Matthew Henry
Complete Commentary on the Whole Bible
-
http://bible.crosswalk.com/Commentaries
3.
Charles H. Spurgeon, "The Treasury of David -
http://bible.crosswalk.com/Commentaries/TreasuryofDavid/
4. Seventh-day
Adventist Bible Commentary Vol. 3 pgs 695 - 597
5.
ChristadelphianBooksOnline George Booker Psalms
Studies Book 1 - http://www.christadelphianbooks.org/booker/psalms1/
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About Psalm 27 |
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Easyfind |
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Bible
Author |
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A Psalm
of David. This
psalm was written by David when he
was a fugitive, finding refuge in the rocks and caves of
the wilderness. It reveals the psalmist's spirit
of absolute confidence in God amid the perils of flight.
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Music
Composed |
The
music was composed in
2004
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Music for
Psalm 27 |
An
audio clip for Psalm 27 is currently unavailable however we
do provide a
record for you service. This song
may be recorded in a future
Psalms album. Click on image to listen to other
songs from the
Bible in Song collection.
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Quotes on
Psalm 27 |
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The Bible Quotes
pages provide
counsel, direction, encouragement and help from God's word
to life's questions.
These pages include Bible Quotes & Promises, Inspirational Quotations
and audio clips. Psalm 27 is featured on the following
pages: |
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The Tonic Psalm |
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It has been called The Tonic Psalm.
In no other psalm is David's yearning after the service of
the sanctuary as intensely expressed as here. Some
suggest 1 Sam. 22:22 as a background to the psalm.4
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Song Structure |
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Messianic
reference |
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The entire
psalm should be read as a prophecy of the trials and faith
of Jesus in the days of his flesh. Certain details are
outstanding:
vs.
2. When the
wicked, even mine enemies (vs.
11,12) and my foes, came upon me....they stumbled and fell.
The connection with John 18:6 is unmistakable, especially
when linked with v. 1: The Lord is my light. (Perhaps it was
the Glory of the Lord, such as shone forth from Christ in
the Transfiguration — Mark 9:15; Luke 9:43, RV; 2 Pet. 1:16
— which sent his enemies reeling backward to the ground in
Gethsemane.) In this context to eat up my flesh is clearly
symbolic. Therefore stumbled and fell must be symbolic also,
describing the ultimate and total failure of all evil plots
against Messiah. But the literal fact is recorded in the
gospel as an open sign of the relevance of this psalm.
vs.
12. False
witnesses are risen up against me. This very language is
used in Mark 14:56,57 to describe the rigged trial of Jesus:
see also Psa. 35:11-13; Isa. 59:3,4.
vs
13. I had
fainted unless I believed to see the goodness of the Lord in
the land of the living. These words speak of Christ’s
touch-and-go experience in Gethsemane, and of a reviving
conviction in his own resurrection to the land of the
living.5 |
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Jewish Ritual |
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In the modern Jewish ritual, Ps. 27 is recited daily
throughout the sixth month in preparation for the New Year
and the Day of Atonement4
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