PSALM 27 SEEK THE LORD

Written by , Rector of St. Matthew's Episcopal Church, Richmond, Virginia
 
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, 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 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.

From experience, David can proclaim, “The LORD is my light and my salvation.” He can have this confidence today because of how when he has depended upon God in the past he has been delivered. Today’s confidence engendered by yesterday’s deliverance prepares us for tomorrow’s challenges.

But the focus of his confidence is not on what he has experienced, but on the one who authored those experiences. The source of our confidence is the Lord. Therefore, in order to obtain that confidence we must seek God. This is not a matter of waiting around for him to show up or rationalizing that an otherwise negative experience was really a blessing. Rather, seeking is the intentional and persevering search for God’s presence through prayer, discipline, worship, Scripture and repentance. When applied retrospectively we will see him in our past history. As we look for God today we will be practicing the presence of God. And in seeking him tomorrow we will be able to follow God into the future. Then we will be able to declare, “The LORD is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?”

Give me the heart to seek you Lord so that I may be able to have the eyes to see you in my life. Grow my dependence upon you and my perseverance in disciplining myself to search for you. May I be aware of your presence every moment of my life. Amen.