Psalm 27: From David’s Response to His Trials, Signs of a Person With Great Faith
Introduction: Although David was a sinner, God called him a man of His heart (Acts 13:22). Here, David responded in faith when he faced an enemy who sought to destroy him. From his response to his many trials, God reveals the signs of a believer with great faith. These include: (1) trust, (2) seeking God, (3) worship, (4) prayer, (5) obedience, (6) hope, and (7) patience.
First, as a sign of his faith, David proclaimed that he did not need to fear evil because he placed his full and complete trust in God. You also never need to fear evil when you have the faith to place your complete trust in God. Second, also as a sign of his faith, David proclaimed that his greatest desire was to dwell in God’s presence. If you have the faith to prioritize your relationship with God, He will provide for your other needs. Third, David knew that God would not spare him from the battle. But he had the faith to know that God would ultimately protect him and lift him up. Thus, he committed to joyful worship. Even in times of conflict, your faith should also be evidence through your worship life. Fourth, although David trusted God to protect him, he cried out to God to hear his prayers to make the correct path clear to him. Like David, your faith should be evidenced through a consistent prayer life. Fifth, David also cried out for God to teach him His ways. This implied that David would follow the truths that God revealed to him. Like David, your faith should be evidenced through both a desire to learn God’s ways and the obedience to follow them. Sixth, although David faced enemies who sought to kill him, he placed his hope in God. When you face hardship or turmoil, God also wants you to place your hope in Him. Finally, David said that he would wait patiently on God. When you face a trial or conflict, God also wants you to be patient. He acts in His timing, not yours.
1. Trust: You Never Need to Fear Evil When You Trust God. Ps. 27:1-3.
David proclaimed that he did not need to fear evil because of his trust in God. As a man of faith, David knew that no evil or enemy could harm him when he trusted in God: “A Psalm of David. 1 The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom should I fear? The Lord is the defense of my life; whom should I dread? 2 When evildoers came upon me to devour my flesh, my adversaries and my enemies, they stumbled and fell. 3 If an army encamps against me, my heart will not fear; if war arises against me, in spite of this I am confident.” (Ps. 27:1-3). David had many successes on the battlefield. But he turned to God for his “ salvation”, even “if war arises against me.” Ps. 27:1,3).
When you put your trust in God, you never need to fear your enemies1
Faith allows you to trust in God for protection. You never need to fear evil people when you place your trust in God (Ps. 27:1). “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.” (Ps. 23:4). “The LORD is for me; I will not fear; what can man do to me? . . All nations surrounded me; In the name of the LORD I will certainly fend them off.” (Ps. 118:6, 10). “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us?” (Ro. 8:31). “Then my enemies will turn back in the day when I call; this I know, that God is for me.” (Ps. 56:9). “The LORD is their strength, and He is a refuge of salvation to His anointed.” (Ps. 28:8). “I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people who have set themselves against me all around.” (Ps. 3:6). “The LORD is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation; this is my God, and I will praise Him; my father’s God, and I will exalt Him.” (Ex. 15:2). If you are feeling fear when you serve God, that is not from Him. If you feel fear, pray and trust God to fight your battle.
Jesus’ light guides you out of darkness. David proclaimed “The Lord is my light” (Ps. 27:1a). He protects in part by guiding you out of darkness: “For You light my lamp; the LORD my God illumines my darkness.” (Ps. 18:28). He guides you through His Word: “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” (Ps. 119:105). Jesus was and is the light who guides us: “For God, who said, ‘Light shall shine out of darkness,’ is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.” (2 Cor. 4:6). “I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,” (Eph. 1:18; Jo. 1:5, 9: Is. 49: Acts 14:24). To receive His light, you need to read His Word and pray for the Spirit’s guidance.
Jesus offers deliverance from your enemies. When God was with David, “evildoers” “stumbled and fell.” (Ps. 27:2). “When my enemies turn back, they stumble and perish before You.” (Ps. 9:3). When the Jews were faithful and obedient, God promised the Jews victory over their enemies: “7 But you will chase your enemies and they will fall before you by the sword; 8 five of you will chase a hundred, and a hundred of you will chase ten thousand, and your enemies will fall before you by the sword.” (Lev. 26:7-8; Ex. 23:22; Nu 10:9, 35; Is. 54:17; Gen. 22:17). “The Lord shall cause your enemies who rise up against you to be defeated before you; they will come out against you one way and will flee before you seven ways.” (Dt. 28:7). When the Jews faced overwhelming enemies in taking over the Promised Land, Joshua promised that the Jews’ enemies would flee if they would cling to God (Josh. 23:10). For those who are obedient and take refuge in God in the face of the enemy, He promises to be a shield against the enemy’s fiery darts: “He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him.” (Prov. 30:5(b); 2 Sam. 22:31). Are you clinging to Jesus when you need protection from your enemies?
God has given you a spirit of strength, not fear. God has not given us a spirit of fear in facing the enemy. Instead, He has given us a spirit of strength: “For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline.” (2 Tim. 1:7). “For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons and daughters by which we cry out, ‘Abba! Father!”’ (Ro. 8:15). “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.” (Eph. 6:10). “Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.” (1 Cor. 16:13). The only fear that we are commanded to have is of God (Prov. 1:7). And fearing God is defined as hating all things that are evil (Prov. 8:13). If you feel fear, turn to God and pray for strength.
Fear is false evidence appearing real. Trust and fear are recurring themes in the Bible. Abraham feared Pharaoh and Abimelech. Isaac feared a different Abimelech. Jacob feared Esau and later Laban. The Jews later feared their Egyptian slave masters. They also feared the Canaanites when they tried to make their way back to the Promised Land. In all these cases, the patriarchs and the Jews were called upon to trust God and not to fear their enemies. “The fear of man brings a snare. But he who trusts in the Lord will be exalted.” (Prov. 29:25). “I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that have no more that they can do.” (Lk. 12:4). “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding.” (Prov. 3:5). “casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.” (1 Pet. 5:7). Do you fear evil people?
God will never forsake you. Part of trusting in God’s strength is finding assurance that He will not forsake you when He disciplines you: He promised that He would never leave or forsake His people. “Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or tremble at them, for the LORD your God is the one who goes with you. He will not fail you or forsake you.” (Dt. 31:6; Heb. 13:5). If God disciplines you, it is only done out of love.
2. Seeking God: Prioritize Your Relationship With God. Ps. 27:4.
David’s greatest desire was to dwell in God’s presence. As evidence of his faith, David sought a relationship with God more than any other privilege or reward as King of Israel: “4 One thing I have asked from the Lord, that I shall seek: 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 meditate in His temple.” (Ps. 27:4). David knew that his salvation was worth more than any victory on the battlefield or honor as King. He turned to God and trusted Him to provide the rest.
David repeatedly prayed that he might one day dwell in God’s presence. David previously made similar declarations with confidence in God to provide: “Certainly goodness and faithfulness will follow me all the days of my life, and my dwelling will be in the house of the LORD forever.” (Ps. 23:6). “LORD, I love the dwelling of Your house, and the place where Your glory remains.” (Ps. 26:8). And he would continue to make similar declarations: “Let me dwell in Your tent forever; let me take refuge in the shelter of Your wings. Selah” (Ps. 61:4). Your relationship with God should also be your greatest desire. If you focus on that, you can trust God to provide for your needs.
Seek God’s Kingdom first, and He will add everything else you need. If you seek God’s kingdom, His righteousness, and His wisdom, He also promises to provide for your needs: “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (Matt. 6:33). “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.” (Jo. 15:7). “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.” (Matt. 5:6). “Delight yourself in the LORD; and He will give you the desires of your heart.” (Ps. 37:4). If you diligently seek Him, you will also find Him: “You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.” (Jer. 29:13). “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.” (Matt. 7:7-8). Are you prioritizing first your relationship with God, and trusting Him to provide for you?
3. Worship: When You Face Conflict, Turn to God with Worship. Ps. 27:5-6.
David committed to joyful worshiping, even though he faced battles. David knew that God would not free him from conflict. But he had the faith to know that God would protect and lift him up. Thus, he committed in advance to joyfully worshiping God: “5 For on the day of trouble He will conceal me in His tabernacle; He will hide me in the secret place of His tent; He will lift me up on a rock. 6 And now my head will be lifted up above my enemies around me, and I will offer sacrifices in His tent with shouts of joy; I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the Lord.” (Ps. 27:5-6). David knew that his enemies would bring him shame. He did not trust in his own abilities. Instead, he trusted God to be his rock and to restore him. Thus, he would respond with gratitude and worship.
Let Jesus be your Rock in times of conflict. David had the faith to know that God would “lift me up on a rock.” (Ps. 27:5). David also knew that his rock was God: “And they remembered that God was their rock, and the Most High God their Redeemer.” (Ps. 78:35). Isaiah revealed that God is “an everlasting Rock”: “Trust in the LORD forever, for in GOD the LORD, we have an everlasting Rock.” (Is. 26:4). Jesus is your “rock” who gives you the water of contentment in your spiritual wilderness (Jo. 4:14; 6:36; 7:37-38; 1 Cor. 10:3-4). He will provide you in your time of need (Matt. 6:30). He is also “the rock of our salvation” (Psa. 95:1; Dt. 32:3-4; Isa. 26:4). Likewise, He is your rock and a shield when you take refuge in Him (Ps. 18:30; 2 Sam. 22:3, 31).
Trust God to restore you when you are attacked. Even though David faced a “day of trouble”, he knew “now my head will be lifted up above my enemies around me, . . .” (Ps. 27:6). As our example, David trusted in God to restore him and lift him up: “But You, LORD, are a shield around me, My glory, and the One who lifts my head.” (Ps. 3:3). “He rescues me from my enemies; You indeed lift me above those who rise up against me; You rescue me from a violent man.” (Ps. 18:48). You live in a fallen world. Although you cannot escape grief and conflict, you can trust God to one day restore you.
Respond to your trials with sacrifices of thanksgiving. David committed that he would respond to God’s faithfulness with “sacrifices in His tent.” (Ps. 27:6). As our example, David committed to doing this on a regular basis: “Offer God a sacrifice of thanksgiving and pay your vows to the Most High;” (Ps. 50:14). “They shall also offer sacrifices of thanksgiving, and tell of His works with joyful singing.” (Ps. 107:22). “I will offer You a sacrifice of thanksgiving, and call upon the name of the LORD.” (Ps. 116:17). You can show your gratitude to God by making your life a living sacrifice (Ro. 12:1-2).
Respond to your trials with joyful worship. Even though David knew that he faced conflict, he committed to “shouts of joy” and that he would “sing praises to the Lord.” (Ps. 27:6). God’s Law included obligations for the Jews to express their gratitude through proper worship (Dt. 12:7, 12, 18; 14:26; 16:11-15; 26:11; 27:7). But God hates worship when it is done out of obligation (Is. 1:14). In other words, God wants your head and your heart aligned in the right place when you approach Him. To set the Jews’ hearts for proper worship, David led the Jews with both psalms and songs of praise and thanksgiving: “Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; for His faithfulness is everlasting.” (1 Chr. 16:34). “Then David and all Israel played music before God with all their might, with singing, on harps, on stringed instruments, on tambourines, on cymbals, and with trumpets.” (1 Chr. 13:8). “Hear, you kings; listen, you dignitaries! I myself—to the LORD, I myself will sing, I will sing praise to the LORD, the God of Israel!” (Jdgs. 5:3). The Psalms also encourage believers to praise God with both songs and musical instruments: “It is good to give thanks to the LORD and to sing praises to Your name, Most High; to declare Your goodness in the morning and Your faithfulness by night, with the ten-stringed lute and with the harp, with resounding music on the lyre. For You, LORD, have made me joyful by what You have done, I will sing for joy over the works of Your hands.” (Ps. 92:104;150:3-6). Thus, you should never skip or tune out of the worship that precedes most church sermons.
4. Prayer: Let Your Faith be Evidenced Through Your Prayer Life. Ps. 27:7-10.
David cried out for God to hear his prayers to guide him. David’s trust in God did not mean that he would sit passively as his enemies approached and attacked him. Instead, he cried out in prayer for God’s guidance, His mercy, His grace, and His protection: “7 Hear, Lord, when I cry with my voice, and be gracious to me and answer me. 8 When You said, ‘Seek My face, my heart said to You, ‘I shall seek Your face, Lord.’ 9 Do not hide Your face from me, do not turn Your servant away in anger; You have been my help; do not abandon me nor forsake me, God of my salvation! 10 For my father and my mother have forsaken me, but the Lord will take me up.” (Ps. 27:7-10). As part of his prayer, David repeated God’s promises not because he believed that God would forget them. Instead, he repeated God’s promises to boast his own faith in God.
Cry out to God whenever you are in need2
God will answer you when you cry out to Him. As a sign of his faith, David repeatedly cried out to God “Hear, Lord, when I cry with my voice, . . answer me.” (Ps. 27:7). “Consider and answer me, O LORD my God; enlighten my eyes, or I will sleep the sleep of death,” (Ps. 13:3). “Hear, LORD, and be gracious to me; LORD, be my helper.” (Ps. 30:10). He knew that God would be there for him even if his family forsook him (Ps. 27:10). God promises to deliver you when you cry out to Him: “Call upon Me on the day of trouble; I will rescue you, and you will honor Me.” (Ps. 50:15). “In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried to my God for help; He heard my voice from His temple, and my cry for help before Him came into His ears.” (Ps. 18:6). “I was crying out to the LORD with my voice, and He answered me from His holy mountain. Selah” (Ps. 3:4). “He brought me up out of the pit of destruction, out of the mud; and He set my feet on a rock, making my footsteps firm.” (Ps. 40:2). God loves you the way a parent loves a child. He also wants you to cry out to Him when you face conflict.
God speaks to those who diligently seek His truth. David’s faith was evidenced through his prayer life. When David said “‘I shall seek Your face, Lord.”’ (Ps. 27:8), he was quoting from Deuteronomy: “But from there you will seek the LORD your God, and you will find Him if you search for Him with all your heart and all your soul.” (Dt. 4:29). Knowing the Word without prayer can sometimes cause you to reply upon your own understanding instead of God. For example, Saul once thought that he was serving God when he hunted down Christians. But he did not hear God’s voice. God nevertheless transformed him and allowed him to understand His voice (Acts 9). If you diligently seek His truth, you will also find Him, and His truth will guide you and set you free: ‘“and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free. . . So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.”’ (Jo. 8:32, 36). “You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.” (Jer. 29:13). “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.” (Matt. 7:7-8). “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.” (Ro. 8:2). Are you diligently seeking Jesus’ truth to guide you?
God answers prayers out of grace. David approached God with humility. Because he was a sinner, he said “Do not hide Your face from me, do not turn Your servant away in anger;” (Ps. 27:9). Believers should always repent of their sins before they approach God in prayer (Matt. 4:17; Acts 8:22). Unrepentant sin can hinder your prayers (1 Pet. 3:7). You can then approach God in prayer with confidence (1 Jo. 5:14; Matt. 21:22).
The effective fervent prayer of the righteous can accomplish great things. Jesus wants you to pray fervently and in faith: “Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.” (Ja. 5:16). Is your faith evidenced through your prayer life?
5. Obedience: Let Your Faith be Evidenced Through Your Obedience. Ps. 27:11.
David cried out for God to teach him His ways to guide him. David knew he needed to obey God to enjoy His full protection. Thus, He prayed for God to teach him His ways: “11 Teach me Your way, Lord, and lead me on a level path because of my enemies.” (Ps. 27:11). Your faith should also be evidenced through your desire to learn God’s will and obey Him. Knowing God’s Word without praying can lead to false overconfidence.
Seek God’s will to guide the important decisions in your life. After hearing reports of Saul’s imminent attack on him in the wilderness, David once turned to the priest Abiathar to guide his steps (1 Sam. 23:9-15). Like David, God wants you to turn to Him at all times. As another example of this, King Jehoshaphat was introduced to Elijah after he asked for a prophet to help discern God’s will: “But Jehoshaphat said, ‘Is there not a prophet of the LORD here, that we may inquire of the LORD by him?’ And one of the king of Israel’s servants answered and said, ‘Elisha the son of Shaphat is here, who used to pour water on the hands of Elijah.’” (2 Kgs. 3:11). When you cry out to God, He will give you wisdom: “But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.” (Jam. 1:5). “Behold, You desire truth in the innermost being, and in the hidden part You will make me know wisdom.” (Ps. 51:6). “For the LORD gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding.” (Prov. 2:6). David would also turn to God’s Word to guide his path: “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” (Ps. 119:105). The Holy Spirit will help you to remember the Word and apply it in your life. “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.” (Jo. 14:26, 16; 15:26; 16:13). Are you reading the Word and praying for the Spirit to guide you?
Do not lean on your own understanding. David had the humility to know that he needed to regularly turn to God to find the correct path (Ps. 27:11). “Make me know Your ways, LORD; teach me Your paths.” (Ps. 25:4). As a person of faith, God wants you to trust in Him and not to lean on your own understanding: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and turn away from evil.” (Prov. 3:5-7; 28:26; Ps. 62:8). For many, consulting God’s wisdom will also appear like a foolish waste of time. “For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” (1 Cor. 1:18; 1 Cor. 2:14). If you are facing an important decision, consult God.
Jesus also wants your complete obedience and submission. David’s prayer implied that he would be obedient to the path that God revealed. Without obedience, his prayers would be meaningless. Jesus’ death was a one-time sacrifice that forever fulfilled the need for sacrifices for sin (Heb. 10:14). But God still tells believers to submit to Him and be obedient (e.g., Dt. 6:3-4; 9:1; 20:3; Josh. 1:7). Today, Christians are no longer “under the Law” in the sense that they must comply with it to be saved (Gal. 5:18; Ro. 7:6; 8:3). By “fulfilling” the Law, Christ freed believers from the impossible task of trying to obtain salvation through the Law (Matt. 5:17). Jesus, however, also says that, if you love Him, you will keep His Commandments: “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.” (Jo. 14:15, 21; 15:10; 1 Jo. 5:3; 2 Jo. 1:6). Before God gave the Ten Commandments to Moses at Mount Horeb, He revealed His name to be the great “I AM” (Ex. 3:13-15). Jesus later revealed that He was the great “I AM.” (Jo. 8:57-58). Thus, Jesus gave the Ten Commandments to Moses at Mount Horeb. Whether you follow His Commandments out of love is also a test for whether you really know Him (1 John 2:3; 1 Cor. 7:19). Do you follow His Commandments out of love and not obligation?
6. Hope: When You Face Hardship, Place Your Hope in God. Ps. 27:12-13.
David placed his hope in God. Although David faced enemies who sought to kill him, he turned to God and placed his hope in Him: “12 Do not turn me over to the desire of my enemies, for false witnesses have risen against me, and the violent witness. 13 I certainly believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.” (Ps. 27:12-13). Even when your circumstances seem hopeless, place your hope in God.
During your trials, put your hope in God. When he faced his enemies, David did not place his hope in himself. Instead, as our example, he placed his hope in God: “Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart, all you who hope in the LORD.” (Ps. 31:4) (NKJV). “And now, Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in You.” (Ps. 39:7). “My soul, wait in silence for God alone, for my hope is from Him.” (Ps. 62:5).
Jesus offers you the hope of eternal joy in heaven. When you feel under attack, you can find many kinds of hope through Jesus. “This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and reliable and one which enters within the veil,” (Heb. 6:19). David spoke of “the land of the living.” (Ps. 27:13). This was a reference to heaven. Jesus promises to resurrect you and give you eternal joy in heaven: “13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as indeed the rest of mankind do, who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose from the dead, so also God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep through Jesus. 15 For we say this to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive, who remain, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.” (1 Thess. 4:13-17; Rev. 20:4-6). “And the redeemed of the LORD will return and come to Zion with joyful shouting, and everlasting joy will be on their heads. They will obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing will flee away.” (Is. 35:10). “Your sun will no longer set, nor will your moon wane; for you will have the LORD as an everlasting light, and the days of your mourning will be over.” (Is. 60:2). Paul described the joy of heaven as something beyond what any have seen or experienced (1 Cor. 2:9). Are you sharing the good news?
The Holy Spirit is Jesus’ down-payment on your eternal joy. In addition to eternal joy, Jesus offers you an abundant life on Earth: “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” (Jo. 10:10). The abundant life that He offers includes the peace and joy that only the Holy Spirit can provide: “the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” (Ro. 14:17). “[I]n Your presence is fullness of joy;” (Ps. 16:11; 21:6). Joy is also a fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22; Ro. 14:17; 15:13; Phil. 2:2,17). When you suffer pain from some unexplained trial or tragedy, do you seek out the joy of the Spirit?
7. Patience: When You Face Hardship, Be Patient For God’s Timing. Ps. 27:14.
David committed to waiting on God. David knew that God acts on His own timing. Thus, he stated that he would be strong in his faith while he waited on God: “14 Wait for the Lord; be strong and let your heart take courage; yes, wait for the Lord.” (Ps. 27:14). God also wants you to be patient. He acts in His timing, not yours.
God calls upon you to be patient as He molds you for His greater plans. David had to wait to become king as God molded Him as a servant within Saul’s court. He would then suffer under Saul’s rule. God also forced Sarah and Abraham to wait 25 years in the Promised Land before He transformed her 90-year-old womb to allow her to conceive Isaac (Gen. 17:17). If we are patient, God uses suffering to mold believers for His greater glory: “Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.” (Is. 48:10; Ps. 66:10; Zech. 13:9(a); Dt. 8:2-3). God also wants you to be patient as He molds you: “Rest in the LORD and wait patiently for Him; do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who carries out wicked schemes.” (Ps. 37:7). “I waited patiently for the LORD; and He inclined to me and heard my cry.” (Ps. 40:1(b)). “I wait for the LORD, my soul does wait, and in His word do I hope.” (Ps. 130:5). Even when you don’t know God’s plan for you and things seem hopeless, will you patiently wait for God and His timing?
Be patient for God’s timing. “Here King David spoke to you and to me, to his readers. From the reservoir of his experience he can encourage us to seek after God (Wait on the LORD) and to take courage in Him (be of good courage). . . . the idea behind wait…on the LORD is not a passive sitting around until the LORD does something. Yes, God gives us strength; but we don’t expect it to come as if He were pouring it into us as we sit passively. He brings it to us as we seek Him, and rely on Him, instead of relying on our own strength. If we are weak, it is because we do not wait…on the LORD. We should wait on the LORD: · As a beggar waits for handouts at the rich man’s door. · As a student waits to be taught. · As a servant waits on his master. · As a traveler waits for the directions of the guide. · As a child waits upon his parent.” (David Guzik on Ps. 27).3
