Every now and then, a Psalm gets hijacked by the most recent contemporary song using its lyric. Ok, it happens pretty regularly. It’s not a bad thing – it’s a brilliant way to memorise scripture (just make sure you’re memorising scripture and not planting a songwriters potentially-dodgy theology!)
Psalm 27 takes me back to Lyndal Cooley and a brilliant worship album from 1997 (when Fern was about 10 minutes old). Or a Matt Redman song from the late 90s. Or a Darlene song from the purple/hippy era of Hillsong’s Hope album.
I love these tunes but I can be in danger of missing the good gear that the songwriter missed.
Early this year I had to motor through the Old Testament for a unit at school. As I worked through the Psalms I noticed that I was just highlighting and pausing at the worship lyrics that had already been mined from these Psalms. Nothing wrong there…I was just missing out on so much more. A little like we were talking about on Sunday; grabbing a couple of verses often glasses over the context of the deep well from which the drops of water were drawn.
Psalm 27 is a glimmering psalm – a triumphant song of confidence. Or, if that’s not where you find yourself right now, it’s a song of reassurance: “this is our God – this is who we call Lord”.
In the light of our God of majesty, whom should we fear or be afraid? It’s a statement of a man finding perspective. “Here’s my problem, here’s my situation…but here’s my God – my light and my salvation.’ Even though stuff might happen, I will be confident…in Him.
Armed with this perspective, we realise all over again that to be near God, in close relationship with Him, is to be near the one who keeps us safe in times of trouble.
It doesn’t leave David doubt-free though. He is confident, for sure, but in v7-12 he expresses what we all might feel from time to time: “I know You’re God, I know You’re in control, but listen to me. Hear my prayer. I’m at the end of my rope. Don’t turn away from me. Persevere with me.”
He does. He has. He will.
Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.
– Simon Elliott