Psalm 27:1-6 (NRSV)
Read Psalm 27:1-6 on biblegateway.com
Verse 1The 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?
Verse 2When evildoers assail me to devour my flesh- my adversaries and foes- they shall stumble and fall.
Verse 3Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war rise up against me, yet I will be confident.
Verse 4One thing I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple.
Verse 5For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble; he will conceal me under the cover of his tent; he will set me high on a rock.
Verse 6Now my head is lifted up above my enemies all around me, and I will offer in his tent sacrifices with shouts of joy; I will sing and make melody to the Lord.
Devotion
The Lord provides protection, care and vindication to the faithful; as a light, God promises security against darkness. Unwavering trust in the Lord is the psalm’s dominant theme, for the author longs confidently for the salvation that God will give, despite the presence of forces threatening destruction. Sanctuary and preservation are guaranteed within God’s dwelling places; the Lord’s house, temple, shelter and tent—the place to be is in the realm of God’s activity!
Prayer
We abide with you, God of our shelter; why should we fear or worry? Fix our sight this Advent season on your light and strength. Let life’s anxieties and hazards give way to faith. Amen.