New: 6 February 2025
God's Faithfulness
during Difficulties
Psalm 27
The LORD is my light and my salvation;
whom shall I fear?
The LORD is the defense of my life;
whom shall I dread?
Psalm 27:1 NASB
Fear vs Faithfulness
Fear is real, yet so is God's faithfulness. Challenges in life are a reality we need to face and overcome. God's faithfulness sustains and keeps us during difficulties. Be it attacks by enemies (Psalms 23; E1), the struggles during injustice (Psalm 37; E2) or the troubles caused by evildoers (Psalm 25; E3), God is our refuge during difficulties, a light in our darkness and a defence in our battles. We can choose between being paralysed by fear or empowered by faithfulness—God's faithfulness. There is a way to be fearless and confident the face of vicious attacks and overwhelming odds against you (Psalm 25:2-3). If the LORD is your light, salvation and defence, fear vanishes in the face of God's faithfulness (v 1). How can we be confident and fearless?
Prayer & God's Presence
Confidence in God comes from knowing Him and what He is able to do. David's greatest desire and primary prayer was to dwell in God's presence, behold His beauty and meditate on God (v 4). Confidence comes from seeking God's presence in prayer and understanding who He is. The word 'meditate' needs a short explanation. The biblical meaning is not Eastern religious meditation (e.g., Yoga, Reiki etc), it is pondering of God's Word. The Hebrew idea of meditation (hagah) is to reflect, to ponder, to contemplate something by repeating words. It's to think about biblical truth with focus on God. Dwelling in God's presence is to understand God's nature. To seek God is to inquire from the Source of life and Architect of our destiny. David knew that riding refuge in God is very beneficial: in the day of trouble God would conceal him, hide him and lift him up (v 5). The 'rock' speak figuratively of stability, a restored confidence after setbacks. David was exalted by God over the enemies who sought to bring him down (v 6a). Troubles can rob us of our confidence, but spending time in God's presence in prayer, worship and meditation helps to bring us back to being fearless and confident in the One who sustains us. We offer sacrifices of joyful praise to God, our light and salvation, our hope and help, our refuge and restorer. Understanding God's faithfulness strengthens us during difficulties. Problems may not always or immediately be solved, but we can approach them with a different mindset and attitude. How we fight our battles is crucial in winning them.
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 life life,
to behold the beauty [delightfulness] of the LORD and to mediate
[inquire] in His temple.
Psalm 27:4
The Power of Praying to the God who Hears
There is a cynical version of who God and what prayer is: 'you want something really bad and pray? God is the guy ignoring you.' Cynicism exposes resentment in one's heart. And yes, sometimes we feel disappointed when our prayers seem to go unanswered or unheard. But David knew the power of praying to the God who hears. "Hear, O LORD [Yahweh], when I cry with my voice, and be gracious to me and answer me' (Psalm 27:7). God is hears prayers, but we must remember that He is under no obligation to hear us or answer our prayers. Acknowledging this places us in a postiion of humility towards God, the place of grace. God gives grace to the humble, but He resists the proud (Proverbs 3:34; 1 Peter 5:5; James 4:6). David asked God to be gracious to him. He didn't take God or answered prayers for granted. David wasn't entitled. He knew his place of humility before God, yet he was confident that God, in His faithfulness, hears and answers.
In writing down this psalm, David gives us insight into the 'inner workings of prayer,' if we can put it that way. God actually told him to 'Seek My face' (v 8a), and the response of David's heart was, 'Your face, O LORD [Yahweh], I shall seek' (v 8b). Is that the response of our hearts when we are asked to seek God? Do we only pray when we need something, but otherwise ignore God? Do we only pray when it suits us, or do we sacrifice time to pray and worship God. Sacrifice means to give up something precious for what is more valuable and meaningful. We sacrifice something in the present for a better future. David was a true worshipper. He wouldn't sacrifice to God something that didn't cost him anything (2 Samuel 24:18-25). Maybe sometimes we lack that type of sacrificial and honourable attitude in our prayers. Perhaps that is the reason for unanswered prayers. God is not 'the guy ignoring you,' yet He wants a genuine heart.
David knew this. His plea of not being turned down or abandoned by God shows his humility towards God (v 9). He knew that even though father or mother may forsake him, God wouldn't! God is faithful (v 10). Perhaps this may strike us as a strange verse in that heartfelt prayer. Why would David be worried to be abandoned by his parents? In Hebrew culture family was of highest importance. The promise by God was to make them abundant in the earth (Genesis 12:1-3) in harmony with God's intention at creation and after the Flood (1:26-28; 9:1). It seems that the contrast of the possibility of abandonment by parents and God's unwavering faithfulness is there for powerful effect. In our modern culture, as some ancient ones, children are not always treated with gratitude and value. Children do get abandoned, even trafficked or used for child labour. It is shocking what some children must suffer in certain parts of the world. But the reassurance of God remains: God will not abandon us. He is faithful. We can turn to Him. In Him we find acceptance and love.
I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.
Psalm 27:13
