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I would like to begin our message this morning with a kvetch (complaint). Why do I have to lock the doors of my house and car? Why do we have to have locks at all? Why must I pay hundreds of dollars every month to an insurance company just in case my car is stolen or my house burns down or someone decides to sue me because they tripped on the sidewalk? Why does my credit card need 16 numbers on the front and 3 more on the back, and why do I have to have a complicated password for every account I have?

For that matter, why is our washing machine leaking… again? Why is it that every faucet ever made eventually starts dripping after you shut the water off? Why, whenever I drop a piece of toast, does it land on the floor with the jam side down? And did it have to be right where the dog was just shedding? And why does the phone always ring just as I am heading out the door?

These, of course, are silly little laments. But we live in a world filled with real pain and despair, rampant loss of life, and deep sorrow. Sometimes it is entirely out of our hands (natural disasters), but so much of it we bring on ourselves. How do we make sense of it? Can we make a difference?

How many times have you heard the expression “In a perfect world…”? It’s one way we acknowledge the inevitability of troubles and trials, injustice and sorrow in this presently broken world. But it also reveals (even if unconsciously) that we can envision a better world. So then it is legitimate to hope for a better world-to-come. But for now, it is painfully apparent that this present world is fractured and weighed down by sin.

So how do we cope? Let me rephrase that: Is merely coping the best we can hope for? Or is it possible to have simcha (joy) and shalom (peace/well-being) in this world? How is it that some people are calm and optimistic despite the insanity? What is their secret? Scripture holds the answer for us.

We are continuing our series in the Tehillim, the Psalms. One of the reasons I appreciate the Psalms so much is because they express with such honesty and beauty the discouragement we all feel in the face of life’s difficulties and sorrows; including the dismay of being betrayed by those who were once friends, or vicious attacks by those who hate us for no good reason.

But these same Psalms offer answers and point the way for us to achieve true shalom in an otherwise unpredictable and often painful world. This morning I invite you to open to Psalm 27, David’s godly affirmation of trust amid troubles, and let’s take encouragement from it.

Let me share a few details about this magnificent psalm. Psalm 27 falls in the first of what are five major sections of the Psalms. Many of the psalms in this first section are laments. Psalm 27 has some of that element, but it is also a song that expresses confidence in Adonai. Some liberal scholars, seeing in the first six verses a theme of trust and in the last eight verses a personal lament, suggest that this may have originally been two entirely separate writings which were later brought together by editors. I will explain in a little while why I don’t believe that’s the case, and hope to demonstrate that this is a single, very thoughtful, very structured song.

Verse 1 A Psalm of David.

יְהוָה, אוֹרִי וְיִשְׁעִי

The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the defense of my life; whom shall I dread?

How many of you have read George Orwell’s 1984? This novel was actually a denunciation of totalitarian government and a warning against what we today call ‘political correctness’ – the lack of freedom to speak our minds without being criminalized for it. In it, Orwell describes a scary place which is oddly named The Ministry of Love. This is where political dissidents, or even those suspected of non-conformity to the government would be taken. And in the inner recesses of the Ministry of Love there was a particularly dreadful place – called ‘Room 101’. Room 101 held a different terror for each person who was taken there. Because the Party (the government) spied on all its subjects, they knew what each person’s worst fear was. But it highlights the fact that each human being has particular things they fear.

Fear is a powerful emotion, and it comes to us in a variety of ways. There are some kinds of fear that are good and appropriate and can keep us from physical or spiritual harm. You should be afraid of some things, like the potential for becoming addicted to drugs or contracting a deadly disease or dying in a violent way. You’d be dysfunctional if you weren’t afraid of such things.

I can appreciate that some people’s hobbies require them to overcome fear – but I’m not about to take up skydiving. It is normal to fear some things.

There is a healthy kind of fear in our relationship to the God of the Universe. Not a terrifying kind of fear that would send us running (like the cowardly lion in The Wizard of Oz), but instead a deep, abiding reverence for who He is, the knowledge that He created the universe, and that one day each of us will appear before Him and give account for our lives. And if you are in a right relationship with God; if you have proper reverence for Him, you will never need to fear other people. The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the defense of my life; whom shall I dread? Men may seek our lives, but they cannot touch our souls. And the only One who actually has the power to destroy your soul has no intention of doing so. He loves you!

Now let me qualify that. When I say that the Lord loves you, I am not affirming universalism – the idea that everyone will eventually be saved. I refer exclusively to those who are committed followers of Yeshua, Jesus the Messiah. If you have not yet transferred your loyalty to Yeshua and publicly declared your faith in Him, then this promise doesn’t apply to you. God is the light and salvation of those only who are in a contractual relationship with Him, otherwise known as the New Covenant.

I say this for the benefit of anyone here who has not yet made that commitment, whether young or old. Every single human being must surrender to Yeshua. Having parents who believe doesn’t cut it. Having children or other relatives who believe doesn’t cut it. Having good friends who believe doesn’t cut it. If YOU haven’t formally committed to following Him, then I want to urge you to speak with me or one of our elders after the service, or if you are visiting, I urge you to speak with the pastor of your church.

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God is the light and salvation of those only who are in a contractual relationship with Him,

otherwise known as the New Covenant.

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David, who is known as the sweet psalmist of Israel, wrote out of his own personal experience. As a na’ar, a young lad, he shepherded the flocks of his father Jesse, and fought off predatory animals. At least once he had faced down a bear and a lion, and with God’s help emerged victorious. While still young, he faced off against the 9’6” tall Philistine champion Goliath. To win the hand of King Saul’s daughter he put 200 Philistine soldiers to death.

As a man he became a seasoned warrior. But he was not without enemies – kings of foreign lands, and even his father-in-law, Saul! Many believe that this psalm was written while David was hiding from Saul, and having also to contend with various foreign powers. But God did not allow David to fall into the hands of any of his enemies. And so, he continues:

Verses 2-3

בִּקְרֹב עָלַי, מְרֵעִים

When evildoers came upon me to devour my flesh, my adversaries and enemies, they stumbled and fell. Though a host encamp against me, my heart will not fear; though war arise against me, in spite of this I shall be confident.

In a fallen world, it should not surprise us that evildoers abound, and seek to harm the people of God. You may never actually be surrounded by an enemy army, but even if you are, the One who fights on your behalf is greater than all the assembled armies the world could possibly muster.

David’s good friend Jonathan understood this perfectly when he said to his personal armor-bearer “Nothing can hinder the Lord from saving, whether by many or by few”. And a few minutes later the two of them took on and defeated an entire garrison of Philistine soldiers.

The Prophet Elijah understood this perfectly when he alone took a stand on Mt. Carmel against the 850 false prophets of Ba’al and Asherah, and God answered him with fire from Heaven.

Elisha understood this perfectly when the army of Syria surrounded him. He prayed that God would open his servant’s eyes, and suddenly Gehazi saw the enormous angelic army poised on the mountainside – far mightier and more numerous than that Syrian army.

This should not be taken as an iron-clad promise that no harm will ever befall you. Good and godly men and women have been persecuted, tortured and martyred across the ages. Rather, this is a meditation on the confidence we can have, knowing that God has good and eternal purposes for us; something that no man can ever take away.

Verse 4

אַחַת שָׁאַלְתִּי מֵאֵת-יְהוָה

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.

David isn’t pleading with God to rescue him. And he isn’t asking for riches or honor; only that he might always enjoy intimate friendship with God; that he might spend as much time as possible in the presence of the Lord. The thing David requests is so simple, yet so profound. Remember, too, that David was not a Levite; he would never be permitted to enter the holy place. Yet we read elsewhere in Scripture that the desire of his heart was to build a temple for Adonai. Imagine that – he wanted to build for God a place, much of which would be off-limits to him!

This verse reminds me of Anna, the prophetess who was in the Temple at the time Miriam and Yosef brought Yeshua to consecrate Him. Luke tells us she had been a widow for many years, and all that time devoted herself to fasting, praying and serving. She was privileged to see God’s Messiah first-hand and she was telling everyone about Him! So let me ask: how much of a priority is it to you to gather with the people of God and worship Him; to meditate on His goodness, and to speak of Him to others?

Verses 5-7

כִּי יִצְפְּנֵנִי בְּסֻכֹּה בְּיוֹם רָעָה

For in the day of trouble He will conceal me in His tabernacle; in the secret place of His tent He will hide me; He will lift me up on a rock. And now my head will be lifted up above my enemies around me, and I will offer in His tent sacrifices with shouts of joy; I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the Lord. Hear, O Lord, when I cry with my voice, and be gracious to me and answer me.

God did conceal David. Saul couldn’t capture him, despite employing all his resources. David and his men enjoyed protection and provision at the Tabernacle, from Ahimelech the priest. He was protected in the wilderness of En Gedi. He was vindicated when Saul realized that David had had the opportunity to kill him but spared him. Despite the many months of wandering and being on the run, David was confident that he would again have the opportunity to worship God at the Tabernacle. He asks God to hear his plea – a simple desire to be free to return and worship at Jerusalem.

There’s a Hebrew word to describe deliverance from danger and being brought to a place of safety, as on a high rock. That word is yashah, from which we get Yeshua ‘Adonai saves’ – Jesus’ Hebrew name. If you had been delivered from some great calamity wouldn’t you also want to shout for joy in His house, and worship and sing to Him? Of course you would! But some people are foolish – waiting until they’re at the end of their rope to seek Him. If you’re serious about God, the time is now. The day is today.

Verse 8

לְךָ, אָמַר לִבִּי בַּקְּשׁוּ פָנָי אֶת-פָּנֶיךָ יְהוָה אֲבַקֵּשׁ

When You said, “Seek My face,” my heart said to You, “Your face, O Lord, I shall seek.”

If someone were to ask, “What is the secret to a good life?” this would be my answer! The secret to thriving in an otherwise unstable, unpredictable, hostile world isn’t by seeking stability or comfort or riches, or security. Seek Him! Seek God Himself! Psalm 34:4 says I sought the Lord, and He answered me and delivered me from all my fears!

Verse 8 isn’t only the middle of psalm 27, it is the heart of the message! In the ancient world, before printing presses and bookstores, people had to be much more attentive listeners. They knew instinctively when they were hearing the ‘key’ – the center of a passage of Scripture or of a message, and they knew that the lesson to be learned was right there – in the middle. And here in Psalm 27, as though purposely tucked into the middle – waiting to be found by those who are diligently listening, we find this verse. This is the precious gem we’re supposed to take away from this: God is saying to you, “Seek My face, seek My presence!” So let your heart respond obediently: “Your face, Your presence, O Lord, I shall seek!”

How do you do it? How do you seek the presence of Adonai? The truth is, we know what to do. We just need to do it. For most of us, the key is actually when to seek His presence. We know how: by quieting our hearts, putting aside distractions, opening His word and reading, praying and listening. But too often we just let the day happen to us. We need to seek Him early in the morning, when it is quiet. We need to seek Him late at night, when it is quiet; when the phone (hopefully) isn’t ringing.

Just as we bring Him the first of our earnings, doesn’t it make sense that we consecrate to Him the first of our time? And it isn’t only the right thing to do, but the beneficial thing. Seeking God Himself, His presence, is like the master key – it opens every door. It is the foundation for enjoying true shalom in a world so lacking shalom.

Verses 9-10

אַל-תַּסְתֵּר פָּנֶיךָ מִמֶּנִּי

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, O God of my salvation! For my father and my mother have forsaken me, but the Lord will take me up.

This is both a lament and a declaration of trust. Most of us enjoy good relationships with our mothers and fathers, but some people really identify with verse 10. They know what it means to be forsaken by their parents. But here is one Father who will not leave you nor forsake you! David knows that even those closest to us may disappoint us or even abandon us. Remember – Messiah Yeshua wasn’t betrayed by a stranger. He was betrayed by one of the people closest to him in the world. And in the hour of His death, Yeshua still affirmed His trust, saying with nearly His last breath, “Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit!” Those are powerful and capable hands! Can you say with David “Ezrat Hayyiti – You have been my help!”?

Verse 11

הוֹרֵנִי יְהוָה דַּרְכֶּךָ

Teach me Your way, O Lord, and lead me in a level path because of my foes.

Just as David asked to know God more intimately, he also asks to be more familiar with God’s ways, and that God would help him to live a good, godly life. He knew that his enemies were looking for any excuse to disparage him. His prayer, in essence, was “Lord, guide and teach me Your ways, so that I am above reproach, so that they won’t have a valid reason to malign me!”

If people at work and in your neighborhood know that you are a follower of Yeshua, I guarantee they are watching you. Some are watching hopefully, wondering if there really is a better way to live and if there really is a better world awaiting us. They are hoping for your success. And there are others watching you, fault-finding, hoping you’ll screw up royally, so they’ll have an excuse to not believe. For both their sakes, this needs to be our prayer: Teach me Your way, O Lord, and lead me in a level path.

Verses 12-13

אַל-תִּתְּנֵנִי בְּנֶפֶשׁ צָרָי

Do not deliver me over to the desire of my adversaries, for false witnesses have risen against me, and such as breathe out violence. I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.

These verses parallel verses two and three. David declares that enemies have arisen, and brazenly lied through their teeth to bring him down. They also threatened physical harm. The world is filled with such people. And as true as it was for David, if we don’t have the Lord as our strength and help and shelter, we might very well be in despair too. In this one psalm David expresses both dismay at the viciousness of his enemies and yet complete trust in the God of Israel to be his deliverer yet again.

Here David expresses his confidence that he will not die at the hands of his enemies. But again, I believe we can see in the life and the words of David a foreshadowing of Messiah Himself. In passages such as Isaiah 53 and Psalm 16 we read about the Anointed One of God dying, yet not remaining in death’s grip, for He would rise from the dead and see the light of life. The goodness of the Lord will indeed prevail in the land of the living.

Verse 14

קַוֵּה אֶל-יְהוָה

Wait for the Lord; be strong and let your heart take courage; yes, wait for the Lord.

When will deliverance come? When will you be vindicated? When will those who seek your demise get their payback? In Yeshua’s time. And since we don’t know the particulars of what God has purposed for us, we need to trust Him and wait. Redouble your determination to seek His face and find courage in His presence. Learn to trust Him. Don’t take matters into your own hands. Wait for the Lord. His people will be vindicated. His plans will be accomplished. Know it, and prove you know it by waiting patiently, even joyously.

I mentioned earlier that I take issue with those who suggest that Psalm 27 was not a unity, but patched together. Let me show you why I believe David is genuinely the author of this psalm and just how thoughtfully he composed it. There is clear structure, and it takes the form of chiasm. This word is derived from the Greek letter Chi (pronounced “key”), which looks like our letter X. Things move in parallels toward a center, and back out again.

Chiastic (X) Structure in Psalm 27

1 The Lord is my light and salvation… the defense of my life… no need to fear

2-3 Deliverance from enemies/evildoers … yet I am confident

4 Request: Lord, let me dwell in Your house…

5-7 The Lord will lift me up

8 “SEEK MY FACE!”

9-10 The Lord will take me up

11 Request: Lord, teach me Your way…

12-13 Deliverance from enemies… yet I believe

14 Wait for the Lord… be strong… take courage… wait for the Lord

And what do we find at the heart of the psalm? The admonition to seek God’s face – His presence! He is inviting you to do so. And you will be supremely blessed if you take Him up on the offer. Seek His face first-thing! Let it be your priority to seek out the presence of the Lord at first light. The dividends are amazing, and continue into eternity, as David wrote elsewhere: You will make known to me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand there are pleasures forever.

And at His right hand we gain strength and courage in the face of whatever may come our way. We are living in tumultuous days. If you want to stand strong and steady in the waves of social upheaval, you’ve got to stay close to Him. As we have seen, psalm 27 begins and ends with confidence in Adonai. But the Chi (‘key’ – Greek pun intended) to having that confidence lies at the very center: “Seek My face!”.

Prayer:

Lord our God, and God of our ancestors, please help us to remember the lesson of Psalm 27. Please help us daily to seek Your presence, and to remain there awhile. May our lives be joyful, peaceful and steady, in spite of the raging of the waves of this world. And may others see and take notice, and may our quiet confidence lead to witness, and to the salvation of many more people – including our family members, friends, neighbors, co-workers, and all whom You sovereignly bring across our paths.