MEDITATIONS IN THE PSALMS [An outline of the Psalm, A good devotional study when using the scriptures indicated] Psalm 27:1-3: The Lord Is My Light
The occasion of this Psalm would probably be after David fled from Saul, at the time when Doeg the Edomite reported that Ahimilech the priest had befriended him (1 Sam.21-22). In the dark cave of Adullam he penned these words. In the first three verses David testifies his confidence in God. He does so in light of a great host of enemies as he fled from King Saul and the armies of Israel. If that were not enough, greater fear was added with the encounter of King Achish, king of Gath (I Sam.21:10-12; 22:1). What do we learn here? That the matter of our relation to the Lord God of heaven is personal; as it was so with David it must be so with us, “My light and my salvation.” How can we testify of what we have no personal knowledge and experience of? How can I preach of a “Light” that I am blind to? How shall we witness a salvation we’ve not experienced? David’s soul was assured of it and he declared it; we can declare with such boldness and confidence our own salvation. “My Light”; light is the precursor of salvation poured into the soul in regeneration. As David testifies it must reach beyond the illumination of the mind to be experienced. Look at Heb.6; it must come into the soul accompanied by oil of the Holy Spirit. There must be a reservoir to replenish the lamp else the light will go out (Matt.25:1-13). I’ve seen the lamp of the intellect burn for some time in some people before it began to go out. David did not say the doctrine of the Bible is my light, nor my profession of faith is my light, nor the church is my light; David said The LORD is my light. Here is the need -- there must be enough light poured into the soul to expose our inward darkness. Without our seeing our inward darkness we never long for the LORD Jesus Christ the true light; we never see the vital need of the “Light of the World” (Ps.36:9; John 8:12). David’s confidence forms an argument, if “He is my light and my salvation”, not that He gives, but He “IS” my light and salvation, “whom shall I fear?” Shall I fear man who darkeneth counsel,” certainly not, man is shut up to the power of God, he doesn’t do as he wills, he does as my God wills (Dan.4:35; Isa.54:11-17). Shall I fear the powers of darkness? It is the unseen spirit world, not “flesh and blood” that we war with (Eph.6:12). The powers of darkness are not to be feared because the LORD “our strength” controls them and at His will destroys them (Mark 1:23-26). The damnation of hell shall not hurt us because He is “our salvation (Matt.10:28). David’s hope is bound to his God, He is my God, my salvation, my strength: his confidence was strengthened by former experiences (I Sam.17:36-51, etc). Faith grows upon our constant dependence upon and experience in the saving power of God. The testing of Moses prepared him for the journey of the wilderness (Ex.5:1-2): the confidence of Goliath and Pharaoh rested upon the vigor of an arm of flesh; our confidence rest in the power of the Omnipotent I AM! Of whom shall I be afraid; if Jehovah Tsidkenu be for us who can be against us?
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