The Lord fights our battles

Ps 27 1 The 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?

2 When evil men advance against me to devour my flesh, when my enemies and my foes attack me, they will stumble and fall.

3 Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then will I be confident.

4 One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple.

5 For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle and set me high upon a rock.

6 Then my head will be exalted above the enemies who surround me; at his tabernacle will I sacrifice with shouts of joy; I will sing and make music to the LORD.

7 Hear my voice when I call, O LORD; be merciful to me and answer me.

8 My heart says of you, "Seek his face!" Your face, LORD, I will seek.

9 Do not hide your face from me, do not turn your servant away in anger; you have been my helper. Do not reject me or forsake me, O God my Savior.

10 Though my father and mother forsake me, the LORD will receive me.

11 Teach me your way, O LORD; lead me in a straight path because of my oppressors.

12 Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes, for false witnesses rise up against me, breathing out violence.

13 I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.

14 Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD. 


This Psalm is the most interesting Psalm because it is comparing war to a person who is subjected to a hard life.10 " Though my father and mother forsake me, the LORD will receive me".This is why it opens up describing the troubles of the person who does not have any family structure to protect him. We used to call this person a survivor. The survivor is usually a child who grows up in a threatening environment.

This situation could be growing up in a one parent home, being forced into foster care, growing up in a threatening and competitive environment or having to endure ridicule in school. So the Psalmist opens the Psalm up with a cry to be taken care of by the Lord who protects us as He has in Davids battles. The Psalmist is saying that the Lord is most faithful when the battle is the fiercest.


The Psalmist says "The LORD is the stronghold of my life-- of whom shall I be afraid?" In Psalms 18 David is describing salvation as the Lord coming from heaven on His chariot and defeating the enemy. 18  9 "He parted the heavens and came down; dark clouds were under his feet.10 He mounted the cherubim and flew; he soared on the wings of the wind.11 He made darkness his covering, his canopy around him-- the dark rain clouds of the sky.12 Out of the brightness of his presence clouds advanced, with hailstones and bolts of lightning.13 The LORD thundered from heaven; the voice of the Most High resounded.14 He shot his arrows and scattered [the enemies], great bolts of lightning and routed them. "

When the Psalmist is using the metaphor "light" to describe the Lord , he is saying that the Lord watches over those people who do not have the normal protection with special care. The light actually shines in our path to blind our foes. He is saying that if the Lord protects us as is the heat and light from the sun are directed against those who attack us then there is nothing to be afraid of. This blinding light is so dangerous that it destroyed Davids enemies in war. So he compares this protective activity as the Lord being his stronghold. He describes God as his stronghold  as Gods special strength flowing through him when he was fighting. 28 " You, O LORD, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light.29 With your help I can advance against a troop; with my God I can scale a wall.32 It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect.33 He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; he enables me to stand on the heights.34 He trains my hands for battle; my arms can bend a bow of bronze.35 You give me your shield of victory, and your right hand sustains me; you stoop down to make me great.36 You broaden the path beneath me, so that my ankles do not turn.37 I pursued my enemies and overtook them; I did not turn back till they were destroyed.
38 I crushed them so that they could not rise; they fell beneath my feet." The Psalmist is saying that the Lord fights his battles and when the Lord advances against his opposition the Psalmist experiences this power as if the power is flowing through him.

What is the purpose of being forced to trust God in this special way? The Psalmist declares. 50 " He gives his king great victories; he shows unfailing kindness to his anointed, to David and his descendants forever." In other words the Lord uses these circumstances of the widow and orphan to show that He is faithful to His covenant that He made with Abraham. This covenant is promised to Abraham and his descendents. God is saying that he is our blood brother and will fight our battles. Ill stop here.