“The LORD is my light and my salvation— so why should I be afraid? The LORD is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble?” (Psalms 27:1 NLT).
David wrote these powerful declarations of confidence in the Lord, revealing how he faced his fears. He wrote them as rhetorical questions, challenging himself to overcome his fears by faith. For David, like any man, had fears, yet he overcame them by faith in God. There are at least three fears implied here, all common to man, that David chose to overcome by trusting the Lord.
The first is fear of the unknown. David countered this mysterious fear with the declaration that the “LORD” (All caps = “Yahweh”) was his “light.” David declared that God was his light when darkness pressed in.
The second is fear of death. David overcame this fear by declaring that God was his “salvation,” his rescuer and defender. No giant was too big or powerful compared to the size of David’s God!
The third is the fear of powerlessness. This is the fear of not having enough strength nor sufficient resource to endure. David overcame this fear by declaring that God was the “stronghold” of his life, the One who protected and sustained him.
What fear are you facing today? You can overcome your fear by declaring your faith in the Lord. Instead of naming your fears, name the attribute or promise of God that can overcome your fear. Instead of focusing on your fears, focus on the face of the Lord Jesus Christ, who has overcome sin, death and the grave!
PRAYER: Dear Father, we acknowledge our fear, but we look to You as our light, our salvation and our strength. We choose to trust You rather than our fears. We want to be faithful, not fearful. Fill us afresh with Your Holy Spirit today, so that we can live fearlessly for You. In Jesus’ name, amen.