Psalm 27:1-6
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?
When evildoers assail me to devour my flesh—
my adversaries and foes— they shall stumble and fall.
Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear;
though war rise up against me, yet I will be confident.
One thing I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after:
to live in the house of the Lord, all the days of my life,
to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple.
For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble;
he will conceal me under the cover of his tent; he will set me high on a rock.
Now my head is lifted up above my enemies all around me,
and I will offer in his tent sacrifices with shouts of joy;
I will sing and make melody to the Lord.

Reflection:
As I reflect on this scripture, I am comforted by the author’s confident prayer to the Lord. David realizes he cannot control his enemies; he fully gives control to God who sustains him. That is very difficult for most of us to do; fear grips us and controls us, or we try to control the situation. 2022 is trying to overcome us with fear – COVID, crime, Russian invasions, school safety… the list goes on.

The psalmist tells us to look to the Lord who is our light, our beacon in the darkness of fear. The Lord is our stronghold, and he dwells with us. With these assurances, David is able to rejoice with shouts of joy and singing. I pray that when I am overcome with fear I can shout to the Lord with joy and thanksgiving that he is here with me offering me safety and peace amidst the tumult that surrounds me.

Prayer:
Holy and gracious God, help me to fully rely on you as I try to overcome my fears. May I always rejoice in the promise of your steadfast love, care and grace. Amen.

– Sue Davis