Psalm 27:1 The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
Sometimes people are unafraid because of what they do not know, and sometimes they are unafraid because of what they do know. There is quite a difference there. For instance, when you are at the Grand Canyon hiking down Bright Angel, which goes down the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, you are on a series of switchbacks that essentially go down a sheer cliff for thousands and thousands of feet. Now I’ve seen a number of people, largely families, at the top, day tripping with kids and being careless. Kids are running ahead, looking over the edge, unafraid. They are not unafraid because they are courageous. They are unafraid because they are clueless. They don’t understand the danger.
On the other hand, I’ve known people who are naturally afraid of heights, but have hiked the Canyon numerous times. They have the courage and are unafraid because they know how to be careful, stick to the wall, not lean over the edge, not tempt fate, and not be careless. They are likewise unafraid, but it is not because of what they don’t know; it is because of what they do know. They know how to be safe.
In life and in Psalm 27 you have a choice. The choices are fear or joy. Psalm 27:1 says, “The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” To be sure, there are a number of reasons the Psalmist could have been afraid. In the subsequent verses he talks about the wicked, his enemies, those that wish to eat him alive, those who are an army camped against him. But, he says, “My heart shall not fear… in this will I be confident.” So, you have the opposites of fear and joy, and the difference with joy is you are aware of the fear but you know and trust in the Lord.
In verse 14 he says, “Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.” So, it is trusting God in times of trouble which is delineated here, but he is talking specifically about trusting the Lord in times of trouble for a prolonged period; waiting on the Lord. These are opposites, fear and joy. You can choose one or the other.
There is the inevitable here. “I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD.” So, fear is inevitable with any sane person observing life, unless they will trust in the Lord Who is greater than any of their problems. You have the inevitable in that word “unless.” And, you have the choice. In verse 6 it says, “Therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy.” Therefore, you can have joy.
The bottom line is that problems are certain. You are not going to avoid problems, people problems, health problems, problems of life, but joy is a choice. Wait on the Lord. Be of good courage, not because you don’t have courage but because you do have the Lord and you are willing to wait for Him.