Everyone has some things they are afraid of in life. There are the phobias that some people have, like fear of heights, of spiders, or of crowds. Then there are the fears that people have of things that might happen in their life, like an illness, an accident, or financial loss. Children often have a fear of the dark. When we get older we aren’t afraid of the monster under the bed or in the bedroom closet anymore, but our fears often bring a sense of darkness in one’s life. David had fears in his life, yet he knew where to turn with those fears, as we read in our Psalm for this week.
Darkness is one fear that often stays with us as we grow older, though for different reasons from when we were children. Darkness can hide dangers that we don’t see. We can trip over things that we don’t see in the dark, and hurt ourselves. Darkness can hide criminals. We are well-advised to be careful in the dark, and use light when we can. King David knew the dangers of darkness, and he also knew where to look for help. He knew his help came from the Lord God (vs. 1).
Throughout the Bible, God is often pictured and portrayed as light, and sin and evil portrayed as darkness. Jesus is the Light of the world as we read in the Gospel of John (John 8:12; John 12:46). The Apostle John tells us that God is light, and that there is no darkness in Him (I John 1:5). The prophet Isaiah also told us that God is light (Isaiah 60:1, 19-20). God will bring light into our life, and bring deliverance from sin and freedom from our fears.
Sometimes people’s fears become so overwhelming that they cannot even function well. For several years David had to flee for his life from King Saul, and as king he had many enemies. He had reason to have fear, but he wasn’t going to give in to that. Instead, he was going to trust God, and we should follow his example. God doesn’t want us to live in fear. We can live in safety. We can have security knowing that He loves us and is for us (Romans 8:31). We don’t need to be afraid. When we have the Lord as our Savior, we can know that He will protect us from any circumstances.
David continues his psalm of faith and trust in Yahweh, and he shares a deep wish he had. When one is king, and naturally quite wealthy, they can have just about anything they want. If money was no object, what would you desire? In our passage today, David revealed the one thing that he desired from the Lord, and that was that he could dwell in God’s house forever (vs. 4). When he could have anything he wished for, David wished to be with God all the time. He loved God that much, that was his greatest wish. David didn’t want just an occasional visit. He wanted to live with God, in His house forever. Seeking God’s face (vs. 8-9) is the same as desiring to be with Him. As believers, we should desire times of fellowship with Him. God wants that from us, as well. Jesus tells us that to be able to dwell with God forever we must love Him and obey His Word (John 14:23).
As David concludes his psalm, he shares some instructions that we should surely follow. Sometimes situations can get so bad that we feel like giving up (vs. 13). Yet God’s help and deliverance is always there for us. He will defend us if we follow Him in obedience. David did not give in to despair. David knew that if he waited, he would see God’s goodness. Often, God makes us wait for an answer to our prayers (vs. 14). God is never in a hurry, but He’s never late. He is always in complete control, and is always fair. God always comes through for those who wait. Abraham and Sarah waited for the birth of Isaac. David waited to be crowned king. The apostles waited for the Holy Spirit. We are waiting for Jesus to return. God is never late, and He never forgets His promises.
Jesus defeated our two greatest enemies and fears, Satan and death, at the Cross. He is always with us (Matthew 28:20), and nothing can separate us from His love (Romans 8:38-39). Hold firmly to God’s hand, and we will have no reason to fear. Let the light of Jesus illuminate our path.
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