Brothers and Sisters,
Psalm 27, appointed for this coming Sunday, combines two wonderful truths: The Lord defends us, and the Lord satisfies our hearts. Notice how the psalm begins:
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 eat up my flesh, my adversaries and foes, it is they who stumble and fall.
Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war arise against me, yet I will be confident.
It’s tempting to give in to fear as we seek to walk by faith through the challenges of this life. We face uncertainty. Sometimes, we even encounter those who wish to do us harm. Certainly, we have a spiritual enemy, Satan, who would love to see our destruction. What’s our refuge as we think about those things that might harm our bodies or our souls? The Lord, himself, is our stronghold. The Lord is our light. The Lord is our certain defense and our confidence.
That’s wonderful enough, but there’s more: The Lord is our delight. Look at how verse 4 continues:
One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: 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 inquire in his temple.
Our defender is also our delight. To dwell in his house, to gaze upon his beauty, to draw near to worship him is the greatest joy. Psalm 27 is nothing short of an affirmation that the Lord is able to meet all of our needs. He defends us, he drives away our fears, and he alone can satisfy the human heart. Trust in him and rejoice in him this week.
In Christ,
Fr. Caleb