Psalm 27: 1-The Lord is my light and my salvation whom shall, I fear?

We all experience fear in various ways. You might wake up in the early hours of the morning, suddenly remembering that you have a pile of bills to pay and an empty bank account. Perhaps you struggle to sleep at all because every little noise reminds you of the time your home was broken into. Sometimes, we fear the future—worrying about an illness, the death of a loved one, or the possibility of being alone. Another common type of fear is the nagging concern that if people truly knew us, they would be disappointed.

Fear can cloud our perception of the true nature of our loving and all-powerful Father and Lord. This is why the psalmist states in Psalm 27 that all he seeks is to be close to the Lord, to dwell in His presence, to gaze upon His beauty, and to inquire in His temple. In the midst of the turmoil that filled him with fear, what the psalmist desired most was intimacy with God and a deeper understanding of Him—not merely the resolution of his problems.

When we feel overwhelmed by the darkness that fear brings, we should ask ourselves what our hearts truly desire. Are we longing for a glimpse of our Savior, or are we desperately trying to find solutions to the problems we face? When we look away from the only One who can save us, our hearts and minds become vulnerable and can be easily overwhelmed by fear. God alone is our light, salvation, and stronghold. When our eyes are fixed on Him, we can’t help but marvel at who He is. We can stand on the firm foundation that His love and grace provide, even while the storm rages around us.

The Lord, who is the believer’s light, is the strength of his life; not only by whom, but in whom he lives and moves. In God let us strengthen ourselves.