Psalms 27:1-8

1 The LORD is my ¹light and my ²salvation; ³whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold^[a] of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

2 When evildoers assail me to ⁴eat up my flesh, my adversaries and foes, it is they who stumble and fall.

3 ⁵Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war arise against me, yet^[b] I will be confident.

4 ⁶One thing have I asked of the LORD, that will I seek after: that I may ⁷dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon ⁸the beauty of the LORD and to inquire^[c] in his temple.

5 For he will ⁹hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble; he will conceal me under the cover of his tent; he will ¹⁰lift me high upon a rock.

6 And now my ¹¹head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me, and I will offer in his tent sacrifices with shouts of ¹²joy; ¹³I will sing and make melody to the LORD.

7 ¹⁴Hear, O LORD, when I cry aloud; be gracious to me and answer me!

8 You have said, ¹⁵"Seek^[d] my face." My heart says to you, "Your face, LORD, do I seek."^[e]

Psalms 27:1-8 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 27

\\<<[A Psalm] of David>>\\. The Septuagint interpreters add to this title, "before he was anointed". David was anointed three times, first when a youth in his father's house; but this psalm could not be written before that time, because he had not had then any experience of war, nor could be in any immediate apprehension of it, as here suggested; he was anointed a second time, after the death of Saul at Hebron, by the men of Judah; before that time indeed he had been harassed by Saul, and distressed by the Amalekites, and was driven from the public worship of God, to which he has a respect, Ps 27:4; and he was a third time anointed, by the elders of Israel, king over all Israel; and between the death of Saul and this unction there was a war between the house of David and the house of Saul; but what is referred to is not certain, nor is it of moment, since these words are neither in the Hebrew text, nor in the Chaldee paraphrase. Theodoret is of opinion this psalm was written by David when he fled from Saul, and came to Ahimelech the priest.

Cross References

• 1. Isaiah 60:20; Micah 7:8; [Psalms 84:11]
• 2. Psalms 118:14; Exodus 15:2; Isaiah 12:2; Isaiah 62:11
• 3. See Psalms 23:4
• 4. Psalms 14:4
• 5. Psalms 3:6
• 6. [Psalms 26:8; Psalms 84:1, 2]
• 7. Psalms 23:6; Psalms 65:4; [Luke 2:37]
• 8. Psalms 90:17
• 9. Psalms 31:20; [Psalms 91:1; Job 5:21; Isaiah 4:6]
• 10. Psalms 40:2
• 11. Psalms 3:3
• 12. [Numbers 10:10]
• 13. Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16
• 14. Psalms 30:10
• 15. Psalms 24:6; Psalms 105:4

Footnotes

• [a]. Or refuge
• [b]. Or in this
• [c]. Or meditate
• [d]. The command (seek) is addressed to more than one person
• [e]. The meaning of the Hebrew verse is uncertain