Psalms 27:3

3 If an army surrounds me, I will not be afraid. If war breaks out, I will trust the Lord.

Psalms 27:3 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 27:3

Though an host should encamp against me
An host of the ungodly, as the Targum; though ever so many of them, even ten thousands of them, as in ( Psalms 3:6 ) ; should beset him on every side;

my heart shall not fear;
for not only the angels of the Lord encamped about him, as they do about all that fear the Lord; but salvation was appointed for walls and bulwarks about him; yea, the Lord himself was a wall of fire around him, and he was kept as in a garrison by the power of God;

though war should rise against me:
in all its terrible shapes:

in this [will] I [be] confident;
either in this war, in the midst of it; or in this that he had expressed, ( Psalms 27:1 ) ; that the Lord was his light, his salvation, and the strength of his life; so the Jewish writers F5: or as others F6, in this one thing, desired in ( Psalms 27:4 ) ; but either of the former senses is best, especially the latter of them. Saints need not be afraid, though there is a war within them between the flesh and spirit; and though without are fightings with Satan and his principalities and powers; since they may be confident of victory, and that they are more than conquerors, through Christ that has loved them.


FOOTNOTES:

F5 Jarchi, Kimchi, & Aben Ezra in loc.
F6 Some in Aben Ezra in loc.

Psalms 27:3 In-Context

1 The Lord is my light and the one who saves me. I fear no one. The Lord protects my life; I am afraid of no one.
2 Evil people may try to destroy my body. My enemies and those who hate me attack me, but they are overwhelmed and defeated.
3 If an army surrounds me, I will not be afraid. If war breaks out, I will trust the Lord.
4 I ask only one thing from the Lord. This is what I want: all my life. and look with my own eyes at his Temple.
5 During danger he will keep me safe in his shelter. He will hide me in his Holy Tent, or he will keep me safe on a high mountain.
Scripture taken from the New Century Version. Copyright © 1987, 1988, 1991 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.