Psalms 27:3

3 If an army encamps against me, my heart will not fear; if war breaks out against me, even then I will keep trusting.

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 By David: ADONAI is my light and salvation; whom do I need to fear? ADONAI is the stronghold of my life; of whom should I be afraid?
2 When evildoers assailed me to devour my flesh, my adversaries and foes, they stumbled and fell.
3 If an army encamps against me, my heart will not fear; if war breaks out against me, even then I will keep trusting.
4 Just one thing have I asked of ADONAI; only this will I seek: to live in the house of ADONAI all the days of my life, to see the beauty of ADONAI and visit in his temple.
5 For he will conceal me in his shelter on the day of trouble, he will hide me in the folds of his tent, he will set me high on a rock.
Complete Jewish Bible Copyright 1998 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.