Psalms 27:7-9

7 ¹Hear, O LORD, when I cry aloud; be gracious to me and answer me!

8 You have said, ²"Seek^[a] my face." My heart says to you, "Your face, LORD, do I seek."^[b]

9 ³Hide not your face from me. Turn not your servant away in anger, O you who have been my help. Cast me not off; forsake me not, ⁴O God of my salvation!

Psalms 27:7-9 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. Psalms 30:10
• 2. Psalms 24:6; Psalms 105:4
• 3. Psalms 69:17; Psalms 102:2; Psalms 143:7
• 4. See Psalms 24:5

Footnotes

• [a]. The command (seek) is addressed to more than one person
• [b]. The meaning of the Hebrew verse is uncertain