A manual of the book of Psalms · Martin Luther
PSALM XXVII.
_David sustaineth his faith by the power of God, by his love to the service of God, by prayer._ A Psalm of David. The LORD _is_ my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD _is_ the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell. Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war should rise against me, in this _will_ I be confident. One _thing_ have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in his temple. For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me: he shall set me upon a rock. And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in this tabernacle sacrifices of joy: I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the LORD. Hear, O LORD, _when_ I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me, and answer me. _When thou saidst_, seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, Lord, will I seek.
Hide not thy face _far_ from me; put not thy servant away in anger: thou hast been my help: leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation. When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up. Teach me thy way, O LORD, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies. Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies: for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty. _I had fainted_, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait on the LORD; be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD. This Psalm is a thanksgiving, containing also a prayer and consolation against false teachers. David having been taught and exercised by such great afflictions, by so many perils and sorrows, and by such fiery conflicts, for the word’s sake, and having been supported therein against the devil, and the world, now finds a greater truth and reliance on God, and is more encouraged and fortified against all his enemies. The Lord (saith he) is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? That is, the Lord hath so often and so wonderfully comforted me under, and so powerfully delivered me from, various darknesses and storms of temptations, that he will not leave nor forsake me in time to come. If God, then, be for me, who can be against me? If God uphold me, what power or violence of the enemy can cast me down, or who can destroy me?
I will not fear thousands of enemies (says he) though they should raise up war against me. All that I am anxious about is this one thing;—that I may remain and dwell in the house of the Lord; that is, in the true church, and among those where the word of God is purely and sincerely taught and learned. If I can hold fast this jewel I am rich. For if I hold fast the word of God, no terrors, how great soever they may be, nor even death itself, can destroy my light and my life; that is, my sure and eternal consolation. But if I love not the word, no human consolations, how great soever they may be, will be able to afford me that light and life. David directs the whole of this Psalm against hypocrites and false teachers, who are so soon carried away from the word, and who teach human things and seduce men’s consciences. Here he calls these characters false witnesses; that is, such as nothing can shame, and who know not how to blush. The audacity of these inexperienced characters is prodigious, who, without any calling, and without the word, boastingly make use of the name of God and seduce men, and do infinite damage both to the state and to the church. For we generally find it to be the case, that the more inexperienced such characters are, and the more devoid of spiritual things, the more easily they rush forth to teach: and such as these are those fanatical spirits who afterwards raise up divisions and sects against the truly godly. This Psalm belongs to the First and Second Commandments, and to the first and second petitions of the Lord’s Prayer.
Text from Project Gutenberg, public domain in the United States.