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This is a song that David wrote.

I trust God to keep me safe

27 The Lord gives me light in my life
    and he makes me safe.
So I am not afraid of anyone!
The Lord takes care of my life.
    Nobody can make me afraid!
Evil men are ready to attack me.
    They want to destroy my body.
But when my enemies attack me,
    they trip and fall to the ground!
Even if a whole army comes to fight against me,
    I will not be afraid.
Even if they attack me in war,
    I will continue to trust God.

There is one thing that I have asked the Lord to do for me.
    This is the one thing that I really want:
I want to live in the Lord's house
    all the days of my life.
Then I will clearly see the Lord's beauty.
    I will pray to him in his temple.
When danger is near,
    the Lord will keep me safe.
He will take care of me in his home.
He will put me in a safe place,
    on the top of a high rock.
My enemies may be all round me,
    but I will win against them.
    They will see how strong I am!
I will offer sacrifices to the Lord in his temple.
I will be so happy that I will shout aloud!
    Yes, I will sing to praise the Lord.

Lord, hear me when I call to you for help.[a]
    Be kind to me and answer me.
I have heard you say to me, ‘Come near to me.’
    So I will come and pray to you, Lord.
Please do not turn away from me.
I am your servant,
    so do not be angry with me.
You have always helped me in the past,
    so do not push me away now.
You are the one who saves me, God,
    so do not turn away from me.
10 Even if my father and my mother leave me,
    the Lord will still take care of me.
11 Lord, please teach me to follow your way.
Lead me along a good, safe path,
    because my enemies are waiting to attack me.
12 Do not give me to my enemies.
They say false things against me,
    so that they can destroy me.
13 But I surely believe
    that I will see how good the Lord is!
I will know his love while I still live in this world.

14 Wait for the Lord to help you!
    Be strong and brave.
Yes, wait for the Lord to help you!

Footnotes

  1. 27:7 Here the psalm changes. In verses 1-6, life was good for David. Now life is difficult. David thinks that God has forgotten him. But David continues to pray. He says, ‘You gave me help in the past, so do not forget me now.’

Psalm 27

Triumphant Song of Confidence

Of David.

The Lord is my light and my salvation;
    whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold[a] of my life;
    of whom shall I be afraid?

When evildoers assail me
    to devour my flesh—
my adversaries and foes—
    they shall stumble and fall.

Though an army encamp against me,
    my heart shall not fear;
though war rise up against me,
    yet I will be confident.

One thing I asked of the Lord,
    that will I seek after:
to live 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 he will hide me in his shelter
    in the day of trouble;
he will conceal me under the cover of his tent;
    he will set me high on a rock.

Now my head is lifted up
    above my enemies all around me,
and I will offer in his tent
    sacrifices with shouts of joy;
I will sing and make melody to the Lord.

Hear, O Lord, when I cry aloud,
    be gracious to me and answer me!
“Come,” my heart says, “seek his face!”
    Your face, Lord, do I seek.
    Do not hide your face from me.

Do not turn your servant away in anger,
    you who have been my help.
Do not cast me off, do not forsake me,
    O God of my salvation!
10 If my father and mother forsake me,
    the Lord will take me up.

11 Teach me your way, O Lord,
    and lead me on a level path
    because of my enemies.
12 Do not give me up to the will of my adversaries,
    for false witnesses have risen against me,
    and they are breathing out violence.

13 I believe that I shall see the goodness of the Lord
    in the land of the living.
14 Wait for the Lord;
    be strong, and let your heart take courage;
    wait for the Lord!

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 27:1 Or refuge

Psalm 27

Of David.

The Lord is my light(A) and my salvation(B)
    whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold(C) of my life—
    of whom shall I be afraid?(D)

When the wicked advance against me
    to devour[a] me,
it is my enemies and my foes
    who will stumble and fall.(E)
Though an army besiege me,
    my heart will not fear;(F)
though war break out against me,
    even then I will be confident.(G)

One thing(H) I ask from the Lord,
    this only do I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord
    all the days of my life,(I)
to gaze on the beauty of the Lord
    and to seek him in his temple.
For in the day of trouble(J)
    he will keep me safe(K) in his dwelling;
he will hide me(L) in the shelter of his sacred tent
    and set me high upon a rock.(M)

Then my head will be exalted(N)
    above the enemies who surround me;(O)
at his sacred tent I will sacrifice(P) with shouts of joy;(Q)
    I will sing(R) and make music(S) to the Lord.

Hear my voice(T) when I call, Lord;
    be merciful to me and answer me.(U)
My heart says of you, “Seek his face!(V)
    Your face, Lord, I will seek.
Do not hide your face(W) from me,
    do not turn your servant away in anger;(X)
    you have been my helper.(Y)
Do not reject me or forsake(Z) me,
    God my Savior.(AA)
10 Though my father and mother forsake me,
    the Lord will receive me.
11 Teach me your way,(AB) Lord;
    lead me in a straight path(AC)
    because of my oppressors.(AD)
12 Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes,
    for false witnesses(AE) rise up against me,
    spouting malicious accusations.

13 I remain confident of this:
    I will see the goodness of the Lord(AF)
    in the land of the living.(AG)
14 Wait(AH) for the Lord;
    be strong(AI) and take heart
    and wait for the Lord.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 27:2 Or slander

27 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 enquire 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 up upon a rock.

And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his 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.

10 When my father and my mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up.

11 Teach me thy way, O Lord, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies.

12 Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies: for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty.

13 I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.

14 Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.