The LORD is my light and the one who saves me. So why should I fear anyone? The LORD protects my life. So why should I be afraid? Psalm 27:1 NCV
Chapman University annually conducts the Survey of American Fears (CSAF). The top 10 fears in the 2023 survey suggest that Americans’ fears center on five main topics: corruption in government, economic concerns, war and terror, the harming or death of loved ones, and pollution of drinking water. Which ones represent the things that concern you?
Most people, American or not, would say anything that threatens their personal security and safety or the security and safety of the people they love shoots directly to the top of the list. The threats can be physical, financial, relational, emotional – whatever. Those concerns affect everything else in our lives.
Because they are so central, on our own it can seem nearly impossible not to let those anxious thoughts occupy our minds and plans. However, when we intentionally choose to rely on God’s power, we can find that our anxieties and stresses do not overwhelm us. We can find that faith in God will become greater than our fears.
All through the Bible, in the Psalms especially, there are many references to having faith in God that is bigger than fear, faith that is able to trust God in grim times. Many of these Psalms were written by David, a man who was well-acquainted with opportunities to cave in to fear. As a young man, he tended sheep out in the field all alone, surrounded by predators. He had no technology to communicate with anyone to get assistance when in danger. He was on his own. He experienced derision and rejection from his own family. When against all odds David was anointed king, he was stalked and hunted by the current king, a man who had once been his friend. He was in many battles, faced sickness and death in his own family, without medicine and doctors and all the helps we assume. Yet he stood tall in faith.
Psalm 27 was written as David faced fear. Scholars say that Psalm 27 was written when David was fleeing from the murderous jealousy of King Saul who was jealous and out to destroy. It was a situation of horrible personal injustice. Or Psalm 27 was written when David was fleeing from his son, Absalom, who conspired to take his throne. In a monarchy, you took the king’s throne by killing the king – unthinkable family betrayal. But David saw God as the One who protects and saves his life. Why would he fear anyone or anything?
- If the Lord is the strength of your life, why should you fear anything or anyone?