Psalm 27:1-3,12-14
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.
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.
RICHARD SIBBES (1577-1635): Though an host should encompass me, “my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this I will be confident.” Here is great courage for the time to come. Experience breeds hope and confidence. David was not so courageous a man of himself; but upon experience of God’s former comfort and assistance, his faith broke forth as a fire out of the smoke, or as the sun out of a cloud. Though I was in such-and-such perplexities, yet for the time to come, I have such confidence and experience of God’s goodness, that I will not fear.
JOHN SHEFFIELD (died 1680): I have been delivered from the lion, therefore shall be from the bear; from lion and bear, therefore from the Philistines, 1 Samuel 17:34-36; from the Philistine, therefore from Saul; from Saul, therefore God will deliver me from every evil work…
The Christian grows rich in experiences, which he wears as bracelets, and keeps as his richest jewels. He calls one Ebenezer―“hitherto God hath helped,” I Samuel 7:12; another Naphtali―“I have wrestled with God and prevailed,” Genesis 30:8; another Gershom―“I was a stranger,” Exodus 2:22; another Joseph― “God will yet add more,” Genesis 30:24; and another, Peniel―“I have seen the face of God,” Genesis 32:30.
RICHARD SIBBES: He that seeth God by a spirit of faith in His greatness and power, he sees all other things below as nothing. Therefore, David saith here, he cares not for the time to come for any opposition; no, not of an army. “If God be with us, who can be against us?” Romans 8:31. He saw God in His power; and then, looking from God to the creature, alas! who was he?
JOHN GILL (1697-1771): The saints have need of courage, considering the enemies they have to grapple with; the corruptions of their own hearts, the enemies of a man’s own house; the worst of all, Satan, and his principalities and powers; and men of the world, and a world of them: and they have great reason, notwithstanding, to be of good courage, since God is for them; Christ is the Captain of their salvation; the Holy Spirit, that is in them, is greater than he that is in the world; angels encamp around them; they are provided with the whole armour of God; they are engaged in a good cause, are sure of victory, and shall wear the crown of righteousness―and it follows, “and he shall strengthen thine heart”―and the Lord will do it, as He promised to them that wait on Him, Isaiah 40:31, “They that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength.”
HENRY AINSWORTH (1569-1622): “Wait on the Lord, be of good courage.” Be comfortable, hold fast (as the Greek hath it), be manly, or, quit thee as a man; which word the apostle Paul uses, 1 Corinthians 16:13.
JOHN CALVIN (1509-1564): But as nothing is more difficult than to give God the honour of relying upon Him, when He hides Himself from us, or delays His assistance, David stirs himself up to collect strength; as if he had said, ‘If fearfulness steal upon thee; if temptation shake thy faith; if the feelings of the flesh rise in tumult, do not faint; but rather endeavor to rise above them by an invincible resolution of mind.’
From this we may learn, that the children of God overcome, not by sullenness, but by patience, when they commit their souls quietly to God; as Isaiah says, “In quietness and in confidence shall be your strength,” Isaiah 30:15. As David did not feel himself equal to great and difficult efforts, he borrows strength from God by prayer. Had he said no more than act like a man, he would have appeared to allege the motions of his own free-will, but as he immediately adds, by way of correction, that God would be at hand to strengthen his heart, he plainly enough shows, that when the saints strive vigorously, they fight in the strength of another, and not in their own.
C. H. SPURGEON (1834-1892): As we observe the Scriptures we perceive that “Fear nots” are scattered throughout the Bible as the stars are sprinkled over the whole of the sky. But when we come to Isaiah, we find constellations of them! When I was a boy I learned Isaac Watts’ Catechism and I am glad I did. One of its questions runs thus, “Who was Isaiah?” And the answer is, “He was that Prophet who spoke more of Jesus Christ than all the rest.”
Very well, and for that very reason—that he spoke more of Jesus Christ than all the rest—he is richest in comfort to the people of God and continually he is saying, ‘Fear not.’ Here are a few of Isaiah’s antidotes for the fever of fear—“Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not,” Isaiah 35:4; “Fear you not, for I am with thee; be not dismayed, for I am thy God,” Isaiah 41:10; “Fear not, I will help thee,” Isaiah 41:13; “Fear not, thou worm Jacob,” Isaiah 41:14; “Fear not, for I have redeemed thee,” Isaiah 43:1; “Fear not, for thou shalt not be ashamed; neither be thou confounded, for thou shalt not be put to shame,” Isaiah 54:4―and so on. I was going to say, “world without end.” So abundant are these, “Fear nots,” that they grow like the king-cups and the daisies and other sweet flowers of the meadows among which the little children in the springtime delight themselves.
JOHN GILL: Psalm 118:6, “The LORD is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me?” He was on the side of David―and He is likewise on the side of His people, to fight their battles for them, to support them under all their afflictions, to supply all their wants, to deliver them from all evil, to carry on the work of grace in their souls, and to bring them to glory…I will not fear: what can man do unto me? David did not; he was not afraid of ten thousands of men, no, not of a whole army that encamped against him, God being for him, the strength of his life, and his salvation, Psalm 3:6.
WILLIAM S. PLUMER (1802-1880): There was great wisdom in the prayer of John Wesley: “Lord, if I must contend, let it not be with thy people.” When we have for foes and enemies those who hate good men, we have at least this consolation, that God is not on their side, and therefore they are essentially weak.
RALPH ERSKINE (1685-1752): Think not the government is out of Christ’s hand, when men are doing many sad things, and giving many heavy blows to the work of God.
RICHARD SIBBES: God’s children, when they are delivered, it is usually with the confusion of their enemies.
C. H. SPURGEON: The Israelites at the Red Sea were afraid of Pharaoh and then the Lord said to them, “Fear not, stand still and see the salvation of God.” If you are brought to a pass tonight and know not what to do, take the advice of Holy Scripture and, “Fear not—stand still and see the salvation of God.”
