271 By David. Jehovah 'is' my light and my salvation, Whom do I fear? Jehovah 'is' the strength of my life, Of whom am I afraid? 2 When evil doers come near to me to eat my flesh, My adversaries and mine enemies to me, They have stumbled and fallen. 3 Though a host doth encamp against me, My heart doth not fear, Though war riseth up against me, In this I 'am' confident. 4 One 'thing' I asked of Jehovah—it I seek. My dwelling in the house of Jehovah, All the days of my life, To look on the pleasantness of Jehovah, And to inquire in His temple. 5 For He hideth me in a tabernacle in the day of evil, He hideth me in a secret place of His tent, On a rock he raiseth me up. 6 And now, lifted up is my head, Above my enemies—my surrounders, And I sacrifice in His tent sacrifices of shouting, I sing, yea, I sing praise to Jehovah.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Psalm 27:1-6
Commentary on Psalm 27:1-6
(Read Psalm 27:1-6)
The Lord, who is the believer's light, is the strength of his life; not only by whom, but in whom he lives and moves. In God let us strengthen ourselves. The gracious presence of God, his power, his promise, his readiness to hear prayer, the witness of his Spirit in the hearts of his people; these are the secret of his tabernacle, and in these the saints find cause for that holy security and peace of mind in which they dwell at ease. The psalmist prays for constant communion with God in holy ordinances. All God's children desire to dwell in their Father's house. Not to sojourn there as a wayfaring man, to tarry but for a night; or to dwell there for a time only, as the servant that abides not in the house for ever; but to dwell there all the days of their life, as children with a father. Do we hope that the praising of God will be the blessedness of our eternity? Surely then we ought to make it the business of our time. This he had at heart more than any thing. Whatever the Christian is as to this life, he considers the favour and service of God as the one thing needful. This he desires, prays for and seeks after, and in it he rejoices.