My Psalm 27

Bob Hostetler

Lord, you are my light and my salvation;
why should I fear anyone?
Lord, you are the strength of my life;
of whom should I be afraid?

When wicked people try to mess me up,
when people who hate me try to trip me up,
they will trip themselves.
Even if an army takes positions against me,
why should I worry?
If someone declares “war” against me,
I still have you, Lord.

I ask one thing of you, Lord,
one thing most of all,
one thing I crave,
one thing I will seek:
to dwell in your presence all the days of my life,
to gaze on your beauty,
and to experience you in your holy place.

For I know when trouble comes,
you will hide me in your eyrie;
you will place me out of reach of my enemies
on a high crag.
You will place me where I can look down on those who would hurt me,
and they will look like tiny ants to me,
making me wonder how they could ever have bothered me at all.
Therefore I offer sacrifices of joy to you at every opportunity;
I will sing your praises,
I will whisper your praises,
I will shout your praises,
I will dance your praises.

Hear me, Lord, when I cry out to you.
Have mercy on me, and answer me.
When you say, “Seek ye my face,”
prompt a willing response: “I will seek you wholeheartedly, Lord.”
Please don’t obscure your face;
please don’t be angry with me;
though you know I deserve your wrath,
you have always been my helper regardless of how little I deserve your help.
Stay with me, Lord;
stay beside me, O God of my salvation.
You who are more faithful than father or mother,
hold me close.

Teach me how to become more and more like you, Lord,
and blaze a straight path ahead of me,
so I will not give my enemies reason to rejoice.
Frustrate those who hate me,
who accuse me wrongly,
who blame me for their problems.
If it weren’t for you, Lord, I would have lost hope long ago.
Help me just to wait on you,
to be brave and courageous,
and wait for you to accomplish your good will.