2013 Lenten Blog Reflections III Psalm 27

Every Wednesday in Lent, a member of the Tobar Mhuire Team will offer a reflection on the week's Psalm. For the latest entry visit this page on Wednesday or register to have the weekly reflection emailed to you. Registration at this link: http://eepurl.com/vbvH1. 

Psalm 27
Click here to read the complete psalm online.

In the first five verses of Psalm 27  David sings his confidence for placing complete trust in God's providence. The Lord is his 'light', his 'salvation' and his 'stronghold' even when surrounded by his enemies and under attack. Safety is to be found where the Lord is to be found.  David faced many trials and difficulties and later versus in this Psalm reflect his pleading with the Lord to come to his aid. In these circumstances fear will be diminished and trust in the Lord sustained if we can  'wait', 'take heart' and 'be strong'. David is convinced that the Lord will respond.

This is  the Holy season of Lent whereby focusing on the suffering and passion of Jesus  can help us understand how in fact the Lord comes to our help and  is our salvation.

Let me take you into the Garden of Gethsemane where Jesus and his disciples are surrounded by His enemies. The disciples did not wait with the Lord, they lose heart, become weak, experience great fear and flee. When the disciples turn their focus away from the Lord towards their own survival, trust plummets. Jesus, on the other hand having  prayed to His Father receives the strength to remain and face into His suffering and death. 

We can think of times in our own lives where, in difficult times, we have responded in a similar way to the disciples in Gethsemane.  Surrounded by opposition we lack  confidence and flee from the challenge to support Jesus in His Mission to make His presence felt. The confidence and trust in the Lord expressed by David  in Psalm 27 can be an antidote to the fear and discouragement we may feel when times are tough. This Lent  Psalm 27 can provide us with  just the right sort of encouragement we need to direct our focus on Jesus The Lord.

 Kieran Hill, Management Volunteer