Psalm 27, Your Face I Seek

Of David.

Psalm 27:1-3, YHWH, my light and stronghold

The LORD is my light and my salvation-- 

whom shall I fear?

The LORD is the stronghold of my life-- 

of whom shall I be afraid?

When evil men advance against me to devour my flesh, 

when my enemies and my foes attack me, 

they will stumble and fall.

Though an army besiege me, 

my heart will not fear; 

though war break out against me, 

even then will I be confident.

"Light" represents goodness, joy, life, vitality (says Kidner.) David announces that God is all of these things and that he, David, will not be frightened by enemies, even an army, coming against him.

Psalm 27:4, One thing I ask

One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: 

that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, 

to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD 

and to seek him in his temple.

This psalm, like the last one, concerns itself with visiting God is His sanctuary. (Psalm 15 also has this theme, that of approaching YHWH.)

Why should God be sought? Why does David enjoy God? The emphasis here is on a personal relationship, personal joy with God, what some would call "practicing the presence" of God.

What is this "temple" of the Lord? What does it mean to dwell in it? How does he hide us there? Why will David sing and make music there? The temple here need not be the temple of Solomon's day, but stands for God's presence and would have been represented by the tabernacle tent of David's day. 

Psalm 27:5, Safe

For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling;

he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle 

and set me high upon a rock.

David, recalling his days of running from Saul among the rocks and cliffs of Judea, often speaks of God as if God were a mountain fortress, a large rock upon which to hide. (See Psalm 18:1-3.)

Psalm 27: 6, Then...

Then my head will be exalted above the enemies who surround me; 

at his tabernacle will I sacrifice with shouts of joy; 

I will sing and make music to the LORD.

"I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever" is the ending of Psalm 23.  Many of the psalms in this section (26, 27, 28) have God's dwelling as a theme.

Psalm 27:7-12, Your face I seek

Hear my voice when I call, O LORD; 

be merciful to me and answer me.

My heart says of you, "Seek his face!" 

Your face, LORD, I will seek.

Do not hide your face from me, 

do not turn your servant away in anger; 

you have been my helper. 

Do not reject me or forsake me, O God my Savior.

Though my father and mother forsake me, the LORD will receive me.

Teach me your way, O LORD; 

lead me in a straight path because of my oppressors.

Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes, 

for false witnesses rise up against me, breathing out violence.

Feel the desperation and loneliness in verses 9 and 10!  David is concerned that God will turn away, then reassures himself that even if his family were to betray him, God would not.

Psalm 27:13, Still confident

I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.

David's expectation is immediate; he is not interested in some type of heavenly reward", but wants God's goodness here, amongst the living!

Psalm 27:14, Wait, wait for YHWH

Wait for the LORD; 

be strong and take heart 

and wait for the LORD.

David's songs often end with a resolution. Here David seems to have simply made a decision -- that, based on past experiences, he will wait on God and so will see God's goodness again. And so he ends the song with the same encouragement to the listener.

Some Random Thoughts

An analysis of this psalm (with discussion questions), sponsored by the MidwestSafety Youtube channel, is here.

First published Oct 26, 2023; updated Oct 26, 2026

Psalm 26, You Vindicate Me & I Praise You

Of David.

Psalm 26:1-5, I am blameless!

Vindicate me, O LORD, for I have led a blameless life; 

I have trusted in the LORD without wavering.

Test me, O LORD, and try me, 

examine my heart and my mind;

for your love is ever before me, 

and I walk continually in your truth.

I do not sit with deceitful men, 

nor do I consort with hypocrites;

I abhor the assembly of evildoers 

and refuse to sit with the wicked.

This is a passage of adoration and moral confidence. In our modern culture this sounds (at least to me) arrogant and hypocritical. But David is being simple, innocent, straightforward. He has been seeking God and trying to follow God's law and wants to make that clear. His emphasis is on sincerity more than on moral perfection.

Like the writer of Psalm 1, David insists that the community he forms around himself is not one that is wicked or hypocritical.

The hypocrites (end of verse 4) and the wicked (verse 5) are synonymous.

Psalm 26:6-8, I love your house

I wash my hands in innocence, 

and go about your altar, O LORD,

 proclaiming aloud your praise 

and telling of all your wonderful deeds.

I love the house where you live, O LORD, 

the place where your glory dwells.

The concept of washing one hands is a symbol of spiritual cleanliness. This entire paragraph suggests a visit to the Tabernacle, with hands washed before the laver and then proceeding to the altar. The "house" or abode of God, is, in the Old Testament, evidence of close communion. (The location of the "temple" of God changes in the New Testament!  See I Corinthians 6:19-20.)

Psalm 26:9-12, Redeem me, be merciful!

Do not take away my soul along with sinners, 

my life with bloodthirsty men,

in whose hands are wicked schemes, 

whose right hands are full of bribes.

But I lead a blameless life; 

redeem me and be merciful to me.

My feet stand on level ground; 

in the great assembly I will praise the LORD.

David's refrain throughout the psalm is: "I am blameless!  I trust in God without wavering!"  (Yet see Psalm 143:2, for a balancing viewpoint.)

There is a certain general parallelism, "envelope" structure to this psalm, a broad repetition:

• A: Vindicate & test me/ I avoid evil
• B: I proclaim your praise and enjoy your temple.
• A: So protect me and don't let me be defeated
• B: while I praise you

The cycle is one of righteous joy followed by petition and praise.

Some Random Thoughts

The concept of righteousness in the Old Testament is a bit different from that introduced by Jesus in the New Testament (eg. Matthew 5:21-48.) Here David is emphasizing that he has done right actions; in particular he has fulfilled the requirements of the Law.

An analysis of this psalm (with discussion questions), sponsored by the MidwestSafety Youtube channel, is here.

First published Oct 25, 2023; updated Oct 25, 2026

Psalm 25, Show, Teach, Guide, Remember

Of David.

This song is an acrostic. Each verse (with one exception) begins with a different Hebrew letter, the letters in alphabetical order, aleph for the first verse, beth for the second, etc. This is a poetic device, a poetical form designed to aid memorization and possibly to force a certain creativity on the artist. Acrostic poetry shows up in a variety of passages of the Hebrew scriptures, including the book of Lamentations and a number of the psalms.

Since there are 22 Hebrew letters, there will be 22 verses.

Psalm 25:1-3, My hope is in You

To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul;  

in you I trust, O my God. 

Do not let me be put to shame, 

nor let my enemies triumph over me.

No one whose hope is in you will ever be put to shame, 

but they will be put to shame who are treacherous without excuse.

The psalm opens with statement of allegiance, of commitment, dependent on a covenant with God. It will, of course, continue with a petition, a request for help in trouble.

Psalm 25:4-5, Guide me in your truth

Show me your ways, O LORD, 

teach me your paths; 

guide me in your truth and teach me, 

for you are God my Savior, 

and my hope is in you all day long.

David's request here is a simple one, a request for wisdom and understanding, so that he asks and thinks correctly. Some of David's psalms are in desperation and begin immediately with a plea for help. Here, presumably, David's request is a less stressed and more thoughtful. David repeats here, "My hope is in You!"

Psalm 25:6-7, Your mercy and love

Remember, O LORD, your great mercy and love, 

for they are from of old.  

Remember not the sins of my youth 

and my rebellious ways; 

according to your love remember me, 

for you are good, O LORD.

Forgiveness is part of the covenant David has with God. Note the admission of youthful sins and rebellion.

Psalm 25:8-11, Forgive me, for Your name

Good and upright is the LORD; 

therefore he instructs sinners in his ways. 

He guides the humble in what is right

 and teaches them his way.

All the ways of the LORD are loving and faithful for those who keep the demands of his covenant.

For the sake of your name, O LORD, forgive my iniquity, though it is great.

David emphasizes God desire for instruction and a relationship with human beings. This includes instructing sinners, of which David is one.

After these lines David then shifts to instruction of his fellows:

Psalm 25:12-14, Fear YHWH and your descendants prosper

Who, then, is the man that fears the LORD?

He will instruct him in the way chosen for him.

He will spend his days in prosperity, 

and his descendants will inherit the land.

The LORD confides in those who fear him; 

he makes his covenant known to them.

As in the first psalm, the blessings of "fearing" God are a correct path of life, leading to prosperity. A good inheritance will be left for the children and grandchildren that follow behind. It is good to be in covenant relationship with God!

The promises of verses 12-14, like much of the book of Proverbs, equate commitment to God with wisdom and prosperity. But this psalm (and many other psalms) admit that life is not that simple.... 

Psalm 25:15-20, Release from the snare

My eyes are ever on the LORD, 

for only he will release my feet from the snare.

Turn to me and be gracious to me, 

for I am lonely and afflicted.

The troubles of my heart have multiplied; 

free me from my anguish.

Look upon my affliction and my distress 

and take away all my sins.

See how my enemies have increased 

and how fiercely they hate me!

Guard my life and rescue me; 

let me not be put to shame, for I take refuge in you.

After the statements of commitment in verses 12-14, above, we now hear a sudden cry about real trouble. David is "lonely and afflicted", facing many enemies.

The nineteenth verse ("See how may enemies...") does not begin with the nineteenth Hebrew letter, qof, but repeats the eighteenth letter, resh.  Presumably the original opening word has been lost. Both commentators Alder and Kidner suggest that a natural word to open verse 19 would be qeshov, meaning "hearken", as in "Hearken-see how my enemies..."

Verse 21, below, is a "bookend" verse, return to an opening theme:

Psalm 25:21, My hope is (still) in You

May integrity and uprightness protect me, because my hope is in you.

Then, as in many of the psalms, the song ends with a plea for help, not just for David, but for the entire nation. The king's success and that of the nation are closely connected.

Psalm 25:22, And Israel needs You too!

Redeem Israel, O God, from all their troubles!

Yes, may God protect the people Israel.

Some Random Thoughts

I find David's cries for help refreshing. There is an air of negotiation in them. "Look," he says, "I'm really trying to be good! Please reward that!" I see nothing wrong with these pleas.

An analysis of this psalm (with discussion questions), sponsored by the MidwestSafety Youtube channel, is here.

First published Oct 24, 2023; updated Oct 24, 2026

Psalm 24, Who is this King of Glory!

Of David. A psalm.

Psalm 24:1-2, YHWH rules all earth

The earth is the LORD's, 

and everything in it, 

the world, and all who live in it; 

for he founded it upon the seas 

and established it upon the waters.

In the first lines of this song, it is clear that this God of David is the Creator, creator of all the world and everything in it. The establishment of the land on the seas is reminiscent of Genesis 1:9.

This psalm is a simple song of worship.  One might view this as a coronation psalm for the King of Heaven! It is a psalm of praise, at times exuberant and ecstatic, similar to Psalms 8 and 18.

Psalm 24:3-6, Who can approach the king

Who may ascend the hill of the LORD? 

Who may stand in his holy place?

He who has clean hands and a pure heart, 

who does not lift up his soul to an idol or swear by what is false.  

He will receive blessing from the LORD 

and vindication from God his Savior.

Such is the generation of those who seek him, 

who seek your face, O God of Jacob. 

Selah.

This song is antiphonal. There are questions followed by responses. "Who may ascend...?" is answered in the next stanza.

A major attribute of God is Righteousness and for this attribute God is praised. So which mortals may "stand" with God? Only one who follows God's model and has "clean hands and a pure heart". Standing in God's presence,  says Kidner, is an aspect of worship.

Note the Old Testament concern about idols. The concept of "clean hands" is also a concept of justice, of doing right actions with one's fellow human beings.

Psalm 24:7-10, The King of Glory approaches!

Lift up your heads, O you gates; 

be lifted up, you ancient doors, 

that the King of glory may come in.

Who is this King of glory? 

The LORD strong and mighty,

the LORD mighty in battle.

Lift up your heads, O you gates; 

lift them up, you ancient doors, 

that the King of glory may come in.

Who is he, this King of glory? 

The LORD Almighty-- he is the King of glory.

Selah.

Even the gates and doors of the King's palace should exalt in the King's presence! (Why is this instruction addressed to the doors and gates? Are the doors the first to see God's presence?)

The psalm first focuses on God and His power, beauty, as expressed in creation. Then there is a transition – which humans are allowed to enjoy God’s presence and beauty? Only those with a pure heart – who meet God’s standards (whose desire is really for God and not some substitute.)

Some Random Thoughts

The psalm ends in am antiphonal chorus – a praise chorus preparing for the entrance of the king of glory. The praise chorus has been an inspiration, over the centuries, for a number of Christian hymns.  (Here is one by Third Day.)

An analysis of this psalm (with discussion questions), sponsored by the MidwestSafety Youtube channel, is here.

First published Oct 23, 2023; updated Oct 23, 2026

Psalm 23, A Shepherd's Song

A psalm of David.

Psalm 23:1-3, A sheep following a shepherd

The LORD is my shepherd, 

I shall not be in want.

He makes me lie down in green pastures, 

he leads me beside quiet waters,

he restores my soul. 

He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

In the past, David, the shepherd, has taken care of vulnerable and simple sheep. Here he sees God's actions as similar; here David is the vulnerable and simple one, who needs to be guided, calmed and quieted.

Note the parallelism in verses 1-3 (and throughout the psalm.)

Psalm 23:4-5, Protected by the shepherd

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, 

I will fear no evil, 

for you are with me; 

your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

Rod and staff are a shepherd's tools. David, recognizing himself as a sheep, is comforted by the Great Shepherd's tools and protection.

Psalm 23:5-6, Riches, goodness, love

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. 

You anoint my head with oil; 

my cup overflows.

Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, 

and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

At the end of the psalm, the shepherd/sheep metaphor ends and the Shepherd is a divine Friend, who sets a table and lavishes gifts on the undeserving David.

This is the ancient "Good Shepherd" psalm, long recited by Christians in times of trouble.  It is beautiful in its calm simplicity. The sheep unknowingly walk through dangerous valleys while an alert shepherd protects them; the sheep look for good food and good days and they are provided. But David is more aware of the Shepherd than any sheep could ever be, and so he is grateful and commits to staying close to God.

Some Random Thoughts

Caroline Cobb has an album on the psalms. (You can find Caroline Cobb on Spotify here.) Her rendition of Psalm 23 is Shepherd Walk Beside Me.

An analysis of this psalm (with discussion questions), sponsored by the MidwestSafety Youtube channel, is here.

First published Oct 12, 2023; updated Oct 12, 2026

Psalm 22, Silent and Suffering, Ignored by God

For the director of music. To [the tune of] "The Doe of the Morning." A psalm of David.

Presumably "Doe of the Morning" was an ancient song.

Psalm 22:1-2, Where are you?

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? 

Why are you so far from saving me, 

so far from the words of my groaning?

O my God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, 

by night, and am not silent.

The Silence of God is an important problem for any serious believer. At times God may seem very close. But at other times God is silent and appears to be inactive. (How do I respond to this silence? It is not unique to me, for both David and Jesus (!) experienced it.)

Psalm 22:3-5, The Holy One of Israel

Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One; 

you are the praise of Israel.

In you our fathers put their trust; 

they trusted and you delivered them.

They cried to you and were saved; 

in you they trusted and were not disappointed.

David turns back the clock and reminds himself of past history. This is the beginning of a response to the Silence of God. Israel was created by the Holy One, YHWH, who called them out of Egypt.

Psalm 22:6-8, Mocked and insulted

But I am a worm and not a man, 

scorned by men and despised by the people.

All who see me mock me; 

they hurl insults, shaking their heads:

"He trusts in the LORD; let the LORD rescue him. 

L:et him deliver him, since he delights in him."

But just because God worked in Abraham's life ... is there any reason for this "worm", David, to expect similar treatment?

Psalm 22:9-11, From my mother's womb I was cast on you

Yet you brought me out of the womb; 

you made me trust in you even at my mother's breast.

From birth I was cast upon you; 

from my mother's womb you have been my God.

Do not be far from me, for trouble is near 

and there is no one to help.

David leans on God's divine plan, a plan implemented even when David was in the womb.

Psalm 22:12-18, The bulls of Bashan

Many bulls surround me; 

strong bulls of Bashan encircle me.

Roaring lions tearing their prey open their mouths wide against me.

I am poured out like water, 

and all my bones are out of joint. 

My heart has turned to wax; 

it has melted away within me.

My strength is dried up like a potsherd, 

and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth; 

you lay me in the dust of death.

Dogs have surrounded me; 

a band of evil men has encircled me, 

they have pierced my hands and my feet.

I can count all my bones; 

people stare and gloat over me.

They divide my garments among them 

and cast lots for my clothing.

In verse 16 ("Dogs have surrounded me... pierced my hands and feet") a number of Hebrew manuscripts, including the Septuagint and Syriac (says the NIV), end the verse with words that translate as "lion, my hands and feet." But a slight alteration of the Hebrew word for lion turns the phrase into "[they have] pierced my hands and feet." This seems to be a commonly acceptable translation for that verse, accepted both by Hebrew scholars Kidner and Alter.

David is in pain, surrounded by enemies.  He is physically ill, in pain, as he is humiliated, tortured, mocked.  As a number of commentators point out, this appears to be an execution.  In this passage the psalm has moved away from any historical event in David's life. The desperation of the early verses, in which David is surrounded by enemies, is not unusual. But this death scene is.

Psalm 22:19-22, Rescue me from these lions!

But you, O LORD, be not far off; 

O my Strength, come quickly to help me.

Deliver my life from the sword, 

my precious life from the power of the dogs.

Rescue me from the mouth of the lions; 

save me from the horns of the wild oxen.

I will declare your name to my brothers; 

in the congregation I will praise you.

Another plea for help. Somewhere, somehow, in all this suffering, the speaker knows that God's plan is at work....  even as vicious animals surrounding this shepherd.

Psalm 22:23-31, Descendants of Jacob, Honor YHWH!

You who fear the LORD, praise him! 

All you descendants of Jacob, honor him! 

Revere him, all you descendants of Israel!

For he has not despised or disdained the suffering of the afflicted one; 

he has not hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help.

From you comes the theme of my praise in the great assembly; 

before those who fear you will I fulfill my vows.

The poor will eat and be satisfied; 

they who seek the LORD will praise him-- 

may your hearts live forever!

All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the LORD, 

and all the families of the nations will bow down before him, 

for dominion belongs to the LORD 

and he rules over the nations.

All the rich of the earth will feast and worship; 

all who go down to the dust will kneel before him-- 

those who cannot keep themselves alive.

Posterity will serve him; 

future generations will be told about the Lord.

They will proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn--

 for he has done it.

David's song turns to instruction. Once again, a decision has been made and David moves forward in confidence. Notice all the promises David slings out in his ecstasy and enthusiasm.

Of whom ("a people yet unborn") does David speak in verses 30 and 31? Future generations of Jews?  Or even future unknown Gentiles (like me)?

The death scene described in verses 12 through 18 does not fit a historical event in David's life and has messianic overtones. The rest of the psalm fits descriptions of a messianic figure. The New Testament passage Matthew 27:33-50 describes the crucifixion of Jesus and in that passage there are clear allusions to this psalm. (How many of the events described by Matthew can one find in Psalm 22?) Indeed, in Matthew 27:46, Jesus quotes the first verse of this psalm! (Jesus quotes the psalm in the local Aramaic, not in Hebrew.)  Surely the audience at the foot of the cross understood the scripture from whence the cry came.

Other passages which record the crucifixion are: Mark 15:20-37, Luke 23:26-46 & John 19:17-30. Psalm 22 is also quoted in Hebrews 2:10-12.

Some Random Thoughts

A major challenge to Christianity is the Problem of Evil. How could a powerful loving God allow suffering, pain? How can Jesus be defeated by death? How can Jews be destroyed by Hitler and other clearly evil enemies. There is not an easy answer to this problem. But the psalms, especially this psalm, claim that God is at work but that the actions of God are slow and deeper, more complicated than we can know -- that God is not human and we cannot make God follow our wishes or meet our demands.

At this point the crucifixion and the resurrection become important. On the cross, God is completely defeated and ... Jesus quotes this psalm! How could God be killed? How could there be any victory in this? Yet, at the end of this psalm, in the resolution, we hear "all the ends of the earth will ... turn to the Lord." This includes those who go down to the dust (to the grave) before Him.

In the Chronicles of Narnia, C. S. Lewis has Aslan call this plan "deep magic". Believing in the death and resurrection of Jesus requires believing that there is a longterm (indeed infinite) plan far beyond the suffering described in the psalms. We are only given hints of this plan, by a Being who is not human and does not bow to our demands ... but appears willing to listen to our pleas.

An analysis of this psalm (with discussion questions), sponsored by the MidwestSafety Youtube channel, is here.

First published Oct 12, 2023; updated Oct 12, 2026

Psalm 21, A Blessing After Battle

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

Psalm 21:1-2, A crown of pure gold placed on the king's head

O LORD, the king rejoices in your strength. 

How great is his joy in the victories you give!

You have granted him the desire of his heart 

and have not withheld the request of his lips.

Selah.

Verse 2, on the "desires of the heart", echoes verse 4 of Psalm 20. In Psalm 20, the request is made; in Psalm 21 it is answered. Because of the similarities between these two psalms, Kidner suggests that Psalm 20 is a blessing/prayer before a king's battle and Psalm 21 is a thanksgiving prayer afterwards. In Psalm 20, the king makes request, followed by a statement of praise and faith, then a climactic final verse.  In this psalm, the statement of faith and resolution comes first.

Psalm 21:3-7, A crown of pure gold!

You welcomed him with rich blessings 

and placed a crown of pure gold on his head.

He asked you for life, and you gave it to him-- 

length of days, for ever and ever.

Through the victories you gave, his glory is great; 

you have bestowed on him splendor and majesty.

Surely you have granted him eternal blessings 

and made him glad with the joy of your presence.

For the king trusts in the LORD; 

through the unfailing love of the Most High he will not be shaken.

This psalm, like Psalm 2, could serve as a coronation psalm for David or another Davidic king.

2 Samuel 7:8-16 has God's covenant with David. Verses 3-7 of this psalm echo that passage.

Psalm 21: 8-12, He consumes His enemies

Your hand will lay hold on all your enemies; 

your right hand will seize your foes.

At the time of your appearing 

you will make them like a fiery furnace. 

In his wrath the LORD will swallow them up, 

and his fire will consume them.

You will destroy their descendants from the earth, 

their posterity from mankind.

Though they plot evil against you and devise wicked schemes, 

they cannot succeed;

for you will make them turn their backs 

when you aim at them with drawn bow.

Verses 8-10 ("Your hand...") turns attention to the enemies of God and the end result of God's foes.  This passage contains more universal statements, independent of a specific historical event and so has a messianic flavor. A New Testament version of this occurs in 2 Thessalonians 1:5-10 where this event is described more fully.  (See also Revelation 20:11 – 21:8 for a similar end-time statement about the culmination of history.)

Psalm 21: 13, YHWH, be exalted!

Be exalted, O LORD, in your strength; 

we will sing and praise your might.

Like the previous psalm, this psalm ends with one climatic statement of praise.

Some Random Thoughts

The MidwestSafety Youtube channel publishes a website that covers a psalm a day. An analysis of this psalm is here.

First published Oct 19, 2023; updated Oct 19, 2026