Psalm 27:12b “…false witnesses rise up against me, breathing out violence.”
[Satan certainly rises against me and incites people to do the same. I think of a neighbor who spread lies about me in town and threatened me.
I praise you that you allow such attacks to strengthen my faith, expose my sin and mature me. As you led me to offer the sacrifice of thanksgiving for my neighbor’s actions, and to respond by doing good to him, you resolved the situation and he’s become pleasant and positive.
Help me to discern these lies, wherever they come from—from the devil, my flesh, people, the world—and to counteract them with your truth.
I praise you for your gracious, selective protection. I need to be alert to any time that I allow violent aspects to be a part of my emotions: anger, impatience, strong words and negatives, for these are not from you, but of my old nature, the world and the devil.]
Psa 27:13 “I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.”
[No matter how bad things get, your goodness will always be there, and it will shine through in the end. “Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life”(Ps. 23:6).
My confidence needs to be in your goodness, not measured by my desires being fulfilled, by my comfort or success, but by your greatness and glory revealed in your Word; by your doing what is best as revealed in history; by your beautiful and pristine character as revealed in creation.]
Psalm 27:14 “Wait for the LORD;”
[So I must wait for you by spending time with you, by listening to your direction, by not acting too early and on my own desires. As my wife is fond of saying “Waiting on the Lord is the greatest economy of time.”
“be strong and take heart”
[In you, in the midst of my weakness, I can be strong and take heart, for you are strength itself, you are faithfulness itself, you are great and wonderful in every way. I can give you glory, honor and praise in all things.]
“and wait for the LORD.”
[Repetition of this command shows how important it is. I praise you, Lord, for your trustworthiness, for the certainty of your moving and answering my prayers at the right time. “In the day of my trouble I will call upon you, for you will answer me” (Ps. 86:7).
You are right, you are true, you are good and faithful. Therefore I can rest in you. Praise be to you for what you will do today as I wait on you.]
