Relationship, Not Religion (Psalms #27)

Text: Psalm 27

David wrote this Psalm about the Lord before the Lord Jesus Christ was on this earth.  And now Jesus Christ is the salvation of God that David unknowingly wrote about. It is true that Jesus Christ is salvation, but if he is not your salvation it doesn’t make any difference that he is salvation.  Here is a psalm about God’s salvation being personal to David.

The Lord is my conqueror (vss 1-3)

  • Courage because my enemies are defeated foes in him.
  • Not because the Lord did great things that I just read about.  But he has personally defeated an enemy I face. Death is a defeated foe.

Yearning to be in the Lord’s presence (vss 4-6)

  • One thing have I desired …and now… (vs 6)
  • Eternal life is nothing if it isn’t personal.
  • David is not trying to perform formal and systematic acts to maintain a tradition.
  • His beauty is what’s beautiful to me

Prayer is communication with the Lord (vss 7-8)

  • Two way communication
  • Hear…answer…. (vs 7)
  • He speaks, David responds in verse 8.  It’s not a religious prayer. It’s a relationship with the living God.

He’s my Father (vss 9-10)

  • The Lord is my faithful friend not a distant deity

He’s my shepherd (vss 11-12)

  • Teach me thy way… because of mine enemies…
  • His way is the right way, the good way, the safe way.

He’s my strength (vss 13-14)

  • I had fainted, unless…
  • Wait on the Lord…he shall strengthen thine heart…