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? (Psalm 27:1)
General Thomas (Stonewall) Jackson appeared shockingly calm to his companions. Even when examining the battlefield from the back of his horse, Stonewall didn’t seem to mind the flying bullets, earth-breaking explosions, or bayonet-wielding Yankees.
“… my religious belief teaches me to feel as safe in battle as in bed,” Jackson said. Notice that he did not deny the danger… but he knew something greater.
“There is nothing to be afraid of,” is not the same as merely, “Do not be afraid.” In fact, the reality of the danger is what makes our reliance on God necessary.
David, the author of Psalm 27, mentions three fearful things. Darkness, Sin, and a threat to his life. All three of these are legitimate reasons to be afraid.
Darkness refers to more than a child’s fear of the dark. It refers to God’s enemy, the World. The Kingdom of Darkness that is opposed to God’s Kingdom. Evil exists. Evil is dangerous. The Psalmist logically SHOULD be afraid of Darkness, but because God’s Light is more powerful, the Psalmist can relax. The very real enemy, Darkness, will lose. So David is not afraid.
Sin caused (and causes) the rift between God and humans that makes creation groan, hearts break, and lives difficult. Sin is the underlying cause to every problem. We see Sin and Sin’s effects all around us… threatening us with ALL of life’s difficulties, but also with eternal death. But the Salvation given by God is stronger than Sin. David logically SHOULD be afraid of Sin, but because God’s Salvation is more powerful, David can relax. The very real enemy, Sin, will lose. So David is not afraid.
While we do not know the circumstances surrounding this Psalm, we do know that David had enemies with sharp swords. Many people wanted David dead. And they came close to success. David knew the threat, and he knew that the danger was real. David logically SHOULD be afraid of the threat of death, but because David rested beneath God’s wings, David can relax. The very real enemy, death, will lose. So David is not afraid.
A brave person does not ignore or deny real danger. There ARE things to be afraid of. But God is bigger than all of them. A brave person chooses to act in spite of the danger.
Fear not, because God is bigger.