Preached at Riverview Baptist 798 Santa Fe Pike, Columbia TN on June 21, 2017

Psalms 27:1-14 (KJV) A Psalm of David. The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? [2] When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell. [3] Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident. [4] One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple. [5] For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock. [6] And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the LORD. [7] Hear, O LORD, when I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me, and answer me. [8] When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek. [9] Hide not thy face far from me; put not thy servant away in anger: thou hast been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation. [10] When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up. [11] Teach me thy way, O LORD, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies. [12] Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies: for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty. [13] I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. [14] Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.

King David was the most successful monarch that Israel had ever seen.

He was not the first King of Israel. The first King was God.

But in time Israel drew away from God and cried out to Him saying:

Give us a King, so we will be like the other nations! (1 Samuel 8:5)

When the elders of Israel demanded this of Samuel the Prophet he had the three D’s. He was …

Samuel’s first reaction was “What shall I do about this?” Do you know what God told him to do? He said …

1 Samuel 8:7-9 (ESV) … “Obey the voice of the people in all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them. 8 According to all the deeds that they have done, from the day I brought them up out of Egypt even to this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are also doing to you. 9 Now then, obey their voice; only you shall solemnly warn them and show them the ways of the king who shall reign over them.”

Sometimes God in His grace allows us to do things our own way.

Our forefather Adam in the Garden of Eden rejected God as King, choosing instead to follow a snake. Now God’s Israel rejected the Almighty God Who is “King of Kings and Lord of Lords” in order to follow a mortal king. They replaced God with man. They rejected His Word and instead chose man’s word. God warned Israel that the human king would abuse them. God warned Israel …

1 Samuel 8:11-18 … “These will be the ways of the king who will reign over you: he will take your sons and appoint them to his chariots and to be his horsemen and to run before his chariots. 12 And he will appoint for himself commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and some to plow his ground and to reap his harvest, and to make his implements of war and the equipment of his chariots. 13 He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers. 14 He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive orchards and give them to his servants. 15 He will take the tenth of your grain and of your vineyards and give it to his officers and to his servants. 16 He will take your male servants and female servants and the best of your young men and your donkeys, and put them to his work. 17 He will take the tenth of your flocks, and you shall be his slaves. 18 And in that day you will cry out because of your king, whom you have chosen for yourselves, but the Lord will not answer you in that day.”

This is what happened. Israel chose Saul to be their King and rejected the Almighty. Israel chose Saul over God. The Bible says that Saul was …

1 Samuel 9:2 …. a handsome young man. There was not a man among the people of Israel more handsome than he. From his shoulders upward he was taller than any of the people.

Rejecting God they chose the lesser. And Saul did just as God said. He damaged the nation. Alexis de Tocqueville (pronounced Alexi De Tokville) the famous 19th century French statesman, historian and social philosopher wrote of America:

“I sought for the key to the greatness and genius of America in her harbors… in her fertile fields and boundless forests; in her rich mines and vast world commerce; in her public school system and institutions of learning. I sought for it in her democratic Congress and in her matchless Constitution. … Not until I went INTO THE CHURCHES OF AMERICA AND HEARD HER PULPITS FLAME WITH RIGHTEOUSNESS did I understand the secret of her genius and power. America is great because America is good, and if America ever ceases to be good, America will cease to be great. The safeguard of morality is religion, and morality is the best security of law as well as the surest pledge of freedom.

Our 40^th President Ronald Reagan said: “If we ever forget that we are One Nation Under God, then we will be a nation gone under.”

Israel rejected God under Saul and suffered for it. I believe in America we have rejected God and are close to going under because of it. But God saved Israel by raising up a shepherd named David.

David loved the Lord. His son Solomon would one day write in ….

Ecclesiastes 4:12 (ESV) And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

David was a friend of God. He was a man after God’s own heart. He stood with the Almighty Three in One. He loved His Heavenly Father, and I believe David knew of the Messiah Jesus and the Holy Spirit. David was not ashamed of His Savior.

2 Samuel 6:14 (KJV) David danced before the Lord with ALL his might ….

Saul eventually died by his own hand, but David loved the Lord and became the greatest King Israel would ever see outside of Jesus Christ.

David Was Bound To God By A Threefold Cord

A “threefold cord is not easily broken”, and David was bound to God by a threefold cord. We read:

Psalms 27:1 (KJV) … The LORD is my LIGHT and my SALVATION; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the STRENGTH of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

David was bound to God by three strong cords. Notice these cords.

The LORD (YAHWEH) was David’s LIGHT.

The LORD (YAHWEH) was David’s SALVATION.

The LORD (YAHWEH) was David’s STRENGTH.

The order of these things are very important.

LIGHT Is The First Cord

The first command that God ever gave on our created world was:

“Let there be LIGHT” (Genesis 1:3)

It is God Who is the Giver of Light. God created Light before He made the Sun or the Moon. God created Light before He made the stars. Without Light there can be nothing else. NASA studied this and came to the conclusion that if the Sun just went out, the average global temperature in one week would be be below zero degrees Fahrenheit. All plant life would die in a week. In a month or so all oxygen would be depleted. The planet would cease.

Light is important to life. When David said “the LORD is my LIGHT” he was saying that “God’s Word brings light. What God says is true is Light.” David focused on God’s Word as Light. Hear these words:

1 John 1:5-7 (KJV) This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. [6] If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: [7] But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

Our God is the God of Light. His Word is Light. We are told:

Psalms 119:105 (KJV) NUN. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

The Word of God is Light. God has a written Word, and He has a Living Word. The written Word is our Bible, God’s written revealed Will for us.

Psalms 119:130 (KJV) The entrance of Thy WORDS GIVETH LIGHT; it giveth understanding unto the simple.

To those who will hear God’s Word, they walk in light.

Psalms 19:8 (ESV) the precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, ENLIGHTENING the eyes;

God has given us His Light inj His Word. The Apostle said:

2 Peter 1:19-21 (KJV) We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: [20] Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. [21] For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy {Spirit}.

It is God’s Word that teaches usa right from wrongt. It is God’s Word that gives us light. It is God’s Word that gives us stability in life. It is the Light of God’s Word that brings us to salvation. I want you to notice that LIGHT comes BEFORE SALVATION.

It is the Word of God that tell us we are all sinners.

It is the Word of God that tells us that we all need a Savior.

It is the Word of God that tell us Christ is our Savior.

It is the Word of God that tell us that …

John 1:4-5 (KJV) In him was life; and the life was the light of men. [5] And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

Darkness cannot perceive Light. To be saved we must first turn from the Darkness and turn toward the Light. We must hear the Word. We must hear Jesus.

Without LIGHT there is NO SALVATION.

Salvation Is The Second Cord

Those who reject the Light of God will never be saved. Light shines, then salvation comes. David was a good man, a humble man, but he still needed to be saved. He needed to respond to the Light and move toward God.

Psalms 18:27-28 (KJV) For thou wilt save the afflicted people; but wilt bring down high looks. [28] For thou wilt light my candle: the LORD my God will enlighten my darkness.

God blesses those who humble themselves before Him. When a person hears God’s Word and says:

“I know what You said,

But I’m not doing it”

You have light but not salvation. The Scripture declares:

Acts 2:21 (KJV)… WHOSOEVER shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Acts 10:43 (KJV) To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name WHOSOEVER believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.

Romans 10:9-13 (ESV) because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. [10] For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. [11] For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” [12] For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. [13] For “EVERYONE who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

There are many who have LIGHT but have never been saved. God has given them LIGHT, but they ignore that which they have been given. David not only received LIGHT, but he acted onj that LIGHT. He called on the Name of the Lord and was saved.

The Lord Is Also My STRENGTH

Psalms 27:1 (KJV) The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

David didn’t just hear God’s Word for salvation, but he heard God’s Word for LIFE. He lived by God’s Word. As He goes through this Psalm David says:

Psalms 27:2-3 (KJV) When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell. [3] Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident.

David didn’t say “IF the wicked come against me”, but “WHEN the wicked come against me”. If you are standing with God Who is Light the darkness will attack. If you are doing NOTHING for God, you are no threat to the darkness. But if you are serving Him the devil and his forces will attack. Yet David was not afraid. Why? Because David said:

Psalms 27:4 (KJV) One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple.

Because David “dwelt in the HOUSE of THE LORD ALL the days of his life”. What is “the HOUSE OF THE LORD”. The word HOUSE is used in Scripture for a dwelling place. But the word HOUSE is also used for AUTHORITY. To be “In the HOUSE of” means “to be under the AUTHORITY of”. David said:

The ONE THING I desired of the LORD …..

The ONE THING I sought after ….

Is to DWELL in the HOUSE OF THE LORD ALL the DAYS OF MY LIFE.

This is not a reference to Heaven, the place where God is. This is not a reference to the Temple. David couldn’t stay in the Temple all the days of his life. As King he had to go out and rule. But this one thing David did. He strove to stay under the authority of God. He didn’t define his life by what the world thought, nor what was politically correct.

David defined his life by God.

David sought to please God.

David sought to honor God.

And so God blessed David.

I wish I had time to preach every line of this text, but I do not. Perhaps we will return here one day soon. David hid himself in God. He immersed himself in the Word of God.

Psalms 27:5 (KJV) For in the time of TROUBLE he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle SHALL HE HIDE ME; HE SHALL SET ME UP UPON A ROCK.

When God is your strength, nothing and no one can overthrow your life. David ended this Psalm with:

Psalms 27:14 (KJV) WAIT on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: WAIT, I say, on the LORD.

The word WAIT doesn’t mean to do nothing, but to SERVE. To live your life for God. To do as God said:

2 Corinthians 6:14-18 (ESV) Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? [15] What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? [16] What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, “I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. [17] Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you, [18] and I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty.”

Waiting on God means putting God first. Serving God. Loving God above all others.

David put God first, and was blessed. May we all strive to do the same.