Psalm 27

One of the qualities I admire in the Apostle Paul is his single-minded purpose. He told the Athenians, ““In Christ we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28), and he summarized his ministry in Corinth as, “For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:2). His devotion to Christ sustained him through very difficult times.

The psalmist David expresses a similar single-minded devotion to God in Psalm 27. His prose, as in verse 4, expresses his heart’s one desire: “The one thing I ask of the Lord—the thing I seek most—is to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.”

Some scholars have suggested this psalm may have originally been two psalms because of the shift in tense at verse seven. In the first six verses the psalmist speaks about God and in verse seven he begins speaking to God. I think this shift is intentional and expresses an excellent pattern for prayer.  In the first portion of the prayer the psalmist rehearses his personal convictions, his personal core values. Having thus established a firm foundation for his faith, he then makes his petitions to God. You may want to set aside some time to formulate your own prayer using this pattern.

Begin by affirming your core values, and then be open to the Lord leading you to shape your petitions, “My heart has heard you say, “Come and talk with me.” And my heart responds, “Lord, I am coming.” (If you have difficulty articulating your core values you may contact me, or, you may want to look at my BLOG, First Think, Then Pray - Part Five, posted on August 24, 2010. (http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/)

Sē’lah

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What word or phrase in Psalm 27 attracts your attention?

Reflect on that word or phrase.

What insights come to you?

How does this passage touch your life today?

Reading for May 29, 2012  Psalm 28