Like many of us, I have been following the news of the war in Ukraine much more closely than might be healthy for my blood pressure, and the words of these verses of Psalm 27 resonated with my heart in a way that I needed. While Carl von Clausewitz coined the expression that “war is the continuation of politics by other means,” I wholeheartedly believe that warfare is always the last and least desirable outcome when political means fail. As I read over the words of this psalm, my heart and soul soured with these verse.
David did not expect to have a life free of challenges, when he would not occasionally face the threat of war and violence, rather he understood that in those moments God would keep him safe. For many of us, we believe that God’s hand will prevent us from needing to face the times when we see those seemingly insurmountable challenges in our lives. The reality of the Christian life is that we will have these moments where we feel as though an army is besieging us, though we are not left to handle these situations on our own.
The true beauty of David’s faith appeared in how he understands God’s protection. His desires was to dwell in the house of the Lord, to be able to spend his days in worship and praise. This yearning reminds me of the words I often use when praying during a memorial service, “we remember all of those who have gone before us who are in your presence and who now know the joy of your peace that surpasses all understanding.” While the world in which we live will see war, we have received the promise of the Gospel that we will have a time of rest in the Lord’s eternal shalom.