Psalm 27: In the Snow and Ice

Psalm 27
for Alex
1 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?
2 When evildoers assail me
    to devour my flesh--
my adversaries and foes--
    they shall stumble and fall.
3 Though an army encamp against me,
    my heart shall not fear;
though war rise up against me,
    yet I will be confident.
4 One thing I asked of the Lord;
    this I seek:
to live in the house of the Lord
    all the days of my life,
to behold the beauty of the Lord,
    and to inquire in his temple.
5 For he will hide me in his shelter
    in the day of trouble;
he will conceal me under the cover of his tent;
    he will set me high on a rock.
6 Now my head is lifted up
    above my enemies all around me,
and I will offer in his tent
    sacrifices with shouts of joy;
I will sing and make melody to the Lord.
7 Hear, O Lord, when I cry aloud;
    be gracious to me and answer me!
8 “Come,” my heart says, “seek his face!”
    Your face, Lord, do I seek.
9     Do not hide your face from me.
Do not turn your servant away in anger,
    you who have been my help.
Do not cast me off; do not forsake me,
    O God of my salvation!
10 If my father and mother forsake me,
    the Lord will take me up.
11 Teach me your way, O Lord,
    and lead me on a level path
    because of my enemies.
12 Do not give me up to the will of my adversaries,
    for false witnesses have risen against me,
    and they are breathing out violence.
13 I believe that I shall see the goodness of the Lord
    in the land of the living.
14 Wait for the Lord;
    be strong, and let your heart take courage;
    wait for the Lord!

                    Psalm 27: In the Snow and Ice

The lectionary for this morning includes Psalm 27, often attributed to King David. If you know Biblical history you know why. Before he assumed the throne of Israel, David spent years on the run from King Saul. After he rose to the throne, David was caught up in warfare. Even so, he never lost faith in God.
David’s faith was authentic by Biblical standards. He wanted to do God’s will-- not the other way around. When David fell short, he repented.
He trusted in God’s grace.
 
Teach me your ways, Lord
Do not forsake me
Do not give me up to my enemies
David was willing to wait for God’s goodness.                                           
 He believed he would see it in the land of the living.
If this Psalm spoke to David alone, it would have been lost to the ages.   
But throughout history, men and women have been in similar situations and found courage through Psalm 27.
History reminds us that the faithful have faced natural disasters, war, corrupt regimes, genocides, and religious persecution. In the age of the Book of Revelation, the danger of practicing faith was so great that the prophet recorded his visions in code. Even so, they continued in hope. They waited for God’s goodness in the land of the living. They sought the Lord’s will, followed Christ’s example of love and justice. They worshipped, despite prohibitions, then served-- supporting widows and orphans. They rose early and walked the streets to rescue abandoned newborns. When caught, most refused to recant their beliefs. Many went to their death forgiving their executioners. They saw the goodness of God in the land of the living-- for faith in Christ makes us alive. And so we move from life to life, strength to strength in God’s kingdom.
Today, most of us are facing far smaller challenges. The snow is falling steady. It is enough to cancel travel plans. Roads are slippery despite the plows. And the forecast is for ice.
My prayers for all of us are that we:

• Stay safe. On this bad weather day may we find an opportunity to curl up with Psalm 27 as if it were written for us.
• In this time with God, may we hear and respond to our own call to live, love and serve faithfully.

 
Wait for the Lord; be strong,
and let your heart take courage.
Wait for the Lord!

Rev Juliann Henry                                                                    1/25/2026