One Thing
Recommended reading: Psalm 27
This unique psalm is easily remembered by some of our most often-quoted Bible verses. I’m sure many of you have heard,
“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?"
"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."
"When my father and my mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up.”
"I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.”
"Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.”
What makes this psalm unique is that David is writing this in the midst of intense opposition and danger to his life. Though he is surrounded by his enemies and his Father and his Mother have forsaken him, he is convinced that he is going to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.
What convinces a person that he will see goodness in the midst of severe opposition and suffering? I believe it is the "one thing"! It is the one desire that David expresses passionately—to dwell in the presence of the LORD every day, so that he may see the beauty of the LORD, and inquire about the deep things of God in his presence.
David is teaching us that this one desire is what will give him his greatest comfort and heal his deepest hurt. David has learned to rise above his adversity by taking his eyes off of himself and onto the beauty of the LORD!!! This really works. It is the quickest way out of the darkness and into the light of hope.
David writes in verse 13 (ESV), "I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living." The word “believe" is the Hebrew word, “Amen.” Amen in the Hebrew language is the word for trust, truth, or a foster father who carries his child through difficulty. This is one of my favorite words in the Bible. It is the same word found in Psalm 19:7, where David declares "the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple." Like David, our testimony can declare how God has carried us through the most painful circumstances.
David had been carried through difficulty in the past and was confident that God would carry him through once again. Even though his enemies were still surrounding him and he was still suffering, he knew that it was only a matter of time before God would rescue him. He therefore writes these last words that he believed beyond any doubt.
“Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thy heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.” (27:13).
Sincerely,
Mark Hamby
M.S., M. Div., Th. M., D. Min.
Recommended reading and listening:
Quicksand book and audio drama (Ages 9+)
Basket of Flowers book and audio drama (Ages 9+)
The French Fugitive book - audio drama coming soon (Ages 12+)
Christie’s Old Organ (Ages 9+)
The Old Worcester Jug (Ages 9+)
Winter's Folly (Ages 9+)
