Psalm 27:14 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!

NIV: Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.

NASB: Wait for the Lord; Be strong and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for the Lord.

CSB: Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart be courageous. Wait for the Lord.

NLT: Wait patiently for the Lord. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord.

KJV: Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.

NKJV: Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord!

David concludes this psalm with an admonition to wait on the Lord. He gives the admonition at the beginning of the verse and repeats it at the end of the verse. Perhaps, David was addressing himself. The structure of this psalm begins with statements of confidence, followed by pleas for rescue, as if David was reminding himself of God's protection. It's also possible that in this part of the psalm, David is addressing his soldiers, or the assembly of Israel.

Regardless of the exact aim of this phrase, the admonition is good for everyone who wants to do the Lord's will. God's timetable may differ from ours. We tend to want an immediate answer to our prayers, but the Lord is never in a rush. He may not answer us immediately, but He has promised to answer, "in time of need" (Hebrews 4:16). Waiting on the Lord draws us close to Him and teaches us to be patient.

David also provides another admonition in this closing verse of Psalm 27. He counsels in favor of strength and bravery, grounded in one's trust of God. Moses imparted this admonition to Joshua when he commissioned him to lead the people of Israel (Deuteronomy 31:7–8). Also, the Lord gave Joshua this advice (Deuteronomy 31:23; Joshua 1:6–7, 9), and Joshua gave it to the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh (Joshua 1:12–18).

The Christian life is not easy. There are many adversaries, trials, and temptations. We need to be strong and courageous in the power of the Lord (John 16:33).

Psalm 27:7–14 reveals that David, while he commits his faith to God, is not immune from fear. In the prior section of this psalm, David stated his reasons to be confident in the Lord. Here, however, David seems to be pleading for those exact protections. Like anyone else, David experienced anxiety. Rather than succumbing to fear, however, David chose to trust God, remind himself of God's protection, and come to the Lord in prayer. This is concluded with another expression of trust in God.

David lays out the reasons he should be confident in God's protection. David then transitions, almost abruptly, into heartfelt pleas for God to rescue him from his enemies. The impression is that David is experiencing natural human anxiety and responding by reminding himself of God's goodness. The psalm ends with the same assurance expressed when it began.

Most Bible scholars believe David wrote Psalm 27 when he was in exile, with King Saul in hot pursuit. If so, the psalm aligns with other writings David composed during this time. Psalms 21, 26, and 28 are good examples. Others think this might have been written when David was fleeing from his violently rebellious son, Absalom. For the most part, Psalm 27 expresses David's confidence in the Lord as his guide and deliverer, but he also demonstrates his human fears by pleading with God for the exact thing he has been so confident of.

The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.