Learning From The Psalms When You're Afraid

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“Courage is not the absence of fear, but the judgment that something else is more important than fear. Faith does not ask us to deny what frightens us; it invites us to discover that God's presence is greater than whatever threatens us.”— Ambrose Redmoon 

Today we will continue our reflections on how to use/pray the Psalms from the Hebrew Scriptures when we are feeling intense emotions or feelings.  The Psalm we'll be exploring today is Psalm 27, which you can read HERE. 

This past week, I went on a camping trip with my three boys to Colorado.  We were camping in a fairly primitive campground in the Arapaho National Forest, at the most remote campsite.  

On our first night, at around 4 AM, we were visited by a bear, who took a liking to my flattop grill and also made attempts at opening my large box full of camping gear.  She dragged my grill top around, sat licking it for a while, and then made her way over to the tents.  

My two oldest boys and I were wide awake for all of it.  My youngest son slept blissfully through the whole thing.  We could hear the bear sniffing our tents, and my oldest saw her nose imprint as she checked them out.  

There's a strange kind of fear that comes over you when you realize that you are essentially defenseless from a large predator, separated only by a thin piece of nylon.  Even after the bear moved on, we were reluctant to stir for quite a while. 

The fear that we experienced was healthy and well-deserved.  It changed how we saw our surroundings, and how we prepared our campsite at night before heading to bed.  (I should note that my grill survived the bear, which is a credit to the Blackstone grill company).  

Fear has always been part of the human experience. It wears many faces. Sometimes it is fear of illness or loss. Sometimes it is fear of the unknown future, a difficult decision, or a conversation we know we need to have. There are also quieter fears—the fear of failure, rejection, loneliness, or simply not being enough. We spend a great deal of energy trying to avoid fear, yet the Psalms teach us something different. They teach us to carry our fears into the presence of God.

Psalm 27 begins with one of the Bible's most confident declarations: "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?" (Psalm 27:1). These words were not written by someone who had never known danger. David was intimately acquainted with enemies, uncertainty, and hardship. His confidence was not rooted in easy circumstances but in the character of God.

As the psalm unfolds, David admits his vulnerability. He prays for guidance, asks not to be abandoned, and longs to dwell in God's presence. The lesson is striking: faith is not pretending that everything will be fine. Faith is trusting that God will be with us regardless of what lies ahead.

Jesus echoed this same truth when he told his disciples, "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me" (John 14:1). He spoke these words on the eve of the cross, not during a season of peace. He knew fear would come, yet he reminded his followers that God's presence would accompany them through it.

Fear may still knock on the door of our hearts, but it does not have to become a permanent resident. Every time we turn toward God in prayer, we choose trust over panic, hope over despair, and courage over paralysis.

Today, whatever fear you carry, remember that you do not face it alone. The God who has been faithful in the past will not abandon you in the future. Walk forward—not because you know exactly what tomorrow holds, but because you know the One who holds tomorrow.

Prayer

Lord, you know the fears I carry, even the ones I rarely admit aloud. Be my light when the path seems uncertain and my strength when I feel overwhelmed. Help me to remember that your presence is greater than my anxiety and your love stronger than my fear. Give me courage to take the next faithful step today. Amen.

Reflection Questions

  1. What fear has occupied your thoughts most recently?
  2. How does remembering God's past faithfulness strengthen your confidence about the future?
  3. What is one small step of faith you can take today instead of allowing fear to make the decision for you?

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