Psalm 27:14

Commentary on Psalm 27:14

“Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord!”

1. Context within Psalm 27

Psalm 27[i], authored by David, moves from a declaration of divine confidence (verses 1–3) through a yearning for God’s presence (verses 4–6) into earnest prayer amid opposition (verses 7–12), climaxing in an affirmation of hope (verses 13–14). In the opening stanzas, David proclaims the Lord as his light, salvation and stronghold even when besieged by foes; in the middle, he longs to dwell continually in the Lord’s sanctuary; and in the penultimate section, he pours out his soul in urgent petition. That structure underscores the wholehearted trust that undergirds the final exhortation to “wait on the Lord.”

2. Exegesis of Psalm 27:14

Psalm 27:14 issues three interlinked commands:

• Wait on the Lord (Hebrew qavah): an active, expectant hope—like a watchman scanning the horizon for dawn.
• Be of good courage: a call to moral and spiritual fortitude, fixing one’s mind on divine promises rather than fluctuating circumstances.
• Let your heart be strong: David insists that inner resolve is rooted not in earthly selves but in the Lord’s mighty provision.

This waiting is not passive resignation but a faith-filled endurance that clings to God’s timing and power. As one commentator notes, “Waiting here is an active process of trusting God. We are encouraged to lead with courage, allowing our hearts to be uplifted by our faith.”

3. Insights

Psalm 27:14 highlights several key doctrines:

1. Sovereignty and Providence
   God ordains all seasons of waiting for His holy purposes—including sanctifying perseverance. Believers learn through divine Providence that delay refines faith and yields godly character.
2. Perseverance of the Saints
   The call to “wait on the Lord” affirms that those united to Christ will not fall away but be upheld by God’s sustaining grace. David’s example shows that God often teaches through the very affliction that demands patient trust; “God is too good a physician to remove the medicine before it hath wrought its effect”.
3. Assurance and Comfort
   By anchoring courage in God’s unchanging nature, the believer enjoys assurance not based on fleeting emotions but on covenant promises. This renewed confidence culminates in the believer’s expectation to “look upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living” (Psalm 27:13) and to renew their trust afresh.

4. Application for Modern Christian Living

In our time-pressed, instant-gratification culture, Psalm 27:14 calls contemporary believers to rediscover sacred rhythms of faith:

• Engage daily in patient prayer, offering requests but also pausing expectantly before the Lord.
• Immerse yourself in Scripture to reinforce courage—God’s promises become bedrock for the wavering heart.
• Cultivate Christian fellowship: encourage one another to “wait, be strong, and let your heart take courage” when trials arise.
• Reflect on past deliverances to bolster present hope; recalling God’s faithfulness deepens resolve.
• Embrace the means of grace (Word, sacraments, prayer, fellowship) as instruments by which God strengthens your heart during seasons of waiting.

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[i] Psalm 27

New King James Version

An Exuberant Declaration of Faith

A Psalm of David.

27 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?
2 When the wicked came against me
To eat[a] up my flesh,
My enemies and foes,
They stumbled and fell.
3 Though an army may encamp against me,
My heart shall not fear;
Though war may rise against me,
In this I will be confident.

4 One thing I have desired of the Lord,
That will I seek:
That I may dwell in the house of the Lord
All the days of my life,
To behold the [b]beauty of the Lord,
And to inquire in His temple.
5 For in the time of trouble
He shall hide me in His pavilion;
In the secret place of His tabernacle
He shall hide me;
He shall set me high upon a rock.

6 And now my head shall be [c]lifted up above my enemies all around me;
Therefore I will offer sacrifices of [d]joy in His tabernacle;
I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the Lord.

7 Hear, O Lord, when I cry with my voice!
Have mercy also upon me, and answer me.
8 When You said, “Seek My face,”
My heart said to You, “Your face, Lord, I will seek.”
9 Do not hide Your face from me;
Do not turn Your servant away in anger;
You have been my help;
Do not leave me nor forsake me,
O God of my salvation.
10 When my father and my mother forsake me,
Then the Lord will take care of me.

11 Teach me Your way, O Lord,
And lead me in a smooth path, because of my enemies.
12 Do not deliver me to the will of my adversaries;
For false witnesses have risen against me,
And such as breathe out violence.
13 I would have lost heart, unless I had believed
That I would see the goodness of the Lord
In the land of the living.

14 Wait[e] on the Lord;
Be of good courage,
And He shall strengthen your heart;
Wait, I say, on the Lord!

Footnotes

Psalm 27:2 devour

Psalm 27:4 delightfulness

Psalm 27:6 Lifted up in honor

Psalm 27:6 joyous shouts

Psalm 27:14 Wait in faith