Reflections: Whom Shall I Fear?

Since my regular Bible study has a “weekend wrap-up” without introducing new material, I enjoy spending part of my weekend devotional time in the Psalms and Proverbs. Reading Psalm 27 recently, I could still quote some of the verses I memorized as a child, including v. 1: “The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life—whom shall I dread?” (NIV)

For years, that verse gave me comfort in scary situations ranging from Kansas tornado warnings to important tests at school and more. More recently, though, I’ve done some thinking about the verse’s context, and as I seek to apply the Psalm to my own life, I see more than one application of the “whom shall I fear?” part. 

Written by David, the Psalm likely references his regular battles against physical or political enemies. The context, though, shows the background for his faith in God: for example, v. 7 says to “seek His face.” Although David did make mistakes, he clearly understood the importance of time spent worshiping God and seeking God’s will and guidance. We trust in a powerful God who can deliver us from enemies and strengthen us in times of trouble, and spending time seeking Him reinforces that trust. 

But we also must realize that God is to be feared—not as an angry, vindictive deity, but as the holy, righteous, all-powerful Creator whom we hold in awe. Bible teacher John Bevere’s powerful study series on fearing God explains the concept well. Our fear of God informs our desire to spend time seeking Him and studying his Word, and the more we do so, the greater our wisdom, as expressed in Proverbs 9:10, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” 

Fear of God leads to better decisions, as I try to please Him rather than everyone around me. The Apostle Paul understood this, as he wrote to the Galatians: “Am I now seeking the approval of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ” (1:10).  

Trained as a Pharisee and surrounded by Roman authority, Paul certainly understood trying to please people; he had plenty of enemies who wanted to do away with him and the Gospel message he preached. Yet after his encounter with the risen Christ, he clearly feared God more than he feared religious or political authorities, although he respected their authority unless it conflicted with the Highest Authority. Paul eventually died a martyr’s death, but his writings from prison indicate that he still feared God, not man, and was at peace with God’s sovereignty and timing. 

So, as the Lord is my light and my salvation, is there any earthly enemy who can thwart God’s will for his followers? No. So, should I fear those earthly enemies? No. Is there a Holy God who expects his followers to seek his will and obey? Yes. Should I fear Him and try to make decisions accordingly? Yes.