The LORD is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

The LORD is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? Psalm 27:1b

The word stronghold can sometimes have a negative connotation. That’s why it’s helpful to look at other versions to gain better understanding of this verse. Here are four…

The LORD is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble? NLT

The LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? KJV

The LORD is the defence of my life; Whom should I dread? NASB

The LORD is the refuge and fortress of my life— Whom shall I dread? AMP

The idea here is that David is portraying the Lord as someone who protects and gives security in this frail and, at times, vulnerable life.

God is our stronghold because He provides safety, security, and a refuge in times of trouble, offering protection against enemies and challenges.

Many times, especially in the Psalms we find this truth being echoed. David often found himself in despair even fearing for his life at times. Yet in spite of it all he was able to proclaim that God would protect him, that God would be his defence and therefore there was no need to fear or dread anyone or anything.

This sounds so comforting, but we as humans struggle and as I know and many of you will know, when you’re in the midst of a battle, God seems so distant and it can be a horrifying place to be.

When you experience extreme difficulties and there is nothing anyone can do you can feel lost, hopeless, afraid and left not knowing where to go or what to do.

In our situation, with our son fighting for his life we questioned where was God? where was His protection when we needed it the most?

The reality is that things happen in life and we can ask the questions and we should ask the questions. Consider David in Psalm 43:2

“You are God my stronghold. Why have you rejected me? Why must I go about mourning, oppressed by the enemy?” NIV

In spite of David knowing that God was his stronghold, he was still asking the question why. He felt rejected, he was mourning and felt oppressed.

When I look back I can see that God was my fortress. Sometimes it’s only in retrospect that we can see. We can’t always see or experience it in the moment. Some do but many don’t.

The important thing I would like us to understand in this verse, is that we should not fear, not be afraid or dread.  Fear does not come from God but from the enemy.

2 Tim 1:7 “for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.”

I must confess that I dreaded the moment we had to sit in a small room surrounded by medics and top neuro consultants to give us the prognosis on our son. I was fearful.

When we left the room I felt doomed, I felt numb, I felt a spirit of heaviness like never before, this was hell itself.

But I remember Lindsay saying that God would have the last say not them.

As I look back I can see that God was my refuge even in that dark dark moment and even though I didn’t feel it. The truth of the matter was that, He was, He is and will always be.

Yes, we will be afraid at times, we will mess up, we will fail those around us not willingly but because of circumstances that have come our way. But it’s ok. God is our defence. He upholds us during those times.

So often when we fail we feel like that’s it. God has given up on us. For those who struggle with strongholds in the negative sense, porn, alcohol, social media, success, materialism etc, God wants to hold our hands and see us overcome. For some, overcoming may take a lifetime and will only know the full realisation that they’ve overcome when they reach the life to come, but God hasn’t changed, He’s our defence, our strength, our stronghold all the way into the life to come.

Brennan Manning is a classic example of someone who had the stronghold of alcohol in his life. Yet God used him powerfully and is still using him through his books and sermons today. Who knew God as his stronghold, his strength.

Let’s be encouraged “if God is for us, then who and what can be against us”. Rom 8:31

Prayer: Father, thank You that You are my strength, my defence, my fortress. Help me help us to show others that that is who You are. You are not against us, You are for us. May we experience that for ourselves in the coming days. Amen