Read: Psalm 23–30

Today’s passage: Psalm 27:1

David knew what he was talking about. There were many times in David’s life that he had reasons to be afraid. He could have been afraid of Goliath like the rest of the army of Israel. Instead, he trusted in the Lord, declaring, “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?” (Psalm 27:1).

What do we have to be afraid of? Who can stand against Jesus? Who is stronger than Him? We are not to fear anything in the world, as 2 Timothy 1:7 reminds us: “For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.” Fear paralyzes and distracts us from God’s truth and purpose for our lives.

Fear is a tool of the enemy. He uses it to coerce people into doing his will. He wants people to be afraid of him, as stated in 1 Peter 5:8: “Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” Fear often causes us to lose sight of God’s promises, but scripture calls us to resist the devil and stand firm in faith (James 4:7). We are to keep our focus and thoughts clear to avoid being tricked into being afraid of the devil. However, we belong to Christ. The Holy Spirit lives in our hearts, and the devil cannot overcome us, as 1 John 4:4 declares: “He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.”

The only person we should be afraid of is the Lord. This is a reverent fear—a great respect for the Lord and His authority. Reverent fear leads us closer to God, not away from Him, producing wisdom and deeper trust.

Unbelievers should be afraid. They are but one breath away from judgment. Our only hope is Jesus Christ and His offer of salvation. As Matthew 10:28 warns: “Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear Him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” This verse serves as both a warning and a call to salvation. True peace is found only in Christ, who conquers fear and offers eternal security.