Psalm 27: Psalms/Now

illustration of person with flashlight

Psalm 27

By Leslie F. Brandt from Psalms/Now (Concordia Publishing House), p. 47

psalms now book coverWith the living and eternal God as my goal and guide,
fear and anxiety need have no place in my life.
All the evil in the world cannot destroy Him
nor can it destroy anyone within His loving embrace.
The very legions of hell lay siege to my soul,
only to be thwarted by a power far greater.

I have only primary and ultimate desire:
to abide within the love and acceptance of God
Within His tender care I know I am safe.

Thus I shall stand tall
regardless of threatening enemies
and the tyranny of evil.
I will counter the subtle voices of temptation
with exclamations of praise to my God.

My God does hear when I cry out to Him.
He does not ignore my needs;
neither is He indifferent to my desires.
He will not let me go even if my own family
should turn against me.
He will sustain me and keep me on course
through the dangers and pitfalls of this life.

It possible to know and experience Gods love
in this uncertain, tumultuous existence.
Take courage, step out in faith, scorn the consequences,
and let God have His way with you.

Leslie F. Brandt served around the world as a pastor, evangelist, and writer. Psalms Now has sold hundreds of thousands of copies. These modern restatements first appeared in his weekly church bulletin and in This Day magazine in the 1970s. Brandt died in 2001.

Discussion Questions

  • What images and themes come to mind as you read the poem?
  • In Leslie Brandt’s imagining of Psalm 27, what is the narrator of the poem’s relationship with G-d? What struggles does the narrator describe? What joys does the narrator describe?
  • Where do you feel a sense of courage in your life?
  • What do you think it means to “step out in faith”?