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?
Parallel translations
- WEB By David. Yahweh is my light and my salvation. Whom shall I fear? Yahweh is the strength of my life. Of whom shall I be afraid?
- KJV 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?
- BSB Of David. The LORD is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life—whom shall I dread?
- NASB The Lord is my light and my salvation; Whom should I fear? The Lord is the defense of my life; Whom should I dread?
- NLT The Lord is my light and my salvation— so why should I be afraid? The Lord is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble?
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Yahweh is David's light, salvation, and strength, so he has no one to fear. God's presence banishes all fear.
Overview
This psalm opens with a triumphant confession that the Lord is David's light dispelling darkness, his salvation, and the stronghold of his life. Because God is all this, fear has no place. The imagery anticipates Christ, who is the light of the world and the salvation of his people, in whom believers find fearless confidence.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 40
- Heb 13:6So that with good courage we say, “The Lord is my helper. I will not fear. What can man do to me?”
- Ps 118:6Yahweh is on my side. I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?
- Exod 15:2Yah is my strength and song. He has become my salvation. This is my God, and I will praise him; my father’s God, and I will exalt him.
- 2 Cor 12:9He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Most gladly therefore I will rather glory in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest on me.
- Ps 84:11For Yahweh God is a sun and a shield. Yahweh will give grace and glory. He withholds no good thing from those who walk blamelessly.
- Rom 8:31What then shall we say about these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
- John 8:12Again, therefore, Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life.”
- Mic 7:7–8But as for me, I will look to Yahweh. I will wait for the God of my salvation. My God will hear me.
- Isa 60:19–20The sun will be no more your light by day; nor will the brightness of the moon give light to you, but Yahweh will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory.
- Isa 12:2Behold, God is my salvation. I will trust, and will not be afraid; for Yah, Yahweh, is my strength and song; and he has become my salvation.”
- Isa 61:10I will greatly rejoice in Yahweh! My soul will be joyful in my God; for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation. He has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
- Ps 18:28For you will light my lamp, Yahweh. My God will light up my darkness.
- Ps 62:6He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress. I will not be shaken.
- Job 29:3when his lamp shone on my head, and by his light I walked through darkness,
- Ps 118:21I will give thanks to you, for you have answered me, and have become my salvation.
- John 1:1–5In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
- Ps 19:14Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, Yahweh, my rock, and my redeemer.
- Phil 4:13I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me.
- Rev 21:23The city has no need for the sun, neither of the moon, to shine, for the very glory of God illuminated it, and its lamp is the Lamb.
- Ps 18:1–2For the Chief Musician. By David the servant of Yahweh, who spoke to Yahweh the words of this song in the day that Yahweh delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul. He said, I love you, Yahweh, my strength.
- Ps 46:1–2For the Chief Musician. By the sons of Korah. According to Alamoth. God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
- Ps 68:19–20Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears our burdens, even the God who is our salvation. Selah.
- Isa 60:1–3“Arise, shine; for your light has come, and Yahweh’s glory has risen on you.
- Isa 2:5House of Jacob, come, and let us walk in the light of Yahweh.
- Mal 4:2But to you who fear my name shall the sun of righteousness arise with healing in its wings. You will go out, and leap like calves of the stall.
- John 1:9The true light that enlightens everyone was coming into the world.
- Ps 56:2–4My enemies want to swallow me up all day long, for they are many who fight proudly against me.
- Ps 62:2He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress — I will never be greatly shaken.
- Luke 2:30for my eyes have seen your salvation,
- Ps 18:46Yahweh lives; and blessed be my rock. Exalted be the God of my salvation,
- Isa 51:6–8Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look on the earth beneath; for the heavens will vanish away like smoke, and the earth will wear out like a garment; and its inhabitants will die in the same way: but my salvation will be forever, and my righteousness will not be abolished.
- Ps 11:1For the Chief Musician. By David. In Yahweh, I take refuge. How can you say to my soul, “Flee as a bird to your mountain!”
- Isa 45:24They will say of me, ‘There is righteousness and strength only in Yahweh.’” Even to him shall men come; and all those who raged against him shall be disappointed.
- Rev 7:10They cried with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation be to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”
- Ps 28:7–8Yahweh is my strength and my shield. My heart has trusted in him, and I am helped. Therefore my heart greatly rejoices. With my song I will thank him.
- Matt 8:26He said to them, “Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?” Then he got up, rebuked the wind and the sea, and there was a great calm.
- Ps 118:14–15Yah is my strength and song. He has become my salvation.
- Rev 22:5There will be no night, and they need no lamp light; for the Lord God will illuminate them. They will reign forever and ever.
- Ps 43:2For you are the God of my strength. Why have you rejected me? Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?
- Ps 3:8Salvation belongs to Yahweh. Your blessing be on your people. Selah.
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Christ at the center
The Psalms are Christ's own prayer book and a gallery of his portraits — the suffering one of Psalm 22, the risen Lord of Psalm 16, the priest-king of Psalm 110, the Son to whom the nations are given.
How Psalms 27:1 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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