Though an army encamps around me, my heart will not fear; though a war breaks out against me, I will keep my trust.
Parallel translations
- WEB Though an army should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear. Though war should rise against me, even then I will be confident.
- KJV Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident.
- NKJV Though an army may encamp against me, My heart shall not fear; Though war may rise against me, In this I will be confident.
- NASB If an army encamps against me, My heart will not fear; If war arises against me, In spite of this I am confident.
- NLT Though a mighty army surrounds me, my heart will not be afraid. Even if I am attacked, I will remain confident.
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
Even if an army encamps or war rises against him, David's heart will not fear but remain confident. Faith in God produces courage amid overwhelming threat.
Overview
David declares that no array of hostile forces, however great, can shake his confidence, because his trust is in the Lord. Courage rests not on the absence of danger but on the presence and power of God. Such steadfast faith is held out to all believers, whose security in Christ outweighs every threat they face.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 14
- Ps 3:6I will not fear the myriads set against me on every side.
- 1 Pet 3:14But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear what they fear; do not be shaken.”
- Rom 8:35–37Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?
- Phil 1:28without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a clear sign of their destruction but of your salvation, and it is from God.
- 2 Cor 5:6–8Therefore we are always confident, although we know that while we are at home in the body, we are away from the Lord.
- Isa 54:16–17Behold, I have created the craftsman who fans the coals into flame and forges a weapon fit for its task; and I have created the destroyer to wreak havoc.
- Rev 2:10Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Look, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison to test you, and you will suffer tribulation for ten days. Be faithful even unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.
- Isa 41:11–12Behold, all who rage against you will be ashamed and disgraced; those who contend with you will be reduced to nothing and will perish.
- 2 Kgs 6:15–17When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early in the morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. So he asked Elisha, “Oh, my master, what are we to do?”
- 2 Chr 20:15And he said, “Listen, all you people of Judah and Jerusalem! Listen, King Jehoshaphat! This is what the LORD says: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army, for the battle does not belong to you, but to God.
- Job 4:6Is your reverence not your confidence, and the uprightness of your ways your hope?
- 1 Sam 28:15–16Then Samuel said to Saul, “Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?” “I am deeply distressed,” replied Saul. “The Philistines are fighting against me, and God has turned away from me. He no longer answers me, either by prophets or by dreams. So I have called on you to tell me what to do.”
- Ps 52:6The righteous will see and fear; they will mock the evildoer, saying,
- Rev 12:7–11Then a war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
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 27:3 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
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.