Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident.
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.
- BSB Though an army encamps around me, my heart will not fear; though a war breaks out against me, I will keep my trust.
- 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 be afraid of ten thousands of people, that have set themselves against me round about.
- 1 Pet 3:14But and if ye suffer for righteousness’ sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled;
- Rom 8:35–37Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
- Phil 1:28And in nothing terrified by your adversaries: which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God.
- 2 Cor 5:6–8Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord:
- Isa 54:16–17Behold, I have created the smith that bloweth the coals in the fire, and that bringeth forth an instrument for his work; and I have created the waster to destroy.
- Rev 2:10Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.
- Isa 41:11–12Behold, all they that were incensed against thee shall be ashamed and confounded: they shall be as nothing; and they that strive with thee shall perish.
- 2 Kgs 6:15–17And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do?
- 2 Chr 20:15And he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the LORD unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God’s.
- Job 4:6Is not this thy fear, thy confidence, thy hope, and the uprightness of thy ways?
- 1 Sam 28:15–16And Samuel said to Saul, Why hast thou disquieted me, to bring me up? And Saul answered, I am sore distressed; for the Philistines make war against me, and God is departed from me, and answereth me no more, neither by prophets, nor by dreams: therefore I have called thee, that thou mayest make known unto me what I shall do.
- Ps 52:6The righteous also shall see, and fear, and shall laugh at him:
- Rev 12:7–11And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,
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.