Though an army may encamp against me, My heart shall not fear; Though war may rise against me, In this I will 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.
- 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.
- BSB Though an army encamps around me, my heart will not fear; though a war breaks out against me, I will keep my trust.
- 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 tens of thousands of people who have set themselves against me on every side.
- 1 Pet 3:14But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you are blessed. “Don’t fear what they fear, neither be troubled.”
- Rom 8:35–37Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Could oppression, or anguish, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
- Phil 1:28and in nothing frightened by the adversaries, which is for them a proof of destruction, but to you of salvation, and that from God.
- 2 Cor 5:6–8Therefore we are always confident and know that while we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord;
- Isa 54:16–17“Behold, I have created the blacksmith who fans the coals into flame, and forges a weapon for his work; and I have created the destroyer to destroy.
- Rev 2:10Don’t be afraid of the things which you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested; and you will have oppression for ten days. Be faithful to death, and I will give you the crown of life.
- Isa 41:11–12Behold, all those who are incensed against you will be disappointed and confounded. Those who strive with you will be like nothing, and shall perish.
- 2 Kgs 6:15–17When the servant of the man of God had risen early, and gone out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was around the city. His servant said to him, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?”
- 2 Chr 20:15and he said, “Listen, all Judah, and you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and you, king Jehoshaphat. Yahweh says to you, ‘Don’t be afraid, and don’t be dismayed because of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God’s.
- Job 4:6Isn’t your piety your confidence? Isn’t the integrity of your ways your hope?
- 1 Sam 28:15–16Samuel said to Saul, “Why have you disturbed me, to bring me up?” Saul answered, “I am very distressed; for the Philistines make war against me, and God has departed from me, and answers me no more, by prophets, or by dreams. Therefore I have called you, that you may make known to me what I shall do.”
- Ps 52:6The righteous also will see it, and fear, and laugh at him, saying,
- Rev 12:7–11There was war in the sky. Michael and his angels made war on the dragon. The dragon and his angels made war.
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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 27:3 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
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