Psalm 27:1 | A Halloween Devotional

Have you ever been awakened in the middle of the night by a strange noise? Maybe it was a thump downstairs. Or a creak in the hallway. Or something that sounded suspiciously like footsteps.

Suddenly, you’re wide awake.

You lie perfectly still, listening. Was that another noise? Should you get up and investigate? Or would it be wiser to pull the covers over your head and pretend you didn’t hear anything?

Isn’t it amazing how much courage we can have in broad daylight, and how quickly it can disappear at two o’clock in the morning?

Today is Halloween, when people deliberately surround themselves with things designed to frighten them. Haunted houses. Scary costumes. Skeletons hanging from trees. Ghosts peeking out of windows.

Apparently, some people actually enjoy being scared!

But I’ve been thinking about what frightens us after Halloween, when we pack away the decorations. Those fears aren’t nearly as entertaining. The phone call that comes unexpectedly. The medical test that requires further investigation. The financial burden that seems impossible to resolve. The future that looks nothing like what we planned.

Those are the things that can really go bump in the night.

Unlike Halloween decorations, we can’t simply pack them away on November first. That’s why David’s declaration in Psalm 27 is so powerful:

“The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” (Psalm 27:1)

I love the way David begins. He doesn’t say, “There’s nothing frightening in my life.” Quite the opposite! As we continue reading Psalm 27, we discover that David has enemies, adversaries, and very real reasons to be afraid.

But notice what he does before he describes his troubles. He declares who God is.

The LORD is my light.

When darkness makes it difficult to see, God is my light.

The LORD is my salvation.

When I cannot rescue myself, God is my deliverer.

The LORD is the stronghold of my life.

When everything around me feels uncertain, God is my security.

Only after reminding himself of these truths does David ask, “Whom shall I fear?”

Something I’ve learned is that fear has a way of making our problems look enormous and our God look small. That’s why I need to do what David did. Before I rehearse everything that frightens me, I need to remind myself of everything I know to be true about God.

He’s faithful. He’s present. He’s sovereign. He’s good.

Does that mean frightening things will never happen? Of course not. Does it mean I’ll never feel afraid? I wish! But courage isn’t necessarily the absence of fear. Sometimes courage is choosing to trust God even though our knees are still shaking.

And perhaps that’s the real lesson of Psalm 27. David’s confidence wasn’t rooted in the absence of danger. It was rooted in the presence of God.

So tonight, when little ghosts and goblins knock at your door, enjoy the costumes and pass out the candy. But when more serious fears knock at your heart, remember David’s declaration.

The Lord is your light.

The Lord is your salvation.

The Lord is your stronghold.

And whatever goes bump in the night is never bigger than the God who holds you through it.

What fear has been making the most noise in your life lately? Have you spent more time rehearsing what might happen or remembering who God is?

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, You know what frightens me, including the fears I rarely admit to anyone else. Forgive me when I allow my circumstances to become bigger in my thinking than You are in my faith. Thank You for being my light when life feels dark, my salvation when I am helpless, and my stronghold when I feel vulnerable. Help me face whatever comes with confidence, not because I know what tomorrow holds, but because I know You. In Jesus’ name, amen.

(Note: The graphics are AI-generated.)