This One Thing

INTRO

We have three chapters today, but we’ll only cover one in the lecture. So please slow down and take the time to read all three and see how you can see the Messiah in all three. Remember that our phrase for the book of Psalms reflects His presence: King of Glory. Psalm 27 is “characterized by strong contrasts such as both lament and laud; persecution and praise; plus warfare and worship.”¹ And, it’s a psalm of trust as David affirms “the reality of God in his life . . . a strong desire to live in the presence of God and points to the ongoing need for believers to continue to ‘wait’ on the Lord.”² Wiersbe explains that, “According to the title of this psalm as recorded in the Septuagint, David wrote it ‘before he was anointed.’ This means it was probably written when he was exiled from home and being hunted by King Saul and his men.”³ This would have been before David’s second anointing in 2 Samuel 2. To summarize Psalm 27, David was chased by evildoers (v. 2), threatened by false witnesses (v. 12), and they all wanted to kill him (v. 2, 12). Yet David could write: “Though an army deploys against me, my heart is not afraid; though a war breaks out against me, still I am confident” (v. 3). In this process, six movements take place.

TEACHING

Psalm 27:1-5: The first movement is in verses 1–3: “A determination not to fear enemies because of God’s presence.”⁴ David was unafraid of the evildoers who wanted to do him harm because God was his light, salvation, and strength (v. 1). Foes and enemies stumbled before him (v. 2), and he was unafraid and confident (v. 3). David had only one concern and desire: to live in God’s house all the days of his life (v. 4). I have known people in my life who are sold out for the Lord—who want to dwell in God’s presence every minute of every day (John 15:1–8). We are going to hang out on verse 4 today.

“I have asked one thing from the Lord” (v. 4a): Camden McAfee points out that there are five times in Scripture in which “one thing” is discussed:⁵

1. One thing I ask (v. 4): Knowing God is the heart of prayer.
2. One thing you lack (Mark 10:21): Knowing God is the heart of surrender. The young ruler lacked one thing—putting God first to follow Christ.
3. One thing is necessary (Luke 10:41–42): Being in the presence of the Lord. Knowing God is the heart of service.
4. One thing I know (John 9:25): Knowing God is the heart of a witness: “I once was blind, but now I can see. I am changed!”
5. One thing I do (Philippians 3:13–14): Knowing God is the heart of ambition. Paul pressed on toward the goal to which he had been called.

CLOSING

When we focus on the King of Glory, all the other distractions go away—trying to make everything perfect, trying to do everything we are asked to do, trying to impress others. My prayer is that some of these verses will speak to your heart in a way that models faith to you.