The Light · stop 3 of 9
Jehovah is my light
The figure turns personal and possessive — 'Jehovah is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear?' — and the conclusion drawn from it is not comfort but courage. In the Hebrew Bible אוֹר (H216) is tagged in 110 verses; Job carries more of them than any other book, and Isaiah is next.
1The LORD is my light and my salvation— whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life— whom shall I dread?
Open Psalms 27:1 in the reader →Everything gathered on this verse →
The approved voices
On Psalms 27:1
The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?....
John Gill· Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763)Reformed
Christians have nothing to fear, even if demons should not be well-disposed to them; for they are protected by the supreme God, who is well pleased with their piety and who sets his divine angels to watch over those who are worthy of such guardianship, so that they can suffer nothing from demons.
Origen of Alexandria· AGAINST CELSUS 8:27, 253Patristic
The workbench
Words in this verse
- יְהוָ֤ה׀Yah.weh — YahwehH3068
- אוֹרִ֣י'o.Ri — [is] light myH216
- וְ֭יִשְׁעִיVe.yish.'i — and salvation myH3468
- מִמִּ֣יmi.Mi — from whom?H4310
- אִירָ֑א'i.Ra' — will I be afraidH3372
- יְהוָ֥הYah.weh — YahwehH3068
- מָֽעוֹז־ma.'oz- — [is] [the] refuge ofH4581
- חַ֝יַּ֗יchai.Yai — life myH2416
- מִמִּ֥יmi.Mi — from whom?H4310
- אֶפְחָֽד׃'ef.Chad — will I be in dreadH6342
The floor
Where the canon echoes this verse
- Hebrews 13:6
So we say with confidence: “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?”
Commentary on Hebrews 13:61 voice
And what shall we say? The words of Ps. 117 (v. 6): 'The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid; what can man do to me.' He is a helper inasmuch as He delivers from evil: 'A helper in troubles, which have found …
Thomas Aquinas· Commentary on Hebrews, 1274Patristic
- Psalms 118:6
The LORD is on my side; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?
Commentary on Psalms 118:62 voices
And how should Christ, who said to Abraham, "Fear not, for I am with you," and encouraged Moses against Pharaoh and said to the son of Nun, "Be strong and of a good courage," himself be terrified before Herod and Pilate? Furthermore, did he who helps others overcome fear (for "the Lord," says Scripture, "is on my side, I will not fear what people shall do to me"), fear governors, who are mortals? Was he who himself encountered death terrified of death?
Athanasius of Alexandria· Discourses Against the Arians 3.29.54, 373Patristic
The Lord is on my side,....
John Gill· Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763)Reformed
- Exodus 15:2
The LORD is my strength and my song, and He has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise Him, my father’s God, and I will exalt Him.
Commentary on Exodus 15:21 voice
The Lord is my strength and song,..... The strength of Moses and the children of Israel against the fears of the Egyptians, and of entrance into the Red sea; who inspired them with courage, and strengthened their faith, neither to fear being destroyed by the one, or drowned in the other; and so in the glory of his nature, and of his divine perfections, of his justice, holiness, faithfulness, truth, and goodness, he was the subject matter of their song.
John Gill· Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763)Reformed
- 2 Corinthians 12:9
But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest on me.
Commentary on 2 Corinthians 12:91 voice
Long-suffering therefore was God, when man became a defaulter, as foreseeing that victory which should be granted to him through the Word. For, when strength was made perfect in weakness, it showed the kindness and transcendent power of God.
Irenaeus· Against Heresies Book III, 202Patristic
- Psalms 84:11
For the LORD God is a sun and a shield; the LORD gives grace and glory; He withholds no good thing from those who walk with integrity.
Commentary on Psalms 84:112 voices
For God loves mercy and truth. Two things God loves, mercy and truth. If he were only merciful, he would provoke us all to sins: if he loved only truth, no one would have hope of repentance. For this reason he seeks two things, and tempers the one by the other. If you are a sinner, hear that God is merciful, and do not despair, and do penance. But if you are righteous, do not be negligent, because God is clement: since God is also just, and loves truth. The Lord will give grace and glory.
Jerome· Homily 16, on Psalm 83, 420Patristic
For the Lord God is a sun and shield,....
John Gill· Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763)Reformed
- Romans 8:31
What then shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
Commentary on Romans 8:312 voices
What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us?
Origen of Alexandria· COMMENTARY ON THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS, 253Patristic
What shall we then say to these things? &c.
John Gill· Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748)Reformed
- John 8:12
Once again, Jesus spoke to the people and said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life.”
- Micah 7:7–8
But as for me, I will look to the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation. My God will hear me. Do not gloat over me, my enemy! Though I have fallen, I will arise; though I sit in darkness, the LORD will be my light.
Commentary on Micah 7:7–82 voices
Therefore I will look unto the Lord,....
John Gill· Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763)Reformed
(Verse 5-7) Your day of reckoning has come, your visitation is here. Now there will be destruction: do not trust your friend, and do not rely on your leader. Guard the doors of your mouth against the one who lies in your bosom; for a son insults his father, and a daughter rises up against her mother; a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law, and enemies are those of a man's own household. But as for me, I will look to the Lord; I will wait for God, my savior; my God will hear me.
Jerome· Commentary on Micah, 420Patristic
- Isaiah 60:19–20
No longer will the sun be your light by day, nor the brightness of the moon shine on your night; for the LORD will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your splendor. Your sun will no longer set, and your moon will not wane; for the LORD will be your everlasting light, and the days of your sorrow will cease.
Commentary on Isaiah 60:19–202 voices
(Verse 19, 20.) The sun will no longer be your light by day, nor will the splendor of the moon shine on you; for the LORD will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory. Your sun will never set again, and your moon will not decrease; for the LORD will be your everlasting light, and the days of your mourning will be fulfilled.
Jerome· Commentary on Isaiah, 420Patristic
He also sets out the eternity of its governor: your sun, which is God, shall go down no more: but you are always the selfsame, and your years shall not fail (Ps 101:28[102:27]). And the days of your mourning shall be ended. This as to …
Thomas Aquinas· Commentary on Isaiah, 1274Patristic
- Isaiah 12:2
Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. For the LORD GOD is my strength and my song, and He also has become my salvation.”
Commentary on Isaiah 12:22 voices
And you shall say on that day: I will praise you, O Lord, for you were angry with me, but your anger has turned away, and you have comforted me. Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the Lord God is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation.
Jerome· Commentary on Isaiah, 420Patristic
This fortitude is from God redeeming through the incarnation of the divine Word. Whence Isaiah says: "The Lord is my strength and my praise, and he has become my salvation; you shall draw waters with joy from the fountains of the Savior." These are the …
Bonaventure· Collationes de Septem Donis, Collation 5, 1257Patristic
Cross-reference data: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge; OpenBible.info (CC-BY).