Psalms 27:1
in Psalms 27The LORD is my light and my salvation— whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life— whom shall I dread?
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Jehovah is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? Jehovah is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid?
KJV
The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
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This verse in Psalms 27
Commentary
19 notes on this verseChristians 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.
This site's exposition
my light and my salvation
on Psalms 27:1-3
Light, salvation and stronghold are three words for the LORD in one verse, and each answers the question whom shall I fear. The wicked came to devour his flesh, and his enemies and foes stumbled and fell. An army encamped and a war begun leave the heart unafraid.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers5 voices
Christ's young soldier speaks, on his coming to the faith. "The Lord is my light, and my salvation: whom shall I fear?" [Psalm 27:1]. The Lord will give me both knowledge of Himself, and salvation: who shall take me from Him? "The Lord is the Protector of my life: of whom shall I be afraid?" The Lord will repel all the assaults and snares of mine enemy: of no man shall I be afraid.
Tribulation caused the Israelites to live in darkness, as it were, whereas the Lord's support proved a light and help to them.
Next he says, "Lightening souls with the light of knowledge." This grace also the doctrine of godliness ascribes alike to the Father, to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost. For He is called a light by David, and from thence the light of knowledge shines in them who are enlightened.
In rendering service to the grace of God, we are not only made subject to our King through obedience but are even joined to him through the will. If we are of one mind with him (willing what he wills, disapproving of what he disapproves), he himself will bring us victory in all our battles. He who has given the "will" will bestow also the ability. In this way can we "cooperate" with his works, speaking that prophetic utterance in the exultation of faith: "The Lord is my light and my salvation. Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the defender of my life. Of whom shall I be afraid?"
"Whom shall I fear" means "I will fear no one"; for the fear of the Lord has brought him to the point that he could not fear anyone else.
12 more voices on this verse
The Church Fathers1 voice
Tribulation caused the Israelites to live in darkness, as it were, whereas the Lord's support proved a light and help to them.
The Medieval Church4 voices
A commentator
BonaventureCollations on the Hexaemeron, Collation 9 · Written in the 13th century.
proposed
Thoughts about God must be the highest in the order of truth, for He Himself is the Truth ruling all things, illuminating all things, straightening all things, disposing all things. Wherefore, in the Psalm: The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom should I …
A commentator
BonaventureCollations on the Hexaemeron, Collation 17 · Written in the 13th century.
proposed
Scripture enlightens in a circle, as, for instance, when it advises us not to flee, because we have protection all around. For we have the Lord and angels about us, wherefore the Psalm: Mountains are round about Jerusalem; so the Lord is round about His …
Having presented the prayer, the Psalmist here consequently speaks of the confidence conceived from prayer. And concerning this he does two things. First, he presents the confidence conceived. Second, he prays again that he not fail in his confidence, at "To you, O Lord." The …
A commentator
BonaventureCollationes de Septem Donis, Collation 5 · Written in the 13th century.
proposed
"I will love you, O Lord, my fortitude; the Lord is my firmament and my refuge and my deliverer. The protector of my life, of whom shall I be afraid?" Catherine and Lucy were strong through the love of God. If we are not bound …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?....
The Nineteenth Century6 voices
The Lord is my light and my salvation. Here is personal interest, "my light, ""my salvation; " the soul is assured of it, and therefore, declaring it boldly. "My light; " —into the soul at the new birth divine light is poured as the precursor of salvation; where there is not enough light to see our own darkness and to long for the Lord Jesus, there is no evidence of salvation. Salvation finds us in the dark, but it does not leave us there; it gives light to those who sit in the valley of the shadow of death.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
light--is a common figure for comfort. strength--or, "stronghold"--affording security against all violence. The interrogations give greater vividness to the negation implied.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
The Lord is my light and my salvation. Here is personal interest, "my light, ""my salvation; " the soul is assured of it, and therefore, declaring it boldly. "My light; " —into the soul at the new birth divine light is poured as the precursor of salvation; where there is not enough light to see our own darkness and to long for the Lord Jesus, there is no evidence of salvation. Salvation finds us in the dark, but it does not leave us there; it gives light to those who sit in the valley of the shadow of death. After conversion our God is our joy, comfort, guide, teacher, and in every sense our light; he is light within, light around, light reflected from us, and light to be revealed to us. Note, it is not said merely that the Lord gives light, but that he "is" light; nor that he gives salvation, but that he is salvation; he, then, who by faith has laid hold upon God has all covenant blessings in his possession. Every light is not the sun, but the sun is the father of all lights. This being made sure as a fact, the argument drawn from it is put in the form of a question, Whom shall I fear? A question which is its own answer. The powers of darkness are not to be feared, for the Lord, our light, destroys them; and the damnation of hell is not to be dreaded by us, for the Lord is our salvation. This is a very different challenge from that of boastful Goliath, for it is based upon a very different foundation; it rests not upon the conceited vigour of an arm of flesh, but upon the real power of the omnipotent I AM. The Lord is the strength of my life. Here is a third glowing epithet, to show that the writer's hope was fastened with a threefold cord which could not be broken. We may well accumulate terms of praise where the Lord lavishes deeds of grace.
The Lord is my light and my salvation. Here is personal interest, "my light, ""my salvation; " the soul is assured of it, and therefore, declaring it boldly. "My light; " —into the soul at the new birth divine light is poured as the precursor of salvation; where there is not enough light to see our own darkness and to long for the Lord Jesus, there is no evidence of salvation. Salvation finds us in the dark, but it does not leave us there; it gives light to those who sit in the valley of the shadow of death.
The Lord is my light and my salvation - This light can never be extinguished by man; the Lord is my salvation, my safeguard, my shield, and my defense; of whom then should I be afraid?
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
The Lord is my light - He is to me the source of light. That is, He guides and leads me. Darkness is the emblem of distress, trouble, perplexity, and sorrow; light is the emblem of the opposite of these. God furnished him such light that these troubles disappeared, and his way was bright and happy. And my salvation - That is, He saves or delivers me. Whom shall I fear? - Compare Rom 8:31. If God is on our side, or is for us, we can have no apprehension of danger. He is abundantly able to protect us, and we may confidently trust in Him. No one needs any better security against the objects of fear or dread than the conviction that God is his friend. The Lord is the strength of my life - The support of my life. Or, in other words, He keeps me alive. In itself life is feeble, and is easily crushed out by trouble and sorrow; but as long as God is its strength, there is nothing to fear. Of whom shall I be afraid? - No one has power to take life away while He defends me. God is to those who put their trust in Him a stronghold or fortress, and they are safe.
The words behind it
10 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| יְהוָ֤ה׀ | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| אוֹרִ֣י | ʾori | [is] light my | H216 → | 121 times |
| וְ֭יִשְׁעִי | veyishi | and salvation my | H3468 → | 36 times |
| מִמִּ֣י | mimi | from whom? | H4310 → | 423 times |
| אִירָ֑א | ʾira' | will I be afraid | H3372 → | 315 times |
| יְהוָ֥ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| מָֽעוֹז־ | maoz- | [is] [the] refuge of | H4581 → | 36 times |
| חַ֝יַּ֗י | chaiyai | life my | H2416 → | 498 times |
| מִמִּ֥י | mimi | from whom? | H4310 → | 423 times |
| אֶפְחָֽד׃ | ʾefchad | will I be in dread | H6342 → | 25 times |
יְהוָ֤ה׀Yahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
אוֹרִ֣י[is] light my
ʾoriH216 →121 times
וְ֭יִשְׁעִיand salvation my
veyishiH3468 →36 times
מִמִּ֣יfrom whom?
mimiH4310 →423 times
אִירָ֑אwill I be afraid
ʾira'H3372 →315 times
יְהוָ֥הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
מָֽעוֹז־[is] [the] refuge of
maoz-H4581 →36 times
חַ֝יַּ֗יlife my
chaiyaiH2416 →498 times
מִמִּ֥יfrom whom?
mimiH4310 →423 times
אֶפְחָֽד׃will I be in dread
ʾefchadH6342 →25 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Hebrews 13:6So we say with confidence: “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?”
it leads to
- Romans 8:31
What then shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Psalms 118:6–9
The LORD is on my side; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?
- Isaiah 41:10
Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will surely help you; I will uphold you with My right hand…
- Psalms 27:1–3
The LORD is my light and my salvation— whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life— whom shall I dread?
- Psalms 124:8
Our help is in the name of the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.
- Romans 8:31
Through
2 Corinthians 12:9But 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…
it leads to
- Philippians 4:13
I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.
- 2 Corinthians 12:10
That is why, for the sake of Christ, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
- Isaiah 40:29–31
He gives power to the faint and increases the strength of the weak.
- Philippians 4:13
Where this verse is studied
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About Psalms

This page draws on 17 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Augustine of Hippo, Exposition on Psalm 27; Bonaventure, Collations on the Hexaemeron, Collation 9; Bonaventure, Collations on the Hexaemeron, Collation 17; Bonaventure, Collationes de Septem Donis, Collation 5; Cassiodorus, EXPLANATION OF THE PSALMS 27:2; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David, Vol. 2; Diodorus of Tarsus, COMMENTARY ON PSALM 27; Gregory of Nyssa, AGAINST EUNOMIUS 2:15; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Leo the Great, SERMON 26:4.2; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Origen of Alexandria, AGAINST CELSUS 8:27 and Thomas Aquinas, Exposition on the Psalms of David.
