Psalms – Chapter 27

Old Testament9 Verses

1A psalm for David himself. Unto thee will I cry, O Lord: O my God, be not thou silent to me: lest if thou be silent to me, I become like them that go down into the pit.

2Hear, O Lord, the voice of my supplication, when I pray to thee; when I lift up my hands to thy holy temple.

3Draw me not away together with the wicked; and with the workers of iniquity destroy me not: Who speak peace with their neighbour, but evils are in their hearts.

4Give them according to their works, and according to the wickedness of their inventions. According to the works of their hands give thou to them: render to them their reward.

5Because they have not understood the works of the Lord, and the operations of his hands: thou shalt destroy them, and shalt not build them up.

6Blessed be the Lord, for he hath heard the voice of my supplication.

7The Lord is my helper and my protector: in him hath my heart confided, and I have been helped. And my flesh hath flourished again, and with my will I will give praise to him.

8The Lord is the strength of his people, and the protector of the salvation of his anointed.

9Save, O Lord, thy people, and bless thy inheritance: and rule them and exalt them for ever.

Reflection for Today

Psalms Chapter 27 presents themes of prayer, praise, and the full range of human emotion before God that Catholic tradition has long cherished. the Psalms are the prayer book of the Church, prayed daily in the Liturgy of the Hours (CIC 2585-2589). The teaching that God invites us to bring all our emotions to Him remains as relevant today as when first written.

The Church reads Scripture within the context of the liturgy, where the Word of God is proclaimed and celebrated. The Catechism teaches that "in the liturgy, God speaks to his people and Christ is still proclaiming his Gospel" (CIC 1088). This chapter, when read in the context of the Church's worship, takes on deeper meaning.

Catholic biblical scholarship, guided by the Magisterium, helps us understand both the historical context and the spiritual meaning of these texts. The four senses of Scripture—literal, allegorical, moral, and anagogical—open up the richness of God's Word. May your reading of this chapter bear fruit in holiness and service to others.

💡Catholic Reflection • Church Teachings

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