Day 60: A Sentence With No Verb
Read: Psalm 27:1–3
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 (ESV)
Reflect
"The LORD is my light and my salvation." In Hebrew there is no "is." The language does not need one. It simply sets the words side by side: The LORD — my light and my salvation.
The word for "my light" is 'ori.
This is simply how Hebrew says "X is Y." And what it says here is not about something God does. It is about who he is. Not "the LORD gives me light" — that would be an action, something that could start and stop. Instead: the LORD, my light. An identity. Almost an equal sign.
The verse does it twice. "The LORD — the stronghold of my life." Then the questions follow naturally: "whom shall I fear?" "of whom shall I be afraid?"
If the LORD only gave light now and then, you would have reason to fear the dark in between. But if he is your light, then wherever he is, the light is.
The rest of Psalm 27 has real enemies and real fear in it. David is not naive about danger. But he begins by saying who God is, and he lets everything else be measured against that.
Sometimes the strongest prayers are the shortest. You don't need to explain or add to it. The LORD, my light.
Across Scripture
"In your light do we see light" (Psalm 36:9). Micah says, "when I sit in darkness, the LORD will be a light to me" (Micah 7:8). Isaiah looks ahead to the day when "the LORD will be your everlasting light" (Isaiah 60:19). And Jesus said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life" (John 8:12).
Sit With It
Say it today without a verb: "The LORD, my light." Don't add anything. Let the words sit together.
Pray
LORD, my light.
Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.