Psalm XXVII.644    Lat. XXVI.

Of David himself, before he was anointed.645    [In the Second Exposition he dwells on the spiritual chrism, from which the Son of David is called Christ; affirms that Christians partake of the same anointing; speaking of confirmation as their sacramental anointing and what it implies.—C.]

1. Christ’s young soldier speaketh, on his coming to the faith. “The Lord is my light, and my salvation: whom shall I fear?” (ver. 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.

2. “Whilst the guilty approach unto me to eat up my flesh” (ver. 2). Whilst the guilty come near to recognise and insult me, that they may exalt themselves above me in my change for the better; that with their reviling tooth they may consume not me, but rather my fleshly desires. “Mine enemies who trouble me.” Not they only who trouble me, blaming me with a friendly intent, and wishing to recall me from my purpose, but mine enemies also. “They became weak, and fell.”646    [A minute prophecy. John xviii. 6.—C.] Whilst then they do this with the desire of defending their own opinion, they became weak to believe better things, and began to hate the word of salvation, whereby I do what displeases them.

3. “If camps stand together against me, my heart will not fear