Yahweh is my light and my salvation
Whom should I fear?
The Lord is the fortress of my life
Whom should I dread?
Though an army pitches camp against me
My heart will not fear
Though war break out against me
My trust will never be shaken. (Ps 27: 1, 3)
In Psalm 27 we find the same harmonies from the great melody that resounds from the first pages of the Bible: be not afraid; I am with you. Moses, Joshua, Gideon, Samuel, David and all the prophets, in decisive moments; in experiencing their weakness in the face of such noble responsibility, heard at different times and in multiple ways, these or similar encouraging words. These words set them free from fears, instilling in them the courage they needed to carry on.
At certain times, this melody acquires a truly agitated tension. We see for example, when, after the death of Moses, Joshua had to lead the People of God in their march to conquer the Promised Land. He (Joshua) was uncertain about crossing the Jordan River, the border of their future land. Then the Lord gave him hope and encouragement with these words: “I shall be with you as I was with Moses; I shall not fail you or desert you. Be strong and stand firm, for you are the man to give this people possession of the land which I swore to their ancestors that I would give them. Only be strong and stand very firm ….Be fearless and undaunted, for go where you may, Yahweh, your God, is with you.” (Joshua 1: 5-9).
These words would accompany Joshua, as light and energy, during the thousand and one afflictions that he had to bear during the years in which Israel settled in the Land of Canaan. Their settlement was not the peaceful possession of a land handed over, but rather a bloody conquest which took place amidst thousands of atrocities.
This melody or the leitmotif -the loyal and loving assistance from God- acquires an even higher and more intense tone with the prophets, especially with Isaiah: “Do not be afraid, because I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name, ‘you are mine.’ Should you pass through the waters, I shall be with you; or through rivers, they will not swallow you up. Should you walk through fire, you will not suffer, and the flame will not burn you. For I am Yahweh, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.” (Is 43:1-3). Numerous texts, similar to this one, spread out here and there, among the various prophets, all express the same conviction.
From this certainty, repeated and confirmed throughout all of biblical centuries, Saint Paul arrives at a chain of very encouraging conclusions: “After saying this, what can we add? If God is for us, who can be against us? …Can anything cut us off from the love of Christ – can hardships or distress, or persecution, or lack of food and clothing, or threats or violence;…For I am certain of this: Neither death nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nothing already in existence and nothing still to come, nor any power, nor the heights nor the depths, nor any created thing whatever, will be able to come between us and the love of God…” (Rm 8: 31-39).
From the book Psalms for life by Fr Ignacio Larrañaga.
