David wrote this psalm. He had real things to be afraid of. Soldiers. Caves. Long nights. Still, he called God his light and his salvation.
Light helps you see. When you can see, the dark is not the boss of you. A stronghold is a safe, strong place you can run into. David said God was that for him. Not far away. Not asleep. Right there.
Being scared is not a sin. David was scared too. He just told God about it. That is what the verse is for. It is something to say out loud when your heart is thumping.
So when you hear a sound at night, you can talk to God. You can say who He is. You can breathe slow. You can let your body know that God is near, even in a dark room.
😨When I'm Scared
The Lord Is My Light
When the dark feels loud, God is close and watching over you
October 20, 20262 min readNIV
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 (NIV)
Light and salvation
Today's Story
✍️Fictitious Story
Dinesh lay in bed. The room was dark. Then he heard a creak in the hallway. His blanket felt thin. He pulled it up to his chin.
The creak came again. Dinesh remembered a verse he had heard at church. He said it in a small voice. "The Lord is my light." Then he took three slow breaths. One. Two. Three.
His shoulders came down a little. The hallway was still dark. The old pipe inside the wall still creaked. Dinesh said the verse once more, slower this time. Then he turned on his side and closed his eyes. The creak did not go away, but it did not sound so loud anymore.
Reflection
Think About It
• When you hear a scary sound at night, what could you say to God? • Who is with you even when the room is dark?
Prayer
God, You are my light. You are my stronghold. The dark is not bigger than You. You are close when I am scared. I will not be afraid, because You are with me. You watch over me all night long. Amen.
Live It Out
When you feel scared tonight, whisper "God is with me" and take three slow breaths.