Psalm 27:9

Hide not your face from me.

Turn not your servant away in anger,

O you who have been my help.

Cast me not off; forsake me not,

O God of my salvation!

Abba,

Fear of rejection permeates this prayer. 

Fear of abandonment. 

It is a fear that does not seem without warrant.  The reason cited for why this fear might become reality is anger.  Anger invoked, one infers, from some part of David’s own that would give You reason to be angry. You are not an angry God by nature.  You do not harbor anger without just cause.  David’s fear of Your anger, and thus of Your rejection, may rise from David’s own fault and guilt.  Though, we are not given a reason why this might be true.

Why this fear?

Because hope is found in Your nearness to us, Abba.

Hope is found in your forgiveness, acceptance, and love expressed for us.

It is found in the strength of your might and the goodness of your character. 

It is found in the perfection of your will…

In the totality of your knowledge and wisdom…

It is found in You.

You are hope.

Motivation to endure…

Hope to continue…

Strength to persist…

Joy to drive back despair…

Peace to still the storm…

These are found in the stability you are for us…

In the faithfulness of your holy name.

When financial crisis comes,

When suffering scorches,

When trials terrify,

When relationships deteriorate,

When sickness sinks its talons in,

When death claims the ones we love,

When we are faithless and fail to walk in perfect holiness,

YOU don’t abandon your own

YOU don’t deny the ones whose faith rests in You; the ones in whom Your Spirit dwells.

David’s next words (Vs. 10) will express the confidence he has in your steadfastness to him.

But, because our human experience is fraught with rejection and abandonment, fear of similar treatment from you seizes upon our hearts from time to time. 

Abba, confirm in our hearts the assurance of your faithfulness to us.  Keep our hearts contrite before you, in a posture of repentance and humility.  No matter our circumstance, may we rest with confidence in your presence as our salvation, our fortress, our hope.

This world is fraught with danger, pain, grief, opposition, and failure. Take not hope from us, but strengthen our bones, our hearts, our minds with the hope that comes from you and you alone. Keep us ever near and may we live worthy of you!