The anthem “We Are Singing for the Lord Is Our Light,” is an arrangement by Hal H. Hopson of the South African freedom song “Siyahamba/We Are Marching in the Light of God [the Lord]” It is published by the Agape/Hope Publishing Co. One of the most remarkable events of the twentieth century was the overthrow of a regime that repressed the South African people for centuries, and doing it through a nonviolent revolution.

The scriptural basis for this anthem is Psalm 27:1-6. The New Oxford edition of the Revised Standard Version of the bible calls these verses a hymn of trust. A key ingredient of faith is trust. Let's take a closer look the expression of trust in these verses.

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? In this line, the psalmist expresses his complete trust in God's deliverance from the threat of his adversary. He uses a common Hebrew literary device, the parallelism, which is used to emphasize the thought he is trying to express.

When evildoers assail me to devour my flesh-- my adversaries and foes-- they shall stumble and fall. In these words, he fantasizes how God might effect his salvation. That is, by placing a stumbling block in the path of his enemies.

Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war rise up against me, yet I will be confident. Now, the expression of trust is broadened to include the ultimate possibility that God will protect him from an entire army, even one who wages war against him. Again, we see the emphasis through the use of the parallelism.

One thing I asked of the LORD, that will I seek after: to live in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in his temple. The Psalmist is probably a temple functionary, that is a Levite, who wants to spend the rest of his life worshipping in the temple. As a priest, he knows the joy that can come to him by communing with his God.

For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble; he will conceal me under the cover of his tent; he will set me high on a rock. In Jewish law, the temple was a place of sanctuary. No person was allowed to enter the sanctuary in pursuit of their enemy. Hence, he could live in the temple for the rest of his days in the perfect protection of God.

Now my head is lifted up above my enemies all around me, and I will offer in his tent sacrifices with shouts of joy; I will sing and make melody to the LORD. This great gift of salvation that God has given him, demands a response on the part of the Psalmist. He will perform his priestly duties joyfully. He will even shout with joy. Finally, he can do nothing but raise his voice in glorious song, making music for Yahweh, his redeemer, and the rock of his salvation. Now the trust turns into thanksgiving. Yes, faith does matter.

Prayer: Oh God, our rock and our redeemer, for us the temple of the psalmist becomes the body of believers. It is here among your people that we find our protection and our salvation. Here we find the strength to face the enemy within as well as the enemy without. Your sanctuary provides us with the protection we seek so desperately. We put our trust in you, and so we declare our faith along with the South African people, who marched under the banner of nonviolence; “We are singing, for the Lord is our light.” Hallelujah, Amen.