The Greatest Enemy

Psalm 27:3
"Though an army may encamp against me,
My heart shall not fear;
Though war may rise against me,
In this I will be confident."

So often, when we read verses like this, our minds immediately picture enemies outside of us—people who hurt us, situations that overwhelm us, or attacks from the world around us. But sometimes the greatest enemy…the largest army we face…is not external at all. It is our own personal sin—the daily struggle within our hearts.

The greatest battle any man or woman will ever fight is the battle against self.

So when you read passages like Psalm 27:2–3, try not to see yourself only as the persecuted one being attacked by others. Instead, ask God to shine His light inward. Pray as David did: “Search me, O God… see if there is any wicked way in me.”

If God reveals impatience…
or pride…
or rudeness…
or gossip…
or a backbiting spirit…
or an unforgiving heart…

then He has just revealed the “enemy,” the “army,” the “foe,” and the “wicked” that truly needs conquering.

So let’s read those verses again with this in mind:

“Though an army may encamp against me” — an army of temptations, impatience, doubt, depression, or sinful habits.
“My heart shall not fear; in this I will be confident.”

But what is the “this” David is referring to?
Verse 1 tells us:

Psalm 27:1
“The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?
The LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?”

“The LORD is my light.”
Psalm 119:105 reminds us that God’s Word is that light—“a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”

“The LORD is the strength of my life.”
Jude 24 declares that God is able to keep us from falling and to present us faultless with exceeding joy.

Psalm 119:11 adds:
“I have hidden Your Word in my heart, that I might not sin against You.”

God’s Word becomes our refuge and our strength.
God’s promises become our help in time of trouble.
God’s presence becomes our shelter in the storm and our shield from the scorching heat.

From what?
From our sin, our temptations, and the inward battles we cannot fight alone.

Call to Action:
Take a moment today to sit quietly before God and ask Him to reveal the real “army” rising within you. Open His Word. Pray Psalm 139:23–24. Invite His light into every hidden place. Then choose one verse to hide in your heart this week. Let God’s Word become your weapon, your shield, and your confidence in the battle within.