Elul: The King Is in the Field

Psalm 27, Shoftim, and the call to readiness 08.30.2025

Elul!  One of my favorite times of year.  It marks the beginning of fall. the whisper before the Fall Feasts, the nearness of His Presence, a month laced with gratitude by all creation but even more so than gratitude, it’s a time charged with preparation. This is our annual self-audit: making wrongs right horizontally (with people) and vertically (with God), looking inward honestly, confessing where we’ve missed it, and returning (teshuvah) to the Lord.

Daily practices this month

Two simple anchors mark Elul for many believers: the daily sounding of the shofar and reciting Psalm 27. These aren’t empty rituals; they train our hearts for His appearing.

Let’s read Psalm 27 it now:

1The LORD is my light and my salvation—

whom shall I fear?

The LORD is the stronghold of my life—

whom shall I dread?

2When the wicked came upon me to devour my flesh,

my enemies and foes stumbled and fell.

3Though an army encamps around me,

my heart will not fear;

though a war breaks out against me,

I will keep my trust.

4One thing I have asked of the LORD;

this is what I desire:

to dwell in the house of the LORD

all the days of my life,

to gaze on the beauty of the LORD

and seek Him in His temple.

5For in the day of trouble

He will hide me in His shelter;

He will conceal me under the cover of His tent;

He will set me high upon a rock.

6Then my head will be held high

above my enemies around me.

At His tabernacle I will offer sacrifices with shouts of joy;

I will sing and make music to the LORD.

7Hear, O LORD, my voice when I call;

be merciful and answer me.

8My heart said, “Seek His face.”

Your face, O LORD, I will seek.

9Hide not Your face from me,

nor turn away Your servant in anger.

You have been my helper;

do not leave me or forsake me,

O God of my salvation.

10Though my father and mother forsake me,

the LORD will receive me.

11Teach me Your way, O LORD,

and lead me on a level path,

because of my oppressors.

12Do not hand me over to the will of my foes,

for false witnesses rise up against me,

breathing out violence.

13Still I am certain to see

the goodness of the LORD

in the land of the living.

14Wait patiently for the LORD;

be strong and courageous.

Wait patiently for the LORD!

After reading this week’s Torah portion, what do you think reading this now? 

With our torah portion cycles, we always have these four portions this time of year:  Shoftim, Ki Teitzei, Ki Tavo, Nitzavim. 

Was David reading Shoftim when he wrote this? Or perhaps was David scribing Shoftim when we wrote this? 

Also, in this week’s portion we have the command that a King is to write their own copy of the law, and read it daily.  (Deut 17:14-20) And we see the word taking root in his heart even from the first line.  Total dependency on the Lord.

But let’s read it one more time compared with this week’s portion: 

Deut 20:1-4 (no fear in battle)

1When you go out to war against your enemies and see horses, chariots, and an army larger than yours, do not be afraid of them; for the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, is with you. 2When you are about to go into battle, the priest is to come forward and address the army, 3saying to them, “Hear, O Israel, today you are going into battle with your enemies. Do not be fainthearted or afraid; do not be alarmed or terrified because of them. 4For the LORD your God goes with you to fight for you against your enemies, to give you the victory.”

1The LORD is my light and my salvation—

whom shall I fear?

The LORD is the stronghold of my life—

whom shall I dread?

2When the wicked came upon me to devour my flesh,

my enemies and foes stumbled and fell.

3Though an army encamps around me,

my heart will not fear;

though a war breaks out against me,

I will keep my trust.

4One thing I have asked of the LORD;

this is what I desire:

to dwell in the house of the LORD

all the days of my life,

to gaze on the beauty of the LORD

and seek Him in His temple.

5For in the day of trouble

He will hide me in His shelter;

He will conceal me under the cover of His tent;

He will set me high upon a rock.

6Then my head will be held high

above my enemies around me.

At His tabernacle I will offer sacrifices with shouts of joy;

I will sing and make music to the LORD.

7Hear, O LORD, my voice when I call;

be merciful and answer me.

8My heart said, “Seek His face.”

Your face, O LORD, I will seek.

9Hide not Your face from me,

nor turn away Your servant in anger.

You have been my helper;

do not leave me or forsake me,

O God of my salvation.

10Though my father and mother forsake me,

the LORD will receive me.

Deut 19:4-6 (mercy, protection)

4Now this is the situation regarding the manslayer who flees to one of these cities to save his life, having killed his neighbor accidentally, without intending to harm him: 5If he goes into the forest with his neighbor to cut timber and swings his axe to chop down a tree, but the blade flies off the handle and strikes and kills his neighbor, he may flee to one of these cities to save his life.

6Otherwise, the avenger of blood might pursue the manslayer in a rage, overtake him if the distance is great, and strike him dead though he did not deserve to die, since he did not intend any harm. 

11Teach me Your way, O LORD,

and lead me on a level path,

because of my oppressors.

12Do not hand me over to the will of my foes,

for false witnesses rise up against me,

breathing out violence.

13Still I am certain to see

the goodness of the LORD

in the land of the living.

14Wait patiently for the LORD;

be strong and courageous.

Wait patiently for the LORD!

Deut 19:16-21 (false witnesses)

16If a false witness testifies against someone, accusing him of a crime, 17both parties to the dispute must stand in the presence of the LORD, before the priests and judges who are in office at that time. 18The judges shall investigate thoroughly, and if the witness is proven to be a liar who has falsely accused his brother, 19you must do to him as he intended to do to his brother. So you must purge the evil from among you. 20Then the rest of the people will hear and be afraid, and they will never again do anything so evil among you. 21You must show no pity: life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, and foot for foot.

I’m sure those things jumped out at yall too this week, but it still just leaves me in awe that thousands of years later, we are reading the same words that Moses spoke, that David spoke, and that David read.

And they’re still relevant. 

The Lord hasn’t compelled his people for all this time to read this Psalm daily for 40 days for no reason.  There is preparation in this Psalm.

Imagine being in the midst of tribulation, but for the last several years of your life, you’ve recited this psalm 40 times a year.   Do you think you’ll remember any of it?  Probably.

I can imagine being wanted, being hunted, my enemies wanting to kill me and reciting this to myself.  A pep talk if you will.  Reciting the promises of the Lord.  He is with me.  He will hide me.  He will lead me. 

And speaking of Kings.. this is the season of the King being in the field.  The rabbis tell a story about a man, just any ordinary man, but an ordinary man that loves his country, loves his king and works hard on his farm.  He lives a very long way from the king himself and thus concluded in his heart that he may never get to meet him face to face.  And the man is working in the field, dirty and sweaty, wearing his typical work garments.  It’s a typical work day. But one ordinary day, he gets a tap on the shoulder as he is in the field working.  He turns around, and it’s the king.

And they tell that story during this month.  The motto, or tagline or theme of this month, is “The King is in the Field.”

Can you even imagine? 

Personally speaking, I’m a busy girl.  Every minute of every day is scheduled.   And that schedule is constantly changing.  Not that I have any time scheduled to clean, but even if I did, that time would be the first time I would take advantage of to go see family, or even take a nap.  The last thing that I take time to do is clean.  So you can imagine my fear and disgrace if the Lord was to show up at my house right now.  I am that person who waits until I know company is coming before I clean, then I go into a mad frenzy. 

But that’s just the opposite of how we should be. 

We should be found ready at all times. We should be found working when He returns. 

This isn’t a new idea.  This isn’t a Jewish idea.  Look at all these NT scriptures that support what our Jewish brothers and sisters are teaching right now. 

Watchfulness & Readiness

• Matt 24:36–44; 24:42–44 – Be ready; the Son of Man comes unexpectedly.

• Matt 25:13 – “Watch therefore…” (Ten Virgins close).

• Mark 13:33–37 – Keep awake; the Master may come at any watch.

• Luke 12:35–40 – Loins girded, lamps burning; ready for the Master.

• Luke 21:34–36 – Watch and pray to stand in the Day.

• 1 Thess 5:1–8 – Day of the Lord like a thief; be awake and sober.

• Rom 13:11–14 – Wake from sleep; put on the Lord Jesus.

• 1 Pet 1:13; 4:7 – Gird your mind; be self-controlled for prayer.

• 2 Pet 3:10–14 – Day of the Lord “like a thief”; be diligent to be found spotless.

• Rev 3:2–3; 16:15 – Wake up, keep your garments; blessed is the watcher.

• Heb 9:28; 10:24–25 – Eagerly waiting; stir one another as the Day approaches.

• James 5:7–9 – Establish your hearts; the Judge is at the door.

• 1 John 2:28; 3:2–3 – Abide so you won’t shrink back; purify yourself in hope.

  
  

Faithful Servants: Found Working

• Matt 24:45–51 – Faithful & wise servant: feeding in season when the Master returns.

• Matt 25:14–30 – Talents: entrusted work, accountable at His coming.

• Luke 12:41–48 – Stewardship: “Who then is the faithful manager…?”

• Luke 19:11–27 – Minas: “Do business till I come”; rewards for fruitful labor.

• John 9:4 – Work while it is day; night is coming.

• 1 Cor 3:8–15 – Each one’s work tested by fire.

• 1 Cor 4:2 – It is required of stewards to be found faithful.

• 1 Cor 15:58 – Be steadfast, always abounding in the work of the Lord.

• Col 3:23–24 – Work heartily as for the Lord; you will receive the inheritance.

• Titus 2:11–14 – Waiting for the blessed hope; zealous for good works.

• Gal 6:9–10 – Don’t grow weary in doing good.

• James 1:22; 2:14–26 – Doers of the Word; faith proven by works.

• 1 Pet 4:10–11 – Use your gifts to serve, so God is glorified.

• 2 Tim 4:1–8 – Fulfill your ministry; crown for all who love His appearing.

• Rev 2:26; 22:12 – “To the one who keeps My works… I am coming with My reward.”

  
  

Lamps, Oil, and the Ready Bride

• Matt 25:1–13 – Ten Virgins: vigilance, oil in reserve.

• Rev 19:7–8 – The Bride made herself ready; righteous acts as fine linen.

• Eph 5:25–27 – A bride without spot or wrinkle.

• 2 Cor 11:2–3 – Betrothed to Christ; keep a pure, single devotion.

  
  

Holy Readiness (Character & Conduct)

• Phil 1:9–11; 2:12–16 – Pure and blameless for the Day; shine as lights.

• 1 Thess 3:12–13; 5:23 – Hearts blameless in holiness at His coming.

• Heb 12:14 – Pursue holiness without which no one will see the Lord.

• Rev 3:11 – Hold fast what you have.

We’ve watched so many Disney movies and read so many American books that we get the idea that the King is always in the palace.  And He is certainly in His dwelling place, with a protocol to approach:  permission and bowing.

But in ancient Hebrew culture (our Lord is Hebrew) one month out of the year, the King broke that protocol.  He went back to his roots, stuck his hands in the ground and worked in the fields. (This is the time that David took off his royal robes and danced)

This concept is also illustrated in Yeshua’s time on earth with us.  He was back at his roots, working the spiritual fields himself, alongside his co-laborers.  The disciples didn’t bow to him there.  They broke bread with him.

But He is coming back to the fields again.  And next time, we will bow.  Every knee will bow. 

So I ask us all today, when He appears in that field, and we get that tap on our shoulders that we can turn to Him in joyful expectation and bow out of love.  We don’t want to be those who are running in fear, begging the mountains to fall on us.  Don’t miss this opportunity to get your House in order.  You have a guest coming.