What does Psalm 27:5 mean?

The center of worship in Israel, during the time of David, was still a movable tabernacle: God's house was still a tent. Even so, this location was sometimes called a "temple" (1 Samuel 1:9). David's son Solomon built the first permanent sanctuary which was a true "temple" of God, but David rightly considered the tabernacle the equivalent of God's protection. He would feel safe in the tabernacle. His enemies would not be able to reach him there.

In David's time a host who welcomed a visitor into his tent accepted the responsibility to keep the visitor safe. His tent served as a stronghold (Psalm 27:1) for the visitor. David thought of the Lord as his protector under the cover of the Lord's tent, the tabernacle. Believers today are safe in Christ, who "tabernacled" among men (John 1:14). He said, "I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand" (John 10:28). Our chief enemy, the Devil, would love to pry us from our Savior's hand and destroy us, but he faces an impossible task!