This psalm for today is a favorite of many believers, and is definitely one of my favorites. It is a passage of Scripture we can go to when we are afraid, when the fears of this dangerous world get too strong. Our world is so stressful and filled with scary events. We can easily be overwhelmed. Psalm 91 is where to turn to. Jesus calls us to trust Him and run to His arms for protection.
The psalmist, who is not known, starts off right at the beginning by saying to whom the Lord God gives His divine protection. It is to those who dwell and abide with Him (vs 1). They are those who have a close and personal relationship with God. When we have put our faith and trust in the Lord Jesus, He will be a secret place of protection for us. Shadows are often a good place to hide, and we can hide in the shadows of God’s safekeeping. God is also called here in verse 2 our refuge and fortress. A refuge is a place to go to to find quick shelter. A fortress is a building intentionally built to provide special security. The enemy has no access into a fortress. We are protected and safe there. When we turn to God to be our refuge and fortress, Satan and the fears he brings with him cannot get to us.
A vivid picture of protection we see in the natural world is that of a mother bird protecting her young chicks. She spreads her wings over them, and they are safe from both predators and storms. That’s the same way the Lord protects us when we come running to Him (vs 4). With God protecting us, the enemy has to get past Him before he can get to us. His truth, which is His Word, is the shield we can can safely stand behind.
Night often brings our worst fears (vs 5). More murders, muggings, and crimes take place at night. Many fires start at night, as well. It is then that sickness keeps us awake. Our worries loom much larger at night. Yet God watches over us at night, as well as during the day. He never sleeps (Psalm 121:4). Darkness is not dark to Him (Psalm 139:12). We are children of the Light, and need not fear the darkness (I Thessalonians 5:5). During the day, as well, we can trust the Lord to watch over us (vs 5-7). Do we need to make a trip into the bad part of town? Maybe a child of ours is being called into military service. We don’t need to fear those “arrows”. When we hear on the news broadcasts of deadly influenza striking in our city, or some other calamity, do we need to panic when we have the Lord as our protection? Our psalmist assures us that we do not! He protects us from pestilence and destruction.
In verses 11 and 12, we read that the Lord has appointed angels to give us aid when attacked by the devil and his forces. These angels oversee God’s people, guarding those who seek refuge in Him. They preserve our steps. The angels will take us up, lift, and carry us, seeing we are not overwhelmed by the deception of Satan.
When we are in the presence of the Lord we have nothing to fear. God’s presence can take away all despair and doubt. Do we truly believe that we live in the secret place of the Most High, and that we abide under the shadow of the Almighty? If we are believers, and we truly believe this, we can live without fear. We can trust the wings of God to be our shield.
We need to trade in all of the fears that we have for trust and faith in God. We also need to be sure that we are “dwelling” and “abiding” in the Lord in order to be certain of His sure protection. When we are feeling anxious and worried with problems and fears, remember in Whom we dwell - the Lord God Almighty, and the truth of His Word. Give those problems to Him. We can find refuge and shelter under His wings. Those who have put their trust in God need have no fear when others are all in a panic over the events in the world.
Thank you, Sarah. You remind me of where we are - under the protection of our Lord. Thank you for your prayers and inspiration. Jeannine
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