The Shelter of God’s Wings

I heard the most beautiful psalm this morning and I thought it would be lovely to share it with you along with my thoughts on the verses. There is so much to learn and be assured by in it… in short it is fantastic!

Psalm 91: My Refuge and My Fortress

1 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
    will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
² I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress,
    my God, in whom I trust.”

God is our safest dwelling place. It doesn’t matter where we are or who we are with if we are aware of God’s presence. It is a place we can rely on in the company of someone who we can truly trust.

³ For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler
    and from the deadly pestilence.
⁴ He will cover you with his pinions,
    and under his wings you will find refuge;
    his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.

The fourth is my favourite verse. I love the security of the image of being under God’s wings. They are a shield between me and the evil influences. Under the Lord’s protection my morals will remain strong.

⁵ You will not fear the terror of the night,
    nor the arrow that flies by day,
⁶ nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness,
    nor the destruction that wastes at noonday.

The dark hours can be the hardest. The blackness can be so lonely and cold and discomforting. I think a good way to look at the darkness here is not just in a visual way,, but also in a mental way. Sometimes our heads can be filled with darkness and our heart black and weary. It is then that this verse is a real comfort. If we find what we are seeking in God there  is nothing to fear when these times come.

⁷ A thousand may fall at your side,
    ten thousand at your right hand,
    but it will not come near you.
⁸ You will only look with your eyes
    and see the recompense of the wicked.

The ‘thousand’ here is referring to the arrows mentioned in verse 5. It uses the situation of battle, where arrows are flying around you. It says that if you have faith they will not come near you. It would be unrealistic to say that by being a good Christian you are protected against all violence, disasters and accidents. Instead, I think that it refers to the battlefield of our thoughts. If we keep the Lord as our ultimate victory then nothing thrown at you should get in the way of this. We must keep our eyes on the goal.

⁹ Because you have made the Lord your dwelling place—
    the Most High, who is my refuge—
¹⁰ no evil shall be allowed to befall you,
    no plague come near your tent.

Leading on, this shows what rewards you will reap by putting your faith first. The Lord’s tent will withstand throughout all the bad weather beating down on us in our lives.

11 For he will command his angels concerning you
    to guard you in all your ways.
¹² On their hands they will bear you up,
    lest you strike your foot against a stone.

This is a beautiful thought. To know that you are being watched over and taken care of in all situations, little or big, is incredibly reassuring. It proves just how much love God has for us.

13 You will tread on the lion and the adder;
     the young lion and the serpent you will trample underfoot.
14 “Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him;
      I will protect him, because he knows my name.

We are known by God by name. This shows us that God is familiar with us on a personal level. The things he will protect us from increase to being more dangerous and threatening. In response, he ‘holds fast to me in love’. Love is so powerful that it is God’s ultimate weapon against evil.

15 When he calls to me, I will answer him;
    I will be with him in trouble;
    I will rescue him and honor him.
¹⁶ With long life I will satisfy him
    and show him my salvation.”

The psalm ends by showing us that we are never alone. In order to find such protection and comfort, we simply have to ask. And when we ask God for something, we tend to get it. It is such a small thing for such a big reward.

Call to God today, and dwell under the shelter of His wings.

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For further posts on a variety of themes please join me for more of my 40 day Lent series!