will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.2 This I declare about the LORD:
He alone is my refuge, my place of safety;
he is my God, and I trust him.3 For he will rescue you from every trap
and protect you from deadly disease.4 He will cover you with his feathers.
He will shelter you with his wings.
His faithful promises are your armor and protection.5 Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night,
nor the arrow that flies in the day.6 Do not dread the disease that stalks in darkness,
nor the disaster that strikes at midday.7 Though a thousand fall at your side,
though ten thousand are dying around you,
these evils will not touch you. 8 Just open your eyes,
and see how the wicked are punished.9 If you make the LORD your refuge,
if you make the Most High your shelter,10 no evil will conquer you;
no plague will come near your home.11 For he will order his angels
to protect you wherever you go.12 They will hold you up with their hands
so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone.13 You will trample upon lions and cobras;
you will crush fierce lions and serpents under your feet!14 The LORD says, “I will rescue those who love me.
I will protect those who trust in my name.15 When they call on me, I will answer;
I will be with them in trouble.
I will rescue and honor them.16 I will reward them with a long life
and give them my salvation.”
Psalm 91 is a scripture that may have been penned by either David or Moses, but whomever the author - Psalm 91 is powerful.
There is a direct connection between where I live and how I live. The things that occupy my mind and drive my heart will determine the state of my being. If my greatest concern is money, I will be filled with insecurity. If I live in the land of doubt, I will experience continual discouragement. Brokenness may be what God uses to get my attention and introduce me to grace, but living there will produce a spiritual self-pity far from the life of spiritual fulfillment that God desires for me.
But when I live in the shelter that God provides, I will know a peace that passes all understanding. Living in the “shelter of the Most High” gives me balance with my money, causes inevitable doubt to drive me to the Father for strength, and moves me from brokenness to wholeness in Christ. In Psalm 91:1-2, the psalmist speaks forth four of the names of God:
Psalm 91:1 Elyon – This is the One, in all of His power and creativity, made everything that was out of nothing.” The use of the word El ascribes to God all of that majesty and splendor. Certainly protection is one of His attributes; but more significantly, we need to think of God as El-Elyon, as the God who is sovereign. God is absolutely in charge of everything. He is the strongest of the strong. He is the superlative among all other gods. (introduced in Genesis 14:18)
Psalm 91:1 El-Shaddai –This name means “God Almighty.” It is best understood as God who is all-sufficient and all-bountiful—the source of all blessings, fullness, and fruitfulness. El Shaddai is one of seven covenant names through which God revealed Himself to Israel. Genesis 49:22-26
Psalm 91:2 Yahweh - The name of independent being—“I AM WHO I AM”—only belongs to Jehovah God. As we consider His greatness, we fall down in fear and awe of this One who possesses all authority. Lord, Master, denoting the omnipotence of God, despot, absolute ruler Exodus 3:13-15
Psalm 91:2 Elohim –This name means “Strength” or “Power.” He is transcendent, mighty, and strong. Elohim is the great name of God, signifying supreme power, sovereignty, and a covenant relationship that He is ever faithful to keep. Genesis 17:7,8
If I am going to be fearless, I need to know God for who He is - if I don’t know God for who He is, I will have a hard time stepping out in faith and obedience to how He leads and guides me. I have since found that Psalm 91 is one of those bread-and-butter psalms that I keep coming back to whenever I need to feed on God's Word. I read it through and what comes to mind are periods in my life when I experienced God's care and protection ( the aftermath of financial loss, a serious illness, a near accident, troubled relationships, or difficult times of transition). Though I may not have known it then, I see now that Almighty God was a refuge in the midst of my personal desert. He sustained me and fed me. He sheltered me in the wilderness. Praise God for His powerful protection. I want to make a habit of resting in His shadow. I can read Psalm 91 as a promise of future protection. This is a powerful psalm to pray before I go to bed tonight.
