Psalm 91 is a beautiful love song of God’s protection.  In today’s world of so many troubles and worries, Psalm 91 is a place we can find God’s peace.  Let’s lean in and discover God’s peace and protection inside Psalm 91.

The very first sentence, “Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty” has two enormous and unmistakable truths that will make the rest of the Psalm burst into life.

The first truth is that God is both the Most High God and the Almighty.  The Hebrew word Elyon, the Most High signifies God’s majesty, authority and superiority over all things and everything.  God alone is God.  God is more than all we can imagine.  God is supreme.  He’s large and truly in charge.

This powerful God might even seem scary, but the Hebrew word El Shaddai signifies that our Almighty God is fully capable of nourishing our every need and fully sustaining us.  In fact, the tenderness of the ancient language likens our powerful God to a mother breast feeding her child.

In one amazing opening sentence, God’s names are a meant to be a picture of massive strength, yet tender gentleness all at the same time.

The second truth is that our loving God encourages us to dwell, live and hang out with him.  God is calling us to rest with him – to walk, sit and stand so close to him that we are in his shadow!  He wants us to fully rely on him.   To live inside his house and to have his song in our hearts – so we are filled with him.

This sentence mirrors the very first words of Jesus Sermon on the Mount when he said, “Blessed are the poor in spirit – for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.”  In other words, when we empty ourselves of self, and fill ourselves with God, then we are blessed with the Kingdom of heaven.  Truly, the Kingdom of heaven is like resting in God’s shadow or living in God’s house.

Psalm 91 continues; “I will say to the LORD, ‘You are my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.’”

Here we are called to say out loud, to declare to God, “I want to live under your protection.  I want you to be my Lord.  I trust you, God.  You are in charge of my life.  You want what is best for me.  You love me.”

Like a child who lives in their parent’s home, fully trusting and relying on them, God wants us to be like that with him.  To trust the God who protects me with all that I am, all that I have and all that I will be.

What an opening paragraph to begin the sequence of protections that follow.  Just as we set the table before dinner, so too our first step to enjoying God’s protection is to fill ourselves with God and to trust that our powerful God loves us.  With this start, the table has been set for the rest of the Psalm that follows:

“Surely He will deliver you from the snare of the fowler, and from the deadly plague.”  Psalm 91:3

A snare is a trap that is hidden that unsuspectingly grabs an animal by the leg so it cannot get away.   It’s where we walk right into the trap without knowing and as we try to walk away, the noose gets tighter and tighter.

The fowler is Satan who wants to keep you grounded – keep you from flying – keep you from reaching your potential.  Like a noose, the enemy tries to hold us down with fear, temptation, offense and more but this enemy has no power in the presence of the Lord.

In today’s world, so many people find themselves snared.  Trapped inside overwhelming struggles.  That’s why Jesus said it is so important to KNOW when the thief is coming, so you can be prepared and ready to stop him before he even opens your door.

Psalm 91 mentions the plague and pestilence three times, saying that “God will deliver you from the deadly plague that stalks in the darkness, and “No plague will come near your tent.”

We need to understand what this really means.  Afterall, we know Christians who have been sick or died from plagues of cancer or the flu.  And we know Christians who truly love God, yet have been plagued with fear, doubt, or worry.

So, it is natural to ask if Psalm 91 has made promises that it cannot keep.  In fact, God wants us to ask these questions.   To find the answer, let’s skip ahead to verse 4 for a moment and then come back to verse 3.  As Christians, we love reading: “He will cover you with his feathers and under his wings you will find refuge.” ^{Psalm 91:4}

What beautiful, poetic imagery of God Almighty as sheltering us with his wings, the same way a mother hen covers her baby chicks with her fragile little wings.  It’s a story of God being willing to sacrifice himself the same way a momma bird protects her chicks.  God getting soaked in the rain, God fighting the cold, God enduring the heat to protect his children.

Could there be a safer place?  Surrounded by the softness and warmth of God’s wings.  Hidden and sheltered.  At home with God.  Secure next to his giant presence.  This imagery is so powerful that Jesus even said, “How often I have longed to gather you as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings.” ^{Matthew 23:37}

This is a metaphor and it’s important to remember that both Jesus and the psalmist are drawing us out of our fear-based perceptions into a new world that defines God as our source of protection and peace.

So, as we revisit verse 3 it is now clear that, “he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler” is meant so we can have total confidence in God, knowing that as we dwell with God and rest with God, our lives are in his capable hands.  His strong, yet gentle hands will shelter us in the end!

No wonder that Jesus last words were, “Into your hands, I commit my spirit.”   Can you hear God calling you?  Can we, trust in God enough to say, “Into your hands I commit my life.  Into your loving hands I commit my family.  Into your strong hands I commit my work.”

Instead of demanding an acute literalness of Psalm 91, we get so much more!!   Instead of declaring this passage as a good luck charm; instead of saying, “Mosquitoes never bite Christians;” instead of believing in a little god whom I control by saying a magic prayer. . .

We can know that our Most High and Almighty God’s eternal wisdom and provision for his children is always good.  And it is way beyond our understanding.

We can know without any hint of doubt, that when we dwell with God, spend time with him, read his book and rest with him in prayer; that our thoughts, dreams and deepest desires cannot help but move from the temporal to an eternal view.  Yes, this beautiful and majestic Psalm speaks of eternal truth!

And inside this eternal truth, we get the extra benefit of living with God right here and now – no matter what may come.

Psalm 91 speaks of heaven as an eternal place where we can live forever with God totally free from all worry, all disease and all hardship.   A dwelling place with God.

My friends, God is calling you right now.  Be with me.  Rest with me.  Dwell with me.  Our powerful God knows that Satan tries to ensnare us and hold us down.  He knows that Satan only comes to kill, steal and destroy.  But always remember that Jesus paid a big price for you to live abundantly and Jesus wants you to get what he paid for!

That’s why we’d like to bless you with our book, Why Wait to Be Happy?, as our free gift to you.  It’s a powerful book packed with God’s solutions for defeating Satan’s lies.  It’s time to live in the shadow of the Almighty.  I cannot imagine a better place to be.