Psalm 91 - Our Refuge and Fortress
- Chad Werkhoven
- 44 minutes ago
- 3 min read
He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
Psalm 91 (ESV)
91 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.”
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.”
Heidelberg Catechism
Q&A 28
Q. How does the knowledge of God’s creation and providence help us?
A. We can be patient when things go against us,
thankful when things go well,
and for the future we can have
good confidence in our faithful God and Father
that nothing will separate us from his love.
All creatures are so completely in his hand
that without his will
they can neither move nor be moved.
Summary
Psalm 91 is considered a psalm of refuge that can be broken into 3 parts, also known as strophes. The 3 parts are: an affirmation that God is our refuge, how the Lord is our refuge, and confirmation that God is our refuge.
The first two verses of this psalm affirm that God is our refuge. Those who draw near to God will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. No matter the circumstances, God is your refuge and can give you peace.
Verses 3-13 go on to describe how God is our refuge. Verse 4 speaks of finding refuge under his wings, instilling the imagery of a baby bird being protected by its mother. Along with God as our refuge, this section also speaks of God’s protection. Verse 11 speaks of God’s use of angels in providing this protection.
The remaining 3 verses of this Psalm give confirmation that God is our refuge.
This confirmation comes from the viewpoint of God, declaring His promise to
protect those whose faith is in him.
Dig Deeper
One verse that might have stuck out to you is verse 12, On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone. This is one of the passages quoted by Satan while tempting Jesus in the wilderness.
In Matthew 4, Satan brought Jesus to the top of the temple and challenged him to throw Himself off. The provocation was that if Jesus really was the son of God, then the angels would save Him from harm.
Satan was trying to trick Jesus into turning faith into presumption. Jesus does not fall for Satan’s trap, instead responding with: “Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test’”.
Psalm 91 is a beautiful Psalm describing how God is our refuge. Find comfort in how God cares for you and protects you. However, make sure to not put God’s protection to the test. Do not fall for Satan’s attempt to cast doubt on the faithfulness of God. If you trust in the Lord and draw near to him, you can have peace no matter what circumstances life may send your way.
ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, our God in whom we trust;
ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you will make the LORD your dwelling place in every way;
ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:
