The Lord’s Protection: Psalm 91

“He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the LORD, “You are my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust. ” (Psalm 91: 1-2)

Beloved, I hope you are having a blessed day! Happy June! For this post, I want to focus on Psalm 91. It speaks about the Lord’s promises for protection and safety. I love to pray this over my children at night and meditate on these verses when I am worried about a difficult situation. Let’s take a look at this chapter, verse by verse.

91:1 – “He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.” The Lord’s shadow is a cover and provides protection from danger. It hides you from your enemies and provides comfort. When you remain in His shadow, you know that the source is close by. He is walking alongside you. When the Israelites were traveling through the desert, it was extremely hot during the day. The Lord always appeared as a pillar of cloud to shade them from the uncomfortable heat. At night, the desert would become very cold. Then, the Lord would appear as a pillar of fire to keep them warm and comforted. God’s people are always cared for and protected.

91:2 – “I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.” In the ancient world, each city had a stronghold or a fortress. It was packed with food, supplies, and ammunition and was a place the residents could find safety during an attack. They were built to withstand armies and some were inaccurately considered impenetrable. Many fortresses fell and their kingdoms along with it. Only the Lord is our true stronghold and our fortress. One that can never be destroyed or fail to protect us, no matter what attack the devil has planned.

91:3 – “Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.” I want to highlight the first word, surely. Surely, something that is for sure, for certain. We can absolutely count on the Lord to deliver us from the grasp of anything that is trying to harm us, mentally or physically. He will undoubtedly be there for you, when you call upon him. He never wavers.

91:4 – “He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.” The Lord often uses a mother hen as an example of how he protects us. In Luke 13:34, he says, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often I have longed to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!” This is the ultimate picture of protection. Chicks are safe from all danger when under their mother’s wings. I’ve even heard stories of barn fires, where healthy chicks were found unharmed, under their mother’s feathers. He wants us to draw near and look to him for help through our difficult times. Also, his truth shall be our shield and buckler. A buckler is a type of shield that is worn on the body, instead of held by hand. This part is saying that his truth can be used as a weapon against our enemies. When Satan comes to you with condemnation, either through self-doubt or the words of others, if you know the truth (that you are loved, forgiven, righteous, and an heir to the kingdom of Heaven) you can use that truth as a weapon against him.

91:5-6 – “Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.” In this fallen world, the devil works overtime to create dangers at every turn. He is always trying to bring destruction your way, but the Lord says, DO NOT BE AFRAID! You don’t have to worry. No matter what the circumstances are, the Lord is protecting you.

91:7 – “A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.” This is one of my favorite lines. Do not worry about the evils in the world around you. The devil is running rampant in these end times, but take heart! No matter what new disease, danger, or peril he has created, it will not come near you! Even if 10,000 fall right next to you, you are set apart. You are protected and will not be affected.

91:8-10 – “Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked. Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation; There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.” The Lord tells us we will see the wicked get their punishment. He is on our side and will be sure evil-doers will reap what they sow. He also reminds us that no evil will prevail against us and no plague or curse shall come near our houses. The last plague that God sent to Egypt was the Angel of Death and it killed the first born child in each home. But, he told the Israelites to mark their door posts with the blood of a lamb that had been sacrificed. When the Angel saw the blood, it passed over the house because the price had already been paid. Jesus is our sacrificial lamb. As a believer in Christ, our door posts are forever marked by the blood that continually saves us.

91:11-12 – “For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.” The Lord’s angels are watching over us and he sends them out before us to clear a path. In our daily life, we can’t see everything ahead of us. We can’t anticipate all the possible, future dangers or mistakes we will make, but the Lord can and he does. If we are walking towards a stone and don’t see it, he’s given his angels the task of lifting us up, so that they carry us over the stone before we get hurt. The Lord designed us, so of course he knows that we are “only human”. We are not perfect, but we don’t have to be. He is perfect and goes before us to prepare the way and also watches our back as our rear guard. He wants to protect us from dashing our foot against a stone, so how much more will he protect us in times of peril.

91:13 – “Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the serpent shalt thou trample under feet.” The Lord’s people are given the power to conquer their foes, even the most difficult ones. The lion is often referred to in the bible as the most powerful animal. In Proverbs 30:29, it says, “There are three things that are stately in their stride, and four that are impressive in their walk: a lion, mighty among the beasts, and refusing to retreat before anything.” In Judges 14:18, it says, “What is sweeter than honey? And what is stronger than a lion?” The bible also calls the serpent, the most cunning animal. In Genesis 3:1, it says, “Now the serpent was the most cunning of all the wild animals that the LORD God had made.” The bible uses these animals to specifically illustrate that no matter how much bigger, more powerful, more clever or cunning your enemy is, you will march upon them victoriously. They will be defeated.

91:14 -16 – “Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name. He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him. With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.” The Lord provides us with seven (which is the number of perfection in the bible) powerful promises in these verses. Beloved, the Lord is speaking to you.

1. I will deliver you.
2. I will set you on high.
3. I will answer you.
4. I will be with you in trouble.
5. I will honor you.
6. I will satisfy you with long life.
7. I will shew you my salvation.

The Lord promises that he will come through in all the ways mentioned in this chapter and more! He is all that you need, even when it seems like the odds are stacked against you. Trust in the Lord. He will never forsake you. Amen!

Jesus loves you,

Alexis