REST IN THE SHADOW OF THE ALMIGHTY

Passage: Psalms 91:1-16

Key verse: 1

NIV

Psalm 91

1 Whoever dwells in the shelter(A) of the Most High
    will rest in the shadow(B) of the Almighty.[a]
2 I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge(C) and my fortress,(D)
    my God, in whom I trust.”

3 Surely he will save you
    from the fowler’s snare(E)
    and from the deadly pestilence.(F)
4 He will cover you with his feathers,
    and under his wings you will find refuge;(G)
    his faithfulness will be your shield(H) and rampart.
5 You will not fear(I) the terror of night,
    nor the arrow that flies by day,
6 nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,
    nor the plague that destroys at midday.
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 observe with your eyes
    and see the punishment of the wicked.(J)

9 If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,”
    and you make the Most High your dwelling,
10 no harm(K) will overtake you,
    no disaster will come near your tent.
11 For he will command his angels(L) concerning you
    to guard you in all your ways;(M)
12 they will lift you up in their hands,
    so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.(N)
13 You will tread on the lion and the cobra;
    you will trample the great lion and the serpent.(O)

14 “Because he[b] loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him;
    I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
15 He will call on me, and I will answer him;
    I will be with him in trouble,
    I will deliver him and honor him.(P)
16 With long life(Q) I will satisfy him
    and show him my salvation.(R)”

Read full chapter
Footnotes
  1. Psalm 91:1 Hebrew Shaddai
  2. Psalm 91:14 That is, probably the king
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

My Refuge and My Fortress

91 He who dwells in (A)the shelter of the Most High
    will abide in (B)the shadow of the Almighty.
2 I will say[a] to the Lord, “My (C)refuge and my (D)fortress,
    my God, in whom I (E)trust.”

3 For he will deliver you from (F)the snare of the fowler
    and from the deadly pestilence.
4 He will (G)cover you with his pinions,
    and under his (H)wings you will (I)find refuge;
    his (J)faithfulness is (K)a shield and buckler.
5 (L)You will not fear (M)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 (N)see the recompense of the wicked.

9 Because you have made the Lord your (O)dwelling place—
    the Most High, who is my (P)refuge[b]—
10 (Q)no evil shall be allowed to befall you,
    (R)no plague come near your tent.

11 (S)For he will command his (T)angels concerning you
    to (U)guard you in all your ways.
12 On their hands they will bear you up,
    lest you (V)strike your foot against a stone.
13 You will tread on (W)the lion and the (X)adder;
    the young lion and (Y)the serpent you will (Z)trample underfoot.

14 “Because he (AA)holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him;
    I will protect him, because he (AB)knows my name.
15 When he (AC)calls to me, I will answer him;
    I will be with him in trouble;
    I will rescue him and (AD)honor him.
16 With (AE)long life I will satisfy him
    and (AF)show him my salvation.”

Read full chapter
Footnotes
  1. Psalm 91:2 Septuagint He will say
  2. Psalm 91:9 Or For you, O Lord, are my refuge! You have made the Most High your dwelling place
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

The psalmist uses four names to describe our God: Elyon (Most High), Shaddai (Almighty), Jehovah (LORD), and Elohim (God). In using these names, he declares that our God’s power, faithfulness, and glory are beyond comparison. The psalmist knew firsthand that God alone is our refuge and fortress. He found rest in the shadow of God and so can we.

Our God is able to deliver us from our enemies and spare us from devastating pestilences and plagues. God routinely intervenes on behalf of his children and protects them. Haven’t we all experienced this? To claim these promises of God, one must take refuge in the Lord and dwell in him. For believers, it means abiding in Jesus and walking in his Spirit. It means living a life of prayer and meditation on God’s word. Are you dwelling in the Most High? Then you will surely experience the life and victory of Christ. He is the one who has trampled the serpent and the lion on our behalf.

In the final stanza of the psalm, the Lord himself confirms all these wonderful promises. He will rescue and protect the one who loves him and acknowledges him. He will answer their prayers, be present in their times of trouble, and satisfy them with the joy of his salvation.

Prayer: Father, teach us to dwell in your presence. Help us to take refuge and rest in you.

One Word: Dwell in the shelter of the Most High