Psalm 91 | Abiding in the Secret Place of God
Background
Author: It has been thought that Moses wrote this Psalm while he was a leader of Israel during the 40 years in the wilderness.
Tone: This is a Psalm for all who are going through difficult times. It was also probably used in a chant during a worship service by solo voices or voices answering each other based on the shift in pronouns.
This chapter hit home for me pretty hard when I went in depth into each verse. I’ve felt displaced for a long time and reading these words brought me to a place that I could rest a while. I want to share this with you in hopes that if you feel like you don’t belong anywhere, find it hard to settle or find safety, or just do not think that you even need a permanent place to dwell, you will find it either way.
4 Metaphors Describing God’s Protection
This chapter jumps right in by describing that those who dwell, (or in the Hebrew: to settle, abide, ease oneself, remain) in the secret place of the Most High can stop and permanently rest in the shadow of His wings. This suggests that God, the Almighty, is like a mother bird protecting her young. In verse 4, it reiterates this by saying that He will cover us with His feathers. As a mother myself, I see this all the time with my son. He runs to me any time he is scared or hurt. Once he gathers himself and finds his confidence again, he is good to go and can play again. In studying this chapter I find it interesting that the theme of birds is throughout. What I know about birds is that when they sing, it is for the glory of God. Nothing evil or dark can dwell here. So keep on singing!
You are my hiding place; You shall preserve me from trouble; You shall surround me with songs of deliverance. - Psalm 32:7
It also depicts God as a refuge and fortress. In Hebrew, a fortress means a defense, stronghold, and strong place. A refuge, “machceh”, means confide in, flee for protection, have hope, trust, and a shelter. For me it is easy to picture God here as a father-like figure we all long for. Someone who is physically strong, big, and offers a protective trust that you can always fall back on. When it says, “I will trust”, in Hebrew it means to be confident or sure, be bold, or secure.
I cried out to You, O Lord: I said, “You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living. - Psalm 142:5
The fourth metaphor, describes God’s Truth as being our shield (guarding by prickliness, a hook) and buckler (something surrounding a person). Both of these terms in Hebrew come from a feminine root which I find really interesting because it continues to describe God in a motherly sense. Truth in Hebrew is described as being stability, certainty, trustworthiness, establishment, faithful. A buckler is a small round shield held by a handle at arm’s length; a shield worn on the left arm.
What We Do Not Need to Fear
After it describes God in these 4 different metaphors, it goes on to describe what God is protecting Israel, or us, from. In the list below you will find what what you won’t need to be afraid of when under God’s protection, as well as their meanings in Hebrew:
He will deliver you from the snare (something that entangles, difficulties, something deceptively attractive) of the fowler (a person who hunts wildfowl).
The terror by night (from the same word as “luwl” which means to fold back, a spiral step or winding stair; another term “lula’ah” from the same means a loop or “layil” which means a twist or adversity).
The arrow (piercer, a wound, thunder-bolt) that flies by day (daily).
The pestilence (plague, murrain) that walks (moves forward, grows, moves itself) in darkness (obscurity, privily, as one sharing a secret).
Destruction (cut off, ruin, destroying by possibly a disease) that lays waste at noon day.
Knowing that this was a chant sung by the Israelites to remind them of their time in the wilderness for 40 years, you can see how all of these scary circumstances would play out. They experienced battles, diseases, plagues, and just anything that comes with living in the wilderness. As I look at this today, I am not necessarily in the same circumstances as they were, but I can apply it to those things that trouble me daily. Haven’t we all experienced laying awake at light going in a loop about a worry or have carried a wound that keeps opening up almost daily? Haven’t we been through times when hurt is obscure and cruel, while it grows in our minds? And haven’t we been through being cut off, ruined or even riddled with a disease? All of these examples can describe the psychological and physical troubles that we deal with daily.
God is promising that these dangers will not touch us if we put our confidence in Him. When it describes “a thousand may fall and ten thousand at your right hand” it was most likely talking about the times that the enemies of Israel were destroyed around them while in the wilderness, but how can we apply this to our lives today? I know that for me, that even though my physical body may perish, my mind/spirit won’t be completely destroyed. This is one thing that God can hold onto and Satan cannot take from us. Remaining safely in Him and walking confidently through life sharing how He has changed my life is not something anyone can destroy.
That Extra Protection & a Prophecy
Even the angels, as described in verse 11, have been appointed and sent to hedge about and guard us. God could just protect us, but He gave us that extra protection because He will do anything to show us how much He cares. As we journey through the course of life, they (through the Lord) keep us in our ways.
The Lord by wisdom founded the earth; by understanding He established the heavens; by His knowledge the depths were broken up, and clouds drop down the dew. My son, let them not depart from your eyes — keep sound wisdom and discretion; so they will be life to your soul and grace to your neck. Then you will walk safely in your way, and your foot will not stumble. When you lie down, you will not be afraid; yes, you will lie down and your sleep will be sweet. Do not be afraid of sudden terror, nor of trouble from the wicked when it comes; for the Lord will be your confidence, and will keep your foot from being caught. - Proverbs 3:19-26
This next part, in verse 12, brings us to where Christ was in the wilderness for 40 days (a correlation with 40 years in the wilderness) as a human being. The devil tried to tempt Him for the third and last time by bringing up this verse. Notably, it falls right before verse 13, which describes Christ as being the one that would tread upon the lion and the cobra which are both describe Satan. It must have really hit home bringing this before Christ. Satan knew Christ’s time had come, to destroy him, and he was grasping at one last chance to keep it from happening. But, in Matthew 4 and Luke 4, we find Christ victorious in our place.
I know that I don’t always trust God. I know that sometimes I just cannot fully bring myself to believe that He can do all of these things to keep me safe in His arms. I try to solve my problems on my own and obsess over what I could have done better. I find myself pushing people out of my life unnecessarily or continuing to be anxious over nothing. But here, Christ came and did what I could not do. He overcame fear. He overcame death in my place. Now I can, without a doubt, rest a while in His intimate presence. That throne that is described in the Old Testament is now accessible to me.
Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s. - 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
Deliverance & His Salvation
Because we love God, He will deliver us! He will set us on high because we KNOW His name! When we call on Him, He answers. He will be with us when we are in trouble. Read that again. He will be with us even when we get ourselves into trouble and will deliver and HONOR us.
The awesome thing for us in reading this chapter is that we’ve had the opportunity to see the fulfillment of this prophecy. In the last sentence it describes how God will, with long life, satisfy our hearts and show us His salvation. What is His salvation? Christ. We’ve been longing for that deliverance and now we have it in Him. He came as a human being so that we could touch Him, hear His voice, and be embraced by His wonderful presence! What a wonderful way to complete this description of what God can be for us. I know that, for me, He is my HOME. Amen.
