Psalm 91
Hi everyone.. this week’s study is on Psalm 91. Authorship dates back to the days of Moses. It also serves as the inspiration behind the popular hymn On Eagles Wings. This psalm is a song of deep consolation to those looking to God for rest amid all the troubles of life. Its consistent theme is the rest and peace that only God can give. Life with God secures our fast-paced lives with His inner peace. No matter what may happen, no matter how dark the hour may be, we can say with confidence, “I will not fear.”
“He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.” (Psalms 91:1) Now, when you were a kid, did you have a hiding place? Well, we still need one of those. The Lord Jesus also talked about a secret place, and He taught us to go to it every day: “When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on street corners so that others may see them. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go to your inner room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you. In praying, don’t use vain repetitions.. for your Father knows what things you need, before you ask him.” (Matthew 6:5-8) Why do we enter in to prayer? We don’t pray to impress God. We come to invite God. “God, come into my heart, into my life; take control of my life.” We couldn’t do it without Him.
Seek out that secret place. There’s nothing more wonderful than to have fellowship with Heaven’s king, the King of kings and the Lord of lords. That’s when you rest in the safest place. “He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress; my God, in whom I trust.”” (Psalms 91:1-2) There are four things that are necessary for a fortress, and these four things are found in the Lord:
1. The Situation of Our Fortress
First of all, think about the situation of a fortress. It is God who is your fortress. He’s not with you in your fortress; He is your fortress. The main term for God in verse 1 is Elyon, and it means, “the Most High”, the possessor of Heaven and Earth.” That means God owns everything, and therefore everything is beneath Him. Your fortress is in the highest place. Everybody knows that the highest place is the safest place, and we’re seated with Him. “Whoever clings to me I will deliver; whoever knows my name I will set on high. ” (Psalm 91:14). What is His name? Elyon. His name means the Most High. And so, where is our fortress situated? We’re seated in the heavenlies.
2. The Sufficiency of Our Fortress
Now, the second thing a fortress needs is sufficiency; think of the sufficiency of your fortress. You see, a fortress, in order for it to be worthwhile and secure, has to be self-contained. You have to have everything that you need on the inside, and the name for Almighty is the word Shaddai. That means not only the living God, but the giving God, the God in whom is all our necessities, everything we need. Nobody can’t starve you out when you abide here, folks. God just keeps on giving and giving and giving. We may be poor and have nothing at all, but Jesus Christ is our all in all. Where God guides, He always provides.
3. The Stability of Our Fortress
Let’s think of the situation of our fortress: He’s the Most High. Think of the sufficiency of our fortress: He is El Shaddai; He is the giving God. And then, think with me about the stability of our fortress. Notice in verse 2, He’s called the LORD. That represents God’s name; Yahweh. It means the great I Am, and it speaks of the stability of our fortress. You see, God never has a beginning, and He never has an ending. He cannot change; He is forever and ever. Some fortresses can be dismantled or crumble on their own. But, this fortress, our God, remains forever and ever and ever. To be safe you need a fortress that is absolutely unchanging. That’s the reason the Psalmist, I believe it was Moses, said, “The Lord is my fortress.”
4. The Security of Our Fortress
Now, here’s the fourth thing about our fortress. Think not only about the situation, He’s the Most High; the sufficiency, He is the living, giving God; think about the stability, He is Yahweh, He never changes. And then, friend, this is a God who is eternal. He is Elohim, and that speaks of the security of our fortress. Elohim—do you know what the word Elohim means? It’s the word that’s used of God when He created the world. It means that there’s absolutely nothing He cannot do. He is the One who is our fortress. The psalmist assures us of God’s aggressive defense against every kind of threat: terrors at night, arrows by day, pestilence in darkness, destruction at noon.
“Under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness is a shield” (Psalm 91:4) Emphasis on “his”. It is His faithfulness that is great, not ours. This is good news: God’s work is not dependent on the faithfulness of those He calls. It is dependent entirely on the faithfulness of the One who does the calling. The strength of God’s faithfulness to you does not depend on the sturdiness of your faith. It is in our weakness that we discover God’s strength; it is in our guilt that we discover God’s grace; it is in our shame that we discover God’s salvation; it is in our rebellion that we discover God's rescue; it is on our failure that we discover God’s faithfulness.
When you come to God, when you discover the secret place and then you abide in the sacred place, you’re going to find that is the safest place. God is going to take care of you. Nothing—nothing—can come to you, but what it comes with God’s allowance, and God works it together for His glory and your good.
“You who live in the shelter of the Most High, who abide in the shadow of the Almighty, will say to the LORD, "My refuge and my fortress; my God, in whom I trust." For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence; he will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness is a shield and buckler. You will not fear the terror of the night, or the arrow that flies by day, or the pestilence that stalks in darkness, or the destruction that wastes at noonday. A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you. You will only look with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked. Because you have made the LORD your refuge, the Most High your dwelling place, no evil shall befall you, no scourge come near your tent. For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways. On their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not dash your foot against a stone. You will tread on the lion and the adder, the young lion and the serpent you will trample under foot. Those who love me, I will deliver; I will protect those who know my name. When they call to me, I will answer them; I will be with them in trouble, I will rescue them and honor them. With long life I will satisfy them, and show them my salvation. ” (Psalms 91:1-16)