In last week’s study (part 1), we looked at the foundation of receiving everything mentioned in Psalms 91, by looking at the first verse. If you have not yet seen part 1, I highly recommend that you view that study first as again, it lays the proper foundation for everything that we will be examining today in this study – the foundation of course, is Jesus Christ and His finished work; and the relationship that is possible because of it.
Today we examine the blessings themselves… and hold on tight, because this is a fantastic journey beyond even your wildest dreams. Ephesians 3:20, mentions that Christ is able to do exceedingly, abundantly far above all you can ever ask or imagine – by His power that works in us! And we are going to be seeing exactly what that looks like today, in Psalms 91.
Now as mentioned, last week, we looked at verse 1, and the foundation of our personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Today we look at all that is included therein, as alluded to in Romans 8:32.
Let’s begin today with verse 2… be ready for a wild ride!
Verse 2 says:
“I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.”
And already right here we see some amazing things! Firstly, what can we say about the LORD? That He is our refuge and fortress, and in Him will I trust!
Notice as mentioned in depth last week, that this is all in personal context… He is my refuge. He is my fortress. In Him will I trust. This is still all about the relationship between you and God, and it’s important to know His Character, and His intent. He is to you a refuge and a fortress. And He is someone in whom you can safely trust.
The word for refuge in Hebrew, refers to a shelter or a bunker against small attacks – and the word for fortress, refers to a heavily armored and reinforced structure able to withstand large attacks and all-out assaults! So what is left? Nothing!
So whether it is the small attacks in day-to-day life, or the large assaults that people fear, you are protected by the LORD!
This is a far cry from what some people say about God today. Some people say of the LORD that He causes them to stumble, or allows sickness, disease and trouble in their lives to teach them lessons or to keep them humble (and we have dealt with that argument in many studies in the past). However this verse tells us what we really should be saying about the LORD and shows us what He really does. We should be confessing the truth about God… we can trust in His protection.
And by the way, trust doesn’t mean that you will never feel any apprehension. The feeling may be there – the emotion may be present… but you act on the truth of God promises in Christ, even in the face of that apprehension. You don’t allow fear and doubt to rule your life or dictate your decisions.
Moving on to verse 3:
“Surely he shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.”
We have another promise of deliverance, this time regarding traps, sickness and disease!
First of all, the snare of the fowler is a marvelous picture of anyone who tries to lay a trap against you, whether it is another person, or even a spiritual force! Regardless of what it is, you are delivered from it – not by your own strength, or knowledge or wisdom, but by Christ!
Notice that He also delivers you from the noisome pestilence. Again, the Hebrew here indicates serious plagues or epidemics… the kinds of things we always hear about on the news… that send most people into panic. But we have a wonderful promise of God regarding it right here, for those that are in Christ.
Verse 4:
“He shall cover you with his feathers, and under his wings shall you trust: his truth shall be your shield and buckler.”
More promises of protection… are you starting to see a pattern here?
Being covered with His feathers is both a picture of comfort and security, as well as shade. Like the way that a mothering bird covers her young with her wings. And again we have a reinforcement of trust… that we can trust in the protection of God.
We see that His truth (that is the truth of Christ and His promises) is our shield and buckler.
Now just as with the refuge and bunker from the earlier verse, The word “shield” here is a large shield, and the word “buckler” is a small shield. In other words: protection for every situation.
It is His truth, the truth of the finished work of Jesus Christ which guards us.
This just gets better and better! Moving on to verses 5 and 6:
“You shall not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flies by day;
Nor for the pestilence that walks in darkness; nor for the destruction that wastes at noonday.”
This is a big one for a lot of people, because we have been trained, many of us, to adopt a default position of worry. We worry about the future, about circumstances, about whatever the media tells us or whatever our minds can think up.
However these verses say that You shall not be afraid of the terror by night. That is, things and circumstances that we are not expecting – things which we can’t see coming!
And the arrow that flies by day naturally, are the attacks that come directly at us. Either way, we do not fear them!
We also do not fear the pestilence that walks in darkness, that is sicknesses or diseases that you cannot see coming or don’t know about (they are in darkness).
And we also do not fear the destruction that wastes at noonday, anything else, including the well-known, fully seen sicknesses.
Now look at verses 7 through 10 as they continue right on:
“A thousand shall fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand; but it shall not come near you.
Only with your eyes shall you behold and see the reward of the wicked.
Because you have made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, your habitation;
There shall no evil befall you, neither shall any plague come near your dwelling.”
As if the previous verses weren’t clear enough… these here just spell it out plainly. Your protection is absolute!
Now here we need to understand that verse 7 is also a sobering reality that we all must deal with:
A thousand will fall at your side, even ten-thousand at your right-hand.
At your side are people around you… and at your right-hand are people very close to you – even friends and family members.
You may see some of them fall sick and even die. Not everyone avails themselves of the protection of Christ, and it’s extremely hard to watch when it happens… but never-the-less, we cannot let that influence what we know to be true; His protection is real, His protection is present, and we are still safe! This is important, because sometimes the devil will come to you and say “Your grandfather and father both died of this disease, what makes you think it won’t happen to you?” – and indeed, if we didn’t have this assurance in Christ, it would be very troubling, but we do have this assurance, and it is right here in these verses for everyone willing to receive it!
Look at verse 10, let it speak to your spirit. There (in the secret place, in Christ) no evil shall befall you! Is that clear enough?
The word evil used here is an all-inclusive word meaning anything bad or undesirable.
The word befall means to come near, to meet or to be sent.
What’s the take-away here? When we truly live in the secret place of the Most High, nothing bad will even come to meet us. We are so very safe in Christ Jesus! Receive this truth my friend! I know it seems too good to be true – I know all of your logical thinking is screaming “No!” to this – I know that all of the years of religious tradition and training is saying it’s too much! But we have a Savior who specializes in such things! And His promises for you are right here in front of your face! I didn’t write these verses, He did!
Verses 11 and 12, were used of Jesus when He was being tempted:
“For he shall give his angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways.
They shall bear you up in their hands, lest you dash your foot against a stone.”
We see here that these verses are also true of us. How can that be possible? Because we are one with Christ! We are in Him and one with Him through the unification of the cross and His redemptive work!
And notice, the angels don’t drive you into the rocks. They don’t force you into them (we shouldn’t purposefully walk into the rocks either!) but the angels are charged with the duty of carrying you over the rocks that are laid in your path – so you don’t even stub your toe on them!
Pretty awesome!
We’re not even done yet! Look at verse 13:
“You shall tread on the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shall you trample under feet.”
These are two pictures of the devil… because there are two ways in which he presents himself and his lies.
One is as a lion where he roars at you, tries to make you afraid, he tries to make you tremble – he presents pictures of an angry and demanding god, all to try and make you withdraw.
The other way he comes at you is as an adder, or a snake. Where his lies will be more subtle, more crafty, more devious. The enemy will stay hidden and strike from the camouflage.
Regardless of which way he uses, notice that we are treading over him. We are above him.. we are stepping on him, because we are seated with Christ, far above all principality and rule and might and dominion! (Ephesians 1:21-2:6) He has indeed set you on high, as verse 14 states.
My friend, as we close this study today, I want you to see, and reflect on; meditate on, the full spectrum of protection, provision and blessing, in the verses which we have read today. There is nothing left out, nothing left unmanaged, nothing forgotten. Total, absolute protection, provision, health and blessing, all for one simple reason: His divine love, His relationship, His oneness with you.
So to summarize, in part 1, we explored the beginning of how all of this comes, through the personal relationship with Christ.
Today, in part 2, we looked at the many benefits of that relationship,
Next in part 3, we will conclude, with the final two verses of Psalms 91, which bring it back home to our relationship with Christ.
So stay tuned, and be blessed.
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