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My Refuge and My Fortress
91 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
I 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,
nor the arrow that flies by day,
nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness,
nor 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 recompense of the wicked.
Because you have made the LORD your dwelling place—
the Most High, who is my refuge—
no evil shall be allowed to befall you,
no plague 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,
lest you strike your foot against a stone.
You will tread on the lion and the adder;
the young lion and the serpent you will trample underfoot.
“Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him;
I will protect him, because he knows my name.
When he calls to me, I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble;
I will rescue him and honor him.
With long life I will satisfy him
and show him my salvation.”
(ESV)
Psalm 91 Commentary
by Brad Boyles
Whoever goes to the LORD for safety, whoever remains under the protection of the Almighty, 2 can say to him, “You are my defender and protector. You are my God; in you I trust.”
Psalms 91:1-2 GNB
Consider how many times in Scripture God says, “I will fight for you.” I can think of three instances just off the top of my head…
“The LORD will fight for you while you keep silent.”
Exodus 14:14 NASB
for the LORD your God is the one who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.’
Deuteronomy 20:4 NASB
“No weapon that is formed against you will prosper; And every tongue that accuses you in judgment you will condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, And their vindication is from Me,” declares the LORD.
Isaiah 54:17 NASB
The NT echoes the same idea.
What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us?
Romans 8:31 NASB
But the Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen and protect you from the evil one.
2 Thessalonians 3:3 NASB
The application is simple but powerful. God is our strength and our refuge. He should be the first place we go in times of trouble. He wants to be that place of shelter for us and He has proven Himself time and time again. We consistently wander to pleasures that do not satisfy. This is something I’ve been trying to unravel practically in my life. Often, I resort to other methods to satisfy my brokenness.
This could be vegging out in front of the TV, gorging myself with food, or even spending money on something I really want. Often, we don’t realize just how much we go to these idols to distract ourselves from reality. The problem still remains. We are not strengthened or protected.
What are the idols distracting you from God’s strength and protection? How do you respond when chaos hits? As you take a mental inventory, I’m sure you will discover, like me, that we go to these false idols far too often. God is waiting, ready to provide the refuge you long for.