#822 Dwelling

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High

will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.

2 I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress,

my God, in whom I trust.”

3 For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler

and from the deadly pestilence.

4 He will cover you with his pinions,

and under his wings you will find refuge;

his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.

5 You will not fear 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 see the recompense of the wicked.

9 Because you have made the Lord your dwelling place—

the Most High, who is my refuge—

10 no evil shall be allowed to befall you,

no plague come near your tent.

11 For he will command his angels concerning you

to guard you in all your ways.

12 On their hands they will bear you up,

lest you strike your foot against a stone.

13 You will tread on the lion and the adder;

the young lion and the serpent you will trample underfoot.

14 “Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him;

I will protect him, because he knows my name.

15 When he calls to me, I will answer him;

I will be with him in trouble;

I will rescue him and honor him.

16 With long life I will satisfy him

and show him my salvation.” Psalm 91 ESV

A Psalm with no title, but a song of assurance to those who have made the Lord their refuge. Some attribute it to Moses and others, David, but the authorship is uncertain.

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High (Elyon) - We put a lot on our buildings, our towers, but the Son of man had no place to rest His head. In the last Psalm the Lord was Home for Moses and the people wandering in the wilderness.

…6 When I remember You on my bed, I think of You through the watches of the night. 7 For You are my help; I will sing for joy in the shadow of Your wings. 8 My soul clings to You; Your right hand upholds me.… Psalm 63: 6-8

The shadow of the Almighty: “This is an expression which implies great nearness. We must walk very close to a companion, if we would have his shadow fall on us.” (Duncan, cited in Spurgeon)

I will say to the Lord - This is the writer's profession of faith, and I shall profess the same, the Lord is my refuge and my strength, whom shall I fear? I shall trust God, rather than those things which are called into being, for He is without beginning or end, there is no safer place, though the storm blows and the waves rage, I will draw ever closer to my God.

From the snare of the Fowler - Men of no integrity will often lay a block of stumbling, a net or a snare, hoping that your capture is their honor. They will not lift a finger to be great, but to look that way by your looking less, by corrupting, by setting you up for failure, that is the way they know. It is God that delivers us from the liar by giving us the truth. It is God, Who upholds us, when we do not notice our enemy laying his snare. Thy Word, Oh God, is truly a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. Protect me from the Fowler, but also from my own pride and error.

ii. “Lord Craven, a Christian, was a nobleman who was living in London when plague ravaged the city in the fifteenth century. In order to escape the spreading pestilence Craven determined to leave the city for his country home, as many of his social standing did. He ordered his coach and baggage made ready. But as he was walking down one of the halls of his home about to enter his carriage, he overheard one of his servants say to another, ‘I suppose by my Lord’s quitting London to avoid the plague that his God lives in the country and not in town.’ It was a straightforward and apparently innocent remark. But it struck Lord Craven so deeply that he canceled his journey, saying, ‘My God lives everywhere and can preserve me in town as well as in the country. I will stay where I am.’ So he stayed in London. He helped the plague victims, and he did not catch the disease himself.” (Boice)

 Under His wings you will find refuge - What God offers and so few find, they would have none of it, for men trust in chariots and horses, money and politics. The thought of a God, who doesn't do as He is told, who doesn't recognize their works or titles, well crucify Him, of course.

…33 Nevertheless, I must keep going today and tomorrow and the next day, for it is not admissible for a prophet to perish outside of Jerusalem. 34 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those sent to her! How often I have longed to gather your children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were unwilling. 35 Look, your house is left to you desolate. And I tell you that you will not see Me again until you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.’”… Luke 13: 33-35

You will not fear the terror of the night - The dark, unknown and uncertain outcomes will not cripple you with fear. It is a blessing to have faith, hope and love, for faith is certain of God, hope gives strength to the weak and perfect love casts out all fear.

ii. “In life the Lord may permit many terrible things to happen to his children (cf. Job), as he did to his own Son, our Lord. But his children know that no power is out of God’s control.” (VanGemeren)

I am reminded of Joni Eareckson Tada, who after a tragic diving accident, became paralyzed from the neck down. She was a very athletic and active girl, who went into a very dark and suicidal place. God, in His mercy, became her hope and trust, lifting her from suicidal depression to joyous praise and a love that has overflowed to so many others who suffer in this life.

I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have complete boldness, so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. 21 For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 22 But if I go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. So what shall I choose? I do not know.… Philippians 1: 20-22

For He will command His angels concerning you - One angel killed 185,000 men, and these are the servants, creatures of God. Satan drew from this passage to tempt our Lord, and men still to this day draw upon a twisting of Scripture to forward their agendas. The worst and most evil liars profess Christ, and handle the Word of God deceitfully. Their day will come, when they will hear "depart from me, you workers of iniquity, I never knew you."

Angel of the Lord

v. “Let us remember that it is GOD, whose these angels are; HE gives them charge-from HIM they receive their commission, — to HIM they are responsible for their charge. From God thou art to expect them; and for their help he alone is to receive the praise. It is expressly said, He shall give his angels charge; to show that they are not to be prayed to nor praised; but GOD alone, whose servants they are.” (Clarke)

The young lion and the serpent you shall trample under foot - The fear of God makes the roaring of the lion more like the purring of a kitten. Your time is in God's hands, and this is no encouragement to foolish endeavors, but as Paul was bitten by the venomous snake, he shook it off and fulfilled the prophecy of Christ.

ii. There is another interesting connection with the temptation of Jesus in the wilderness. “The Lord’s trust in his Father also resulted in Satan’s defeat, another part of the psalm the devil omitted.” (Boice)

Because he holds fast to me in love - Do you love God or what you think God can do for you? Do you love Him for Who He is or Who you would like for Him to be? He said, "if you love Me keep my commandments". He told us to feed His sheep. Love is a very active thing, and the love of God should be so easily seen in the things of God. Read His Word so you may know Him and what may be done to His glory. Love one another. Love your enemy, your neighbor, and those that can do nothing for you in return. If you love someone you talk to them, you contemplate them, you want to be near them.