Psalms 91:1-16: a reflection

1He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. 2I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress; my God, in whom I trust.” 3For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler, and from the deadly pestilence. 4He will cover you with his feathers. Under his wings you will take refuge. His faithfulness is your shield and rampart. 5You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, nor of the arrow that flies by day, 6nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, nor of the destruction that wastes at noonday. 7A thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand; but it will not come near you. 8You will only look with your eyes, and see the recompense of the wicked. 9Because you have made the LORD your refuge, and the Most High your dwelling place, 10no evil shall happen to you, neither shall any plague come near your dwelling. 11For he will put his angels in charge of you, to guard you in all your ways. 12They will bear you up in their hands, so that you won’t dash your foot against a stone. 13You will tread on the lion and cobra. You will trample the young lion and the serpent underfoot. 14“Because he has set his love on me, therefore I will deliver him. I will set him on high, because he has known my name. 15He will call on me, and I will answer him. I will be with him in trouble. I will deliver him, and honor him. 16I will satisfy him with long life, and show him my salvation.”

This psalm of protection opens with a promise that hinges on a particular word: He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. Notice the word: dwells. The promise is to the one who dwells in God's shelter, who makes God his habitual dwelling place, not merely fleeing to him in a crisis and then leaving. The one who abides in God, making him his dwelling, rests under his protection. It is not the occasional visitor to God's shelter, but the one who dwells there, who knows this rest.

Notice the promise's condition: it is to the one who dwells in God's shelter, who abides there. The psalm does not merely say the one who flees to God in trouble; it says the one who dwells in the secret place of the Most High, who makes God his habitual dwelling place. There is a difference between fleeing to God only in crisis, as an occasional refuge, and dwelling in him, making him our constant habitation. The promise of rest and protection is to the one who dwells in God, who abides there habitually, not merely visits in emergency. To dwell in God is to make him our constant shelter.

That is worth taking to heart, for we can treat God as an occasional refuge in crisis rather than our habitual dwelling place. We can flee to God only when trouble strikes, treating him as an emergency shelter, and then leave when the crisis passes; but the psalm's promise is to the one who dwells in God, who abides there habitually, making him his constant home. Do not treat God as merely an occasional refuge for emergencies; dwell in him, making him your habitual dwelling place, abiding in his shelter constantly, not only in crisis. Make God your dwelling place, abiding in him always rather than fleeing to him only in trouble, as the psalm promises rest to the one who dwells in the secret place of the Most High; for the deepest rest and protection belong to the one who dwells in God habitually, not merely the one who visits in emergency.

Lord, this psalm of protection opens with a promise that hinges on a particular word: he who dwells in the secret place of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. Notice the word: dwells. The promise is to the one who dwells in your shelter, who makes you his habitual dwelling place, not merely fleeing to you in a crisis and then leaving. The one who abides in you, making you his dwelling, rests under your protection. Show me the promise's condition: it is to the one who dwells in your shelter, who abides there. The psalm does not merely say the one who flees to you in trouble; it says the one who dwells in the secret place of the Most High. There is a difference between fleeing to you only in crisis and dwelling in you, making you our constant habitation. The promise of rest and protection is to the one who dwells in you, who abides there habitually. Take that to my heart, for I can treat you as an occasional refuge in crisis rather than my habitual dwelling place. I can flee to you only when trouble strikes, treating you as an emergency shelter, and then leave when the crisis passes; but the psalm's promise is to the one who dwells in you, who abides there habitually. Keep me from treating you as merely an occasional refuge for emergencies; help me dwell in you, making you my habitual dwelling place, abiding in your shelter constantly, not only in crisis. Help me make you my dwelling place, Lord, abiding in you always rather than fleeing to you only in trouble.