Perfect Safety and Peace



Psalm 91
1He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
2I will say to the Lord, “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 pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.
5You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day,
6nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness, nor the destruction that wastes at noonday.
7A thousand may fall at your side, 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 dwelling place— the Most High, who is my refuge—
10no evil shall be allowed to befall you, no plague come near your tent.
11For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways.
12On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.
13You 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.
15When he calls to me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him.
16With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.”

This is easily one of the most treasured of the Psalms, at least in our time, as it was put to a haunting melody by Michael Joncas in 1977 and sung frequently over the last 40 years. You most commonly heart it at funerals as a song of comfort for the mourners although the psalm itself isn’t about death.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c0t3w9ZYsTo

Psalm 90, which precedes this poem, is about death and God’s mastery over it. But this prayer is about hope and the source of our security and strength. The visual images stirred by these words is undeniable. Ones sees oneself fleeing to the only available safe place – the fortress of God. There, one may stand in God’s divine protection and be absolutely certain that nothing will prevail against you that He does not allow. And while you are there, even if calamity should fall, He is there to be your Rock and strength in the trouble. He is the only sure source of rescue and as such, all of your cares can be cast upon Him.

The Apostle Peter shares the same idea in His Epistle to the Church.

1 Peter 5:6–11
6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, 7 casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. 8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9 Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. 10 And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. 11 To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Peter acknowledges that there will be attacks. To say anything else would be to lie. But while in the fortress you have the power to withstand anything.

Faith in Him does not transport a person into a never-never land of pure delights, as every believer well knows. There are indeed times when he too is in trouble and has need to call on God to deliver and rescue him. Nevertheless he who dwells in the shelter of the Most High can rest assured that there is no mishap or disaster which He cannot deflect. If He so wills it, no evil can befall him and no scourge can come near his tent.
Roehrs, W. H., & Franzmann, M. H. (1998). Concordia self-study Commentary (p. 385). St. Louis, MO: CPH.

This psalm is so rich in comfort and peace that each verse demands attention. I believe fully that each person who reads it today will find a verse (or two) that strikes their heart and soul, bringing peace, strength, and comfort. That’s how good this prayer is and it deserves our attention and perhaps memorization. At the very least, zero in on that verse that speaks to you today and give it some serious meditation time. The blessings will be yours in the discipline.

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