UBF Daily Bread

REST IN THE SHADOW OF THE ALMIGHTY

Passage: Psalm 91:1~16

Key verse: 1

Psalm 91

¹Whoever dwells in the shelter^(A) of the Most High
will rest in the shadow^(B) of the Almighty.^[a]
²I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge^(C) and my fortress,^(D)
my God, in whom I trust.”

³Surely he will save you
    from the fowler’s snare^(E)
    and from the deadly pestilence.^(F)
⁴He will cover you with his feathers,
    and under his wings you will find refuge;^(G)
    his faithfulness will be your shield^(H) and rampart.
⁵You will not fear^(I) the terror of night,
    nor the arrow that flies by day,
⁶nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,
    nor the plague that destroys at midday.
⁷A thousand may fall at your side,
    ten thousand at your right hand,
    but it will not come near you.
⁸You will only observe with your eyes
    and see the punishment of the wicked.^(J)

⁹If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,”
    and you make the Most High your dwelling,
¹⁰no harm^(K) will overtake you,
    no disaster will come near your tent.
¹¹For he will command his angels^(L) concerning you
    to guard you in all your ways;^(M)
¹²they will lift you up in their hands,
    so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.^(N)
¹³You will tread on the lion and the cobra;
    you will trample the great lion and the serpent.^(O)

¹⁴“Because he^[b] loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him;
    I will protect him, for he acknowledges 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.^(P)
¹⁶With long life^(Q) I will satisfy him
    and show him my salvation.^(R)”

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Footnotes

Psalm 91:1 Hebrew Shaddai
Psalm 91:14 That is, probably the king

The psalmist uses four names to describe our God: Elyon (Most High), Shaddai (Almighty), Jehovah (LORD), and Elohim (God). In using these names, he declares that our God’s power, faithfulness, and glory are beyond comparison. The psalmist knew firsthand that God alone is our refuge and fortress. He found rest in the shadow of God and so can we.

Our God is able to deliver us from our enemies and spare us from devastating pestilences and plagues. God routinely intervenes on behalf of his children and protects them. Haven’t we all experienced this? To claim these promises of God, one must take refuge in the Lord and dwell in him. For believers, it means abiding in Jesus and walking in his Spirit. It means living a life of prayer and meditation on God’s word. Are you dwelling in the Most High? Then you will surely experience the life and victory of Christ. He is the one who has trampled the serpent and the lion on our behalf.

In the final stanza of the psalm, the Lord himself confirms all these wonderful promises. He will rescue and protect the one who loves him and acknowledges him. He will answer their prayers, be present in their times of trouble, and satisfy them with the joy of his salvation.

Prayer: Father, teach us to dwell in your presence. Help us to take refuge and rest in you.

One Word: Dwell in the shelter of the Most High