Psalm 91 has been a source of comfort for Christians for centuries whenever we faced danger or uncertainty of any kind. It has been read, quoted, preached, and prayed with even more conviction and fervor since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Now with the resurgence of cases because of the Delia variant it has again taken on a renewed emphasis in the Christian community.
If we are to keep our equilibrium today, we need the assurance that God is with us––that God loves us and is committed to helping us––that God will redeem even our darkest moments.
Psalm 91 is full of the protection of God full of words like shelter, refuge, fortress, shield, deliver, rescue, and satisfy. It speaks of God’s power, presence, intentions, and protection against fear.
It describes Him as our:
1. Shelter
Psalms 91:1 NIV Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
God is our hiding place, covering us with His good purposes.
2. Shadow
Psalms 91:1 NIV Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
God is over and beyond us—seeing more than we see and knowing more than we know. We can rest in His shadow.
3. Refuge
Psalms 91:2 NIV I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”
He is a safe place for us of security; we climb into Him.
4. Fortress
Psalms 91:2 NIV I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”
He is our defense whose promises cannot be inhibited.
5. Shield
Psalms 91:4 NIV He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
Resting in our God deflects the enemies of fear and doubt in times of trial.
6. Rampart
Psalms 91:4 NIV He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
He is a defense on every side. He knows every part of us and our lives—no aspect is beyond His reach.
7. Dwelling
Psalms 91:9 NIV If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,” and you make the Most High your dwelling,
God’s protection is not fleeting; His protection serves for our continual habitation.
8. Rescuer
Psalms 91:14 NIV “Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
He leads us off with Him, drawing us to Himself and rescuing us from being overcome by the world.
9. Protection
Psalms 91:14 NIV “Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
In His protection, He carries us to an elevated place—by trusting in Him, our minds and hearts become inaccessible to the churning fears below.
If we are to keep our equilibrium today, we need the assurance that God is with us––that God loves us and is committed to helping us––that God will redeem even our darkest moments.
Psalm 91 is full of the protection of God full of words like shelter, refuge, fortress, shield, deliver, rescue, and satisfy. It speaks of God’s power, presence, intentions, and protection against fear.
It describes Him as our:
1. Shelter
Psalms 91:1 NIV Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
God is our hiding place, covering us with His good purposes.
2. Shadow
Psalms 91:1 NIV Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
God is over and beyond us—seeing more than we see and knowing more than we know. We can rest in His shadow.
3. Refuge
Psalms 91:2 NIV I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”
He is a safe place for us of security; we climb into Him.
4. Fortress
Psalms 91:2 NIV I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”
He is our defense whose promises cannot be inhibited.
5. Shield
Psalms 91:4 NIV He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
Resting in our God deflects the enemies of fear and doubt in times of trial.
6. Rampart
Psalms 91:4 NIV He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
He is a defense on every side. He knows every part of us and our lives—no aspect is beyond His reach.
7. Dwelling
Psalms 91:9 NIV If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,” and you make the Most High your dwelling,
God’s protection is not fleeting; His protection serves for our continual habitation.
8. Rescuer
Psalms 91:14 NIV “Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
He leads us off with Him, drawing us to Himself and rescuing us from being overcome by the world.
9. Protection
Psalms 91:14 NIV “Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
In His protection, He carries us to an elevated place—by trusting in Him, our minds and hearts become inaccessible to the churning fears below.
8 Promises
Psalms 18:2 NIV The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. (Emphasis mine)
We serve a God who is not surprised at all by what we face each day. God is sovereign, so he knows all about panic, pandemics, chaos, and confusion. And he is with us no matter what we face.
In one short verse God gives us eight promises we can proclaim—about who He is and how He helps in all our circumstances.
1. The Lord Is My Rock
In times of trouble, when we feel shaky with life’s circumstances, it’s good to know that God is our rock. He is extremely strong and mighty. He is someone we can hold onto when we feel the earth moving. There is no one we can trust who is more reliable than the Lord.
2. The Lord Is My Fortress
God is not susceptible to outside influences. Nothing shakes Him. Nothing is more powerful than our God. Nothing can defeat him.
3. The Lord Is My Deliverer
To deliver means that you are removed from pain or from a situation. That deliverance can come by removing you from the situation or leaving you in the situation and removing the danger or like in Daniel's situation shut the mouth of the lions.
Daniel 6:22 NIV My God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in his sight. Nor have I ever done any wrong before you, Your Majesty.”
4. God Is My God
We can call on God at any time of the day or night. We have direct access to Him and we are invited to come boldly.
Hebrews 4:16 NIV Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
He cares about you.
1 Peter 5:7 NIV Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
No matter the circumstances you experience in life, God will work them together for good.
Romans 8:28 NIV And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
5. God Is My Refuge
A refuge is a shelter of protection from danger or distress. It is like finding a safe place during a storm. The fears we face about this pandemic cause even faithful Christian's moments of unrest. It's at these times we need to set our focus on the Lord. While we are aware of what is happening around us our focus is not on those things our focus is on the Lord and the times, He delivered us from danger in the past.
If He did it before He can and will do it again because He doesn't change.
Hebrews 13:8 NIV Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
Psalms 102:25-27 NIV In the beginning you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. They will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment. Like clothing you will change them and they will be discarded. But you remain the same, and your years will never end.
6. God Is My Shield
God provides protection for us. Our adversary, Satan, walks about like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
1 Peter 5:8-9 NIV Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.
Also keep in mind.
1 John 4:4 NIV You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.
God is our shield, and He has also given us a shield.
Ephesians 6:16 NIV In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.
7. God Is the Horn of My Salvation
The horn is representative of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. It is a promise of future protection for believers. The kind of horn meant is the deadly weapon of the wild ox. The horn is a sign of strength and a means of victory.
Psalms 92:10 NIV You have exalted my horn like that of a wild ox; fine oils have been poured on me.
Micah 4:13 NIV God is the horn of salvation because he uses his power to secure and protect his people. God isn’t the horn of our salvation merely to liberate us, but also to make us holy and righteous people who don’t live in fear because we trust God.
8. God Is My Stronghold
A stronghold is something that has been fortified so it is protected against attack. He’s given us his Word, which guides us and gives us wisdom.
God has also told us in Scripture about how we are to put on the armor of God. With the full armor of God, we will be able to stand against the rulers, the authorities, and the powers of this dark world, as well as stand against the spiritual forces of evil.
Ephesians 6:10-17 NIV Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
Include the promises in these two Psalms as you pray for God's protection even in times like these.
Psalms 18:2 NIV The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. (Emphasis mine)
We serve a God who is not surprised at all by what we face each day. God is sovereign, so he knows all about panic, pandemics, chaos, and confusion. And he is with us no matter what we face.
In one short verse God gives us eight promises we can proclaim—about who He is and how He helps in all our circumstances.
1. The Lord Is My Rock
In times of trouble, when we feel shaky with life’s circumstances, it’s good to know that God is our rock. He is extremely strong and mighty. He is someone we can hold onto when we feel the earth moving. There is no one we can trust who is more reliable than the Lord.
2. The Lord Is My Fortress
God is not susceptible to outside influences. Nothing shakes Him. Nothing is more powerful than our God. Nothing can defeat him.
3. The Lord Is My Deliverer
To deliver means that you are removed from pain or from a situation. That deliverance can come by removing you from the situation or leaving you in the situation and removing the danger or like in Daniel's situation shut the mouth of the lions.
Daniel 6:22 NIV My God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in his sight. Nor have I ever done any wrong before you, Your Majesty.”
4. God Is My God
We can call on God at any time of the day or night. We have direct access to Him and we are invited to come boldly.
Hebrews 4:16 NIV Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
He cares about you.
1 Peter 5:7 NIV Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
No matter the circumstances you experience in life, God will work them together for good.
Romans 8:28 NIV And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
5. God Is My Refuge
A refuge is a shelter of protection from danger or distress. It is like finding a safe place during a storm. The fears we face about this pandemic cause even faithful Christian's moments of unrest. It's at these times we need to set our focus on the Lord. While we are aware of what is happening around us our focus is not on those things our focus is on the Lord and the times, He delivered us from danger in the past.
If He did it before He can and will do it again because He doesn't change.
Hebrews 13:8 NIV Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
Psalms 102:25-27 NIV In the beginning you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. They will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment. Like clothing you will change them and they will be discarded. But you remain the same, and your years will never end.
6. God Is My Shield
God provides protection for us. Our adversary, Satan, walks about like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
1 Peter 5:8-9 NIV Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.
Also keep in mind.
1 John 4:4 NIV You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.
God is our shield, and He has also given us a shield.
Ephesians 6:16 NIV In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.
7. God Is the Horn of My Salvation
The horn is representative of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. It is a promise of future protection for believers. The kind of horn meant is the deadly weapon of the wild ox. The horn is a sign of strength and a means of victory.
Psalms 92:10 NIV You have exalted my horn like that of a wild ox; fine oils have been poured on me.
Micah 4:13 NIV God is the horn of salvation because he uses his power to secure and protect his people. God isn’t the horn of our salvation merely to liberate us, but also to make us holy and righteous people who don’t live in fear because we trust God.
8. God Is My Stronghold
A stronghold is something that has been fortified so it is protected against attack. He’s given us his Word, which guides us and gives us wisdom.
God has also told us in Scripture about how we are to put on the armor of God. With the full armor of God, we will be able to stand against the rulers, the authorities, and the powers of this dark world, as well as stand against the spiritual forces of evil.
Ephesians 6:10-17 NIV Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
Include the promises in these two Psalms as you pray for God's protection even in times like these.
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