Daily Devotional Sunday 30th July 2023
by William Moody
Psalm 91
My Refuge and My Fortress
91:1 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
2 I will say1 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 refuge2—
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.”Footnotes
[1] 91:2
Septuagint He will say
[2] 91:9Or For you, O Lord, are my refuge! You have made the Most High your dwelling place (ESV)
This is a great Psalm of faith in the Lord’s protection as we shelter in the shadow of the Almighty (v1-2). The Lord protects us from the snares of life and covers us with His wings (v3-4). This confidence in the Lord takes away fear regarding what will happen in the future (v5-6).
The Psalmist has truly an amazing confidence in battle (v7-8). The Lord was more real and more powerful to the Psalmist than anyone else.
Having faith in the Lord brings protection (v9-10) including from the Lord’s angels (v11-12). Victory is promised over those that oppose God’s people (v13). The Lord will hold His people (v14), He will answer their prayers (v15, rescue them and preserve their lives (v16).
The verses on angels (v11-12) were quoted by Satan to Jesus in order to tempt Jesus to throw Himself from the temple (Matt. 4 v5-7). Having faith in the Lord does not take away our responsibility to be wise. It is interesting the devil quoted verses 11-12 to Jesus but not verse 13. The trampling of the snake he wouldn’t have been so keen to focus on (Genesis 3 v14-15). In Jesus we can know the victory over the devil as we stay close through His word.
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