Psalm 91 : Safety Abiding in His Presence

"And it will come about in the last days that the mountain of the house of the Lord will be established as the chief of the mountains... and the peoples will stream to it.  Many nations will come and say, ‘Come and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord And to the house of God and Jacob... that He may teach us about His ways and that we may walk in His paths.’"  Micah 4:1,2

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—Passage Links:  Deuteronomy 27:1-3, 9-26 ,  Deuteronomy 33:26-29

Deuteronomy 34:1-8:   And Moses went up from the plains of Moab to Mount Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, which is opposite Jericho. And the LORD showed him all the land, Gilead as far as Dan, all Naph'tali, the land of E'phraim and Manas'seh, all the land of Judah as far as the Western Sea,  the Negeb, and the Plain, that is, the valley of Jericho the city of palm trees, as far as Zo'ar.  And the LORD said to him, "This is the land of which I swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, 'I will give it to your descendants.' I have let you see it with your eyes, but you shall not go over there."  So Moses the servant of the LORD died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the LORD,  and he buried him in the valley in the land of Moab opposite Beth-pe'or; but no man knows the place of his burial to this day.  Moses was a hundred and twenty years old when he died; his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated.  And the people of Israel wept for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days; then the days of weeping and mourning for Moses were ended.

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Psalm 91 was written at the time of the last days of Moses life.  He had just delivered God's laws and commands before the people.   When they reached the Jordan at the border of Canaan, many still held on to their unbelief and rebellion and did not live to cross over to the Promised Land.  The days of Moses came to an end here--he died on the mountain at the age of 120 years.  It is important to look at the time period in view of Old Testament history.  The new covenant had not yet been given and the law of God is what the people were commanded to live by.  The Israelite's were murmurers and complainers.  They were never satisfied.  They constantly stirred up God's anger towards them.  Moses was their only intercessor.

 Truth for today:  Nothing can touch those who are under Gods protection and care. Trusting in God we can rest securely.  We will not be immune to difficulties, but  for the one who takes refuge and joyfully trusts and loves and serves Him—in the midst of difficulty there is security.

 There  is no other promise better than this!  The Lord God is a secure defense for those who take refuge in him. The one who takes refuge in God will be as His children.  His almighty power will be spread around them during the night of peril and trouble. The picture is a protective “shadow”--like  a mother bird which hovers over her young.  He will rescue from “the snare of the Fowler. ”   As the mother bird covers her young with her wings, so God protects his own with His truth.  His faithfulness to his promises— is a defense (a shield) against many dangers.

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Psalm 91  There is Safety of Abiding in the Presence of God

1     He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow

     of the Almighty.

²     I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress—my God, in Him I will trust.”

³     Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the perilous pestilence.

⁴     He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge—

     His truth shall be your shield and buckler.

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⁵     You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, nor of the arrow that flies by day,

⁶     Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, nor of the destruction that lays waste

     at noonday.

⁷     A thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand—

      but it shall not come near you.

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⁸     Only with your eyes shall you look, and see the reward of the wicked.

⁹     Because you have made the Lord, who is my refuge, even the Most High, your dwelling place.

¹⁰     No evil shall befall you, nor shall any plague come near your dwelling—

¹¹     For He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways.

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¹²     In their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone.

¹³     You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra,

     The young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot.

¹⁴     “Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him—

     I will set him on high, because he has known My name.

¹⁵     He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him,

     I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him.

¹⁶     With long life I will satisfy him, and show him My salvation.”