Walk through this psalm with me…italics are mine–everything else is from HIM!!!!
1 Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
Love this. Picturing myself in HIS shadow?! Think about that for a second. How CLOSE would you have to be to actually BE RESTING in someone’s shadow?
The Hebrew word for Almighty here that was really used was Shaddai. While “El Shaddai” translates “all sufficient God”–the word here is simple Shaddai. El translates to mean “God”–and Shaddai? Means MANY things in the English language. You must know this to know who you are resting in here…
Shaddai in Hebrew is a contraction of a phrase that means “it is enough”. Ever have those seasons where you feel if another thing goes wrong–you might just fall over in tears? Your Shaddai says, “IT IS ENOUGH! I have got this!!! Now REST in my shadow!” The root word of Shaddai refers to MOUNTAINS…GREATNESS…BIGNESS. And now you can see how adding “El” (God) before this translates to “all sufficient God”. But here…it is a word that encompasses something GREAT FINISHING where you end. So rest…He has this what is on your heart today.
2 I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”
This verse reminds me of Elizabeth Elliot’s quote “We are not raising our children on a playground but on a battlefield.” YET…on this battlefield–where is OUR FORTRESS? Go back and read verse 2 again!!! Oh my…we have nothing to fear!
3 Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence.
I love the word SURELY here. When the word surely is used–it is to emphasize what the speaker is saying IS TRUE!
4 He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
This verse REALLY struck me. Probably because a young girl walked up to me tonight and told me that she felt the Lord wanted me to be encouraged by Psalm 91. So of course–I came home to read this. After losing that sweet bird this weekend–tenderly stroking his feathers…thinking about how a mother bird cares for and protects her young…how beautiful to think of our Savior COVERING us with protection…here–we just went from being safe in His shadow…to now being UNDER HIS WINGS. And His faithfulness??? How long He will keep you there??? He will your shield–and if that isn’t a good enough picture for you…then how about a rampart? Yes–a WALL…build to defend…that nothing can get through. DO YOU BELIEVE HE IS THIS FOR YOU???!!! His faithfulness WILL be your shield and rampart!
5 You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, 6 nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,
nor the plague that destroys at midday.
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 observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked.
Through His power you will not fear the “what ifs”. He is enough. Now get this—things will hit close to home…right at our side…at our right hand–but it will not come near?! We are PROMISED He will keep us safe–and we must also remember the war that is being fought it not just of this world. SO–while we see things happening oh too close for comfort and we feel some times all is not as it should be–we can trust–that it will not come near us–and that ultimately we are safe in His hands.
9 If you say, “The LORD is my refuge,” and you make the Most High your dwelling,
10 no harm will overtake you, no disaster will come near your tent.
Pay close attention to the IF here. AND the AND. I can say the Lord is my refuge and keep walking—but the IF is for both…saying and also LIVING as if the Lord is my refuge…believing this–and MAKING the MOST HIGH my dwelling.
11 For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways;
12 they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
Now if verse 11 isn’t the most AMAZING, HUMBLING, INCREDIBLE mental picture…I don’t know what is!!!! Oh to carry this with me!
13 You will tread on the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent.
14 “Because he loves me,” says the LORD, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
15 He will call on 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.”
Trouble WILL come. But He promises that He will be with me. And with you. And He will rescue. He will protect. And that He will DELIVER. And HONOR. He will SATISFY. And ultimately…show you His salvation. We can rest assured–as His children He will answer us when we call on Him. Oh what sweet promises!!! Thankful He is my refuge!
Thank ya’ll for letting me not only share our crazy life–but also walking through amazing things He teaching through scripture to our hearts. How thankful I am that He is my refuge!!!
P.S. Okay ya’ll–I was looking online and low and behold–I ran across my ultrasound;) Had to share;)
Crazy to think that THIS time next year our sweet girl could be home with us. So much to pray about and pray over. And this momma’s heart can’t help but wonder how old she’ll be, what her personality will be like and all the big and little things every momma knows. Some times I let the world influence me and I worry others may think we’ve lost our minds and we’re crazy. And then I remember it’s not the world we follow but the Lord–and we have felt His guiding and He can be trusted. If I really believe God is real and who He says He is–and I DO…then I cannot live for the things of this world but instead how He leads us and for things that have eternal value. My heart is so excited to get to be a mommy again to a precious little girl…one thing I think every little girl needs is a mommy and daddy of her very own. I can’t WAIT to have another little pig-tail wearing princess running around our home! And most of all–I pray she, too, finds her refuge in her ultimate Father in heaven. Dear Lord…will you cover your protective hands on our little girl now–will you help her rest each night in peace without fear–will you assure her heart that she is already deeply loved and she has not been forgotten.
P.S.S. THIS is how I spent my mother’s day weekend…
With my newest sweetie—who it was our first Mother’s Day together…AND with MY MOMMA! And of course crackin’ up at Frankie baby in his NEW independent stage. He doesn’t want anyone to hold him so much–he insisted he could see the ball game himself without anyone’s help. How cute is that?
BUT eventually—he gave in. (Don’t you just love how he wears his hat–he pulls it way down and makes his little ears poke out. Such a mess!)
by admin
Thank you, Andrea, for sharing when the Lord speaks to you and allowing Him to also speak to us through these scriptures! It is so beautiful and encouraging. Oh how we all need to just take shelter under His wings and in His shadow sometimes! As mothers we are always taking care of everyone else…it is wonderful to remember that there is someone who is always willing and ready to take care of us.
I love your ultrasound, by the way! Can’t wait to see that sweet face =)
Hey Andrea! I am just catching up on posts – SOOOO excited y’all are going to adopt a little girl from China!! Maybe we’ll be going to China around the same time, who knows?! Super excited to follow your newest journey orchestrated by the Lord Himself!
Our orphans ministry team is slowly evolving. We are getting some great ideas together. Thanks again for all of your help/advice, and taking time out of your mommy schedule to talk to me personally.
Praying for your sweet family!
And hope you don’t mind if I use the precious ultrasound pic on my blog at some point. 😉
Oh my, this post couldn’t have come at a better time for me. I have been reading/studying Psalm 91 for about a week now. I just love how every time I read this Psalm, my personal relationship w/God grows stronger. I have been also using http://www.psalm91.org as a study guide this week. It’s great! Thank you for being such an inspiration and showing us your faith through actions.
Blessings
Rachel
Love this post!!!