“He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.”

 

To many of us, these words may be a familiar promise, a comfort that we turn to in the face of difficulty. And as this poem found in Psalm 91 continues to demonstrate, we’re meant to find comfort in the shelter of our faith in an all-powerful God. However, as I’ve read this psalm in the last few weeks, I’ve also begun to recognize the invitation that’s offered to us within it — and throughout our walk with the Lord.

 

First, I want to share a few parts of the psalm that specifically reveal this radical invitation to trust in God — beginning with the opening line: “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.” Even in everyday life, a shelter doesn’t materialize over our heads when a rainstorm starts or the summer sun beats down — we have to be the ones to choose to find that shelter and step into its protection. Similarly, we’re invited to abide in the shadow of the Almighty — a picture of the close relationship we can have with God if we’re willing to walk close enough to Him to remain in His shadow.

 

Later on in the psalm, it’s shared that “you will not be afraid of the terror by night, or of the arrow that flies by day; of the pestilence that stalks in darkness, or of the destruction that lays waste at noon.” How is it possible not to fear these things that could completely upend our lives? The writer explains, “For you have made the LORD, my refuge, even the Most High, your dwelling place.” Again, the power to not fear in the midst of harsh circumstances doesn’t come out of nowhere — it’s revealed through that conscious choice to make God our dwelling place, where we let our hearts rest and find comfort and safety.

 

Radical trust in the Lord isn’t something that’s easy to walk out. The season I’m currently in has been one of countless transitions, for both me personally and people around me that I’ve grown close to. As I face these difficult changes, I’ve been challenged by Psalm 91 to walk even nearer to God, so close that I’m in His shadow and finding my rest in His love for me. Even knowing circumstances will be different than they’ve ever been before, as I choose to trust, I find freedom from fear.

 

No matter what circumstances you’re facing right now, my encouragement is for you to read through the promises in this psalm and look for ways you can step out in faith to believe God for what He says He will be in your life. His faithfulness is truly what we can put our hope in!

A song inspired by this psalm that's encouraged me lately is

"Psalm 91" by Jonathan Ogden. Click below to listen!