November 14, 2013

Psalm 91: positive voice amidst confusion and fear

 This psalm speaks of four positions. I have divided the verses according to these positions with my notes in brackets. This is for today and all the days when you see the descriptions of this psalm around you. You will not be afraid when you know what happens in the spiritual realm and that our God has made a provision for such days for His people, those who are called by His name.

The four positions are: God; the psalmist witness; you and I (those who have believed in Jesus and are now in God's Kingdom); the wicked (those who are still outside God's Kingdom) in God's eyes. 

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Psalm 91

New King James Version (NKJV)

Safety of Abiding in the Presence of God

(the witness speaks and testifies of what God shall do for His own children in His Kingdom)

91 He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High
Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
(God has a place called 'secret place' under His protection. He wants you to live in that place. Where is it? It is right under His shadow, in His presence.)
I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress;
My God, in Him I will trust.”
(We have absolute security there. But we need to say to ourselves, and proclaim this truth. This spoken word shall be our shield and buckler, the armor that we must put on at all times.)
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Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler
And from the perilous pestilence.
He shall cover you with His feathers,
And under His wings you shall take refuge;
His truth shall be your shield and buckler.
(The dangers are real. But God is real and can be trusted. Surely He shall do as He has said. These words of deliverance from actual trap and potential harm are real. God has spoken through the psalmist witness, who knows God and has experienced God. God will do just as He has promised. How shall we receive the protection?  By believing in and proclaiming His words, which are truth. The truth will set us free from any dangerous situations we may be in.)
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You shall not be afraid of the terror by night,
Nor of the arrow that flies by day,
Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness,
Nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday.
A thousand may fall at your side,
And ten thousand at your right hand;
But it shall not come near you.
Only with your eyes shall you look,
And see the reward of the wicked.
(The threats and attacks are real. They can come in any forms, intensities, impacts, times. They cause massive destruction, fears and even death. But our position in Christ is secure. We can even witness the physical damages to people around us.) 
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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.
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.
(How do we receive such supernatural protection? The psalmist witness spoke again. Only one condition is needed; that we make God our dwelling place. In God's presence, no evil spiritual forces or the use of any forms of physical attacks can come near our location, because we live and position ourselves before God in Christ. Our daily movements will be guarded by God's mighty angels, spiritual guards. We have our protection in the spiritual realm. Who are the enemies? a 'stone', something to stumble us and make us fall. 'Serpents and lions'. Spiritual beings. 
 There are two scenario here: when we rest, we are safe in God's presence. When we need to move and carry out our assignments in life, mighty angels will assist us in the spiritual realm.)
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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.”
(God has spoken here. He tells us why He is pleased to deliver and even honor us. he expects us to love Him and know His name, having a close relationship with Him. He has assured again He is pleased to give long life and salvation to us.)
___________In conclusion:

Psalm 92:1-2

New King James Version (NKJV)

Praise to the Lord for His Love and Faithfulness

A Psalm. A Song for the Sabbath day.

92 It is good to give thanks to the Lord,
And to sing praises to Your name, O Most High;
To declare Your lovingkindness in the morning,
And Your faithfulness every night...


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