He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
— Psalm 91:1
We live in a time when fear seems to be stalking the land, even the world. It is a time of crisis, we are told—certainly a time when dangers are very real. I thought, therefore, that we would start the year by turning to one of the most comforting and assuaging passages of Scripture: the ninety-first Psalm.
There is a wonderful promise in Psalm 91. “He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.” The Hebrew word for “shadow” here originally meant “shade,” or “shadow,” then it came to mean a “covering,” and then it came to mean a “protection.”
Those who dwell in the secret place of the most High shall dwell under the protection of the Almighty, and there is nothing that can hinder them, even as the Israelites, when they came forth out of Egypt, had the pillar of fire by night and the pillar of cloud by day. They had God on their right hand and God on their left; God in the forward and God in the rearward. They were guarded by omnipotence and guided by omniscience. There was none that could overwhelm them. They dwelt in the protection of the Almighty.
Question to ponder:
As you start a new year, how do you picture God’s protection over you?