Do to the coronavirus crisis I have seen many false teachers lately & people in social media, quoting Psalm 91, like it is a protective amulet or a magic spell, even when many of these people that quote it have been disregarding God’s Word in their lives for many years. Sadly they try to get their comfort reciting words out loud to calm their minds & don’t realize what is the most important part that Psalm 91 is talking about, which will bring them the real peace & comfort they are looking for in their distressful times.
Psalm 91 (MEV)
1 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
shall abide (H3885=stay, dwell, remain) under the shadow of the Almighty.
2 I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress,
my God in whom I trust.”
3 Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the hunter
and from the deadly pestilence.
4 He shall cover you with His feathers,
and under His wings you shall find protection;
His faithfulness shall be your shield and wall.
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 pursues in darkness,
nor of the destruction that strikes at noonday.
7 A thousand may fall at your side
and ten thousand at your right hand,
but it shall not come near you.
8 Only with your eyes shall you behold
and see the reward of the wicked.
9 Because you have made the Lord, who is my refuge,
even the Most High, your dwelling (H4583=an abode),
10 there shall be no evil befall you,
neither shall any plague come near your tent;
11 for He shall give His angels charge over you
to guard you in all your ways.
12 They shall bear you up in their hands,
lest you strike your foot against a stone.
13 You shall tread upon the lion and adder;
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,
and I will deliver him and honor him.
16 With long life I will satisfy him
and show him My salvation.
When we have a relationship with God trough Jesus Christ (the only way to the Father –John 14:6 & 1:12), then we’ll choose to leave behind the world’s ways in favor of a lifestyle that is pleasing to Him, according to His teachings, (because we love Him), and we’ll look to spend time drawing near to Him, then He will draw near to us (James love for Him 4:8).
“Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep (G5083 -To observe, hold fast) my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode(G3438=dwelling) with him.” John 14:23-24. (Compare G5083: to observe, with Mat. 28:20)
This is how we dwell or abide under the shadow of the Almighty. When we obey His Word we are showing our LOVE for Him. (It’s an obedience out of love, we love because He first loved us). We draw near to Him to correspond to His love & then He will draw near to us. This is Jesus talking in John 14 verse 23, He says the Father & Him will come & abide with that person, the Holy Spirit is already here leading us.
Now read again the promises for us written in Psalm 91:14-16, there is a condition, these promises are for those who LOVE HIM back:
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,
and I will deliver him and honor him.
16 With long life I will satisfy him
and show him My salvation.
It is His presence that protect us (vs.9) from the enemies harm, not the reciting of words with an empty heart, without relationship or understanding. (Remember even satan chose to cite from Psalm 91:11-12 with out love for Him when said: “For it is written, ‘He shall give His angels charge concerning you,’ and ‘In their hands they shall lift you up, lest at any time you dash your foot against a stone” Matt.4:1-11 & we know how he ends).
We Christians take our cross daily (Luke 9:23) to put to die our own sinful (fleshy) ambitions, & live by faith in Him and FOR HIM! See series to be Born again. So no matter if we live, we live for Him, or if we die, we go to Him! Only knowing that you belong to Him & that your life is in His hands, only then, you will not be afraid of the terror by night nor of the pestilence, or anything the enemy may bring your way. And because your life is hidden in Him then you will be in complete peace if He decides to call you anytime, according to His purpose. Meanwhile we continue keeping His Word/loving Him.
I believe some people, mainly grandparents that abide in Him may depart during these coronavirus pandemic (we ALL will depart one day!), because they have finished their race & the Lord have been protecting them for many years, but also may be removing them because of more harms that are coming our way in these last days & He wants to spare them from that out of love & mercy. God didn’t make this pandemic, it was man–made (video), to bring in place the system of the Antichrist. But our Lord will allow it, & He will soon start to clean His church (1 Peter 4:17). If you are a Christian you should have peace in Him & praise Him no matter the circumstances that surround us, if you are afraid or anxious them please draw close to Him now & abide under the shadow of the Almighty God.
I pray the Lord will bless you, protect you from any attack of the enemy & give you strength during difficult times ahead, but mainly I pray that you will always draw near to Him to find peace & comfort in His presence. Beloved this is not our home, be always ready to go home to Him! Jn. 14:1-3.