His faithfulness
… His faithfulness is a shield and buckler. Psalm 91:4b, ESV
First, let’s take a quick look at this shield and buckler. According to Strong’s Concordance, the shield mentioned here is large and covers the whole body. As for the buckler, some references describe it as smaller (Merriam Webster), portable (biblestudytools.com), and often worn on the forearm or held by a handle (forwhatsaiththescriptures.org). As a result, I like to think of this shield/buckler duo as defensive spiritual weaponry, able to cover ALL incoming attacks against me, whether large or small.
Moreover, as I’ve been praying through Psalm 91, this phrase—His faithfulness is my shield and my buckler—has revolutionized my thinking about FAITH IN GOD. Follow with me as I explain.
You see, I have listened to some of the premiere preachers on the topic throughout the past 40 or so years and felt I “knew” just about all there was about faith, having been taught by the best. And yet when push came to shove, whenever a situation arose which demanded faith on my part, I often struggled, wondering if my faith was sufficient.
I knew that in Ephesians 6, one article in the full armor of God is the shield of faith. I also knew that according to Ephesians 6:16, the shield of faith quenches every flaming missile of the evil one. And here, in Psalm 91:4, I read that GOD’S faithfulness itself was my shield and buckler.
Since God provides us with the shield of faith, and since His very own faithfulness is also our shield and buckler, my lightning-fast mind started sniffing out a connection! Could it be that individual human faith—as limited as it often seems to be—was actually a product of the big, all-encompassing faithfulness of God? I was on to something!
I had been taught to have faith in my faith. Well, my faith sometimes seemed pretty shoddy, to tell you the truth, and trying to rustle up faith in my pipsqueak faith left me discouraged, not encouraged.
But here, in Psalm 91:4, all the pressure was on God’s faithfulness, not my own faith! The faithfulness of God was a shield in which I could trust without wavering; my own faith, on the other hand tended to rise and fall with my emotions.
Then it hit me: God never called us to trust in our own faith. From the very beginning, all He wanted us to do was to trust in HIM—in HIS faithfulness to us.
It is His faithfulness that is a shield for you. You don’t need to concern yourself one bit with how big or powerful your own faith is; your job is to trust Him and His big, beautiful faithfulness. His job is to shield you.
Once I realized that my faith has been indelibly linked to His faithfulness to shield me, I was finally free. No longer do I need to crank up enough faith. No matter what may come my way, large or small, His faithfulness to me is my shield and my buckler.
And no matter what may come YOUR way, large or small, His faithfulness to you will be your shield and buckler as well!
Dorothy
Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass. 1 Thessalonians 5:24
© Dorothy Frick, 2021
Read MoreFeathers
He shall cover you with His feathers,
And under His wings you shall take refuge…Psalm 91:4a
Feathers? Wings? Why did God chose this avian metaphor to describe His protective nature toward His people?
Think about what Jesus said to the citizens of Jerusalem in Matthew 23:37. “…how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings…”
I believe He chose this metaphor because He wants you to know beyond a shadow of a doubt that He longs to wrap you up His arms, vigilantly guarding you as He keeps a watchful eye over you.
Sadly, the final comment from Jesus’ lips in Matthew 23:37 was this: “…but you were unwilling!” You see, God is a free-will Being, and because of that He respects the free will of each human to choose, reject, or ignore Him, even at the risk of their safety, both now and eternally. But I’m not focusing on subject today, so let’s move on.
What a comfort it is to trust Him as you go through life, knowing that He is near, alert, ready to swoop in to cover you with His protective wings! The more you meditate on this fact, the less fearful you will be when confronted with unsettling thoughts, news, conversations or events. Why? Because you have purposefully made your home in the secret place, becoming increasingly familiar with His loving, mindful heart toward you, and growing in confidence in His protective guardianship.
And if you think you need to be a Bible “guru” to access this awesome protection, think again! A friend of mine shared a story about a relatively new believer she knew who found herself in dire straits, fearing for her life. She believed the Lord loved her and wanted to rescue her from her dilemma, but she couldn’t bring any Scripture to mind. All she could think of was a verse that said something about feathers. Mustering her courage, she cried out to God, “FEATHERS!!” The danger dissipated, and she was safe.
Does that surprise you? It shouldn’t; when you make the Lord your dwelling place and abide under the shadow of His wings, no matter whether you’re proficient or not in the ins and outs of doctrine, He is bonded to you and committed to protect His own who cry out to Him in faith.
Be really glad—He will cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge!
Dorothy
© Dorothy Frick, 2021
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He will deliver you
Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler And from the deadly pestilence. Psalm 91:3
This verse is straightforward. God’s intention is for you to be delivered, pure and simple, from snares and disease.
Surely…
SURELY means the issue is settled. Whenever Jesus said, “Verily, verily…” in the gospels, He was saying “Absolutely. Beyond a shadow of a doubt.” This word “surely” is the exact same thing—God is saying, “I’ve made up My mind. It’s settled.”
He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler…
God is ready and willing to deliver you from danger. He is prepared to rescue you from any pitfall you may encounter. Of course, this doesn’t mean you have liberty to violate the Word of God or your conscience just because “God will cover it, no matter what.”
Remember Psalm 91:1? These promises are for you who seek to put the Lord first place in your life and decisions. (Satan tried to get Jesus to take a flying leap from the top of the Temple by quoting another verse from this Psalm—“Hey! God’s angels will catch You in their hands if You jump! Just do it, and everyone will know You’re God!” Jesus told him, “BUG OFF! I’m not putting My God to this kind of stupid test” (see Matthew 4:5-7; my paraphrase).
God knows how human people are; yet He cares for us nonetheless. Do you seek to put Him first? Then whether you’re perfect or not (and you’re not), He’s prepared to deliver—rescue, snatch you away, recover you, and pluck you out—from every conceivable trap, snare, or danger. He just wants you to look to Him first for help—and help will come.
I’ve experienced several occasions in which God came through for me in a big way. Car accidents were averted, violent people meaning to harm me backed off for no apparent reason (one man threatening to “martyr” my friend and me literally fell over backwards when I quoted God’s Word), and once, about ten years ago, I heard God tell me on a Monday not to mow my lawn on Thursday—no explanation, but when Wednesday came, I reluctantly mowed—and then mid-morning Thursday (my prime mowing time), as I sat looking out of my window—CRASH!! Down came a large silver maple across the width of my back yard—right where I would have been mowing!
The Lord is not limited to delivering you from physical danger, either; He is also keen to the moral, emotional, social, and relational dangers sneaking up on you. He may give you a subtle nudge to avoid a certain party, meeting, or trip; as you yield to His leading, you are sparing yourself unnecessary trouble. Even when someone actively seeks to undermine your reputation, He is willing to deliver you. When you lean on Him in purposeful trust, He’ll show you what to do—and what not to do. Obey Him, and you will see yourself rescued from big fat headaches and heartaches.
… And from the deadly pestilence.
As greatly as He cares for your safety, He also cares about your health. In fact, the Bible says, “He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed” (1 Peter 2:24).
Don’t think the Lord isn’t aware of Covid-19, its variants, and every other disease out there, whether ancient or hot off the press. It’s His stated purpose to SURELY deliver you…from the deadly pestilence. He’s given you the tools to use—common sense and good hygiene knowledge—and has granted wonderful insight into how to build your immune health just for the asking. Above all, He expects you to trust Him with your body. He knows how to protect it; and even if you do contract some disease, SURELY He will be faithful to deliver you and to walk with you through it to the other side.
With everything as out of control as it seems to be now, I can’t think of any better place to park my focus: Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence.
Dorothy
© 2020; updated 2021, Dorothy Frick
Read MoreWhat are you saying of Him?
I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust!” Psalm 91:2
We live in a turbulent time. So many things are happening that can send you into panic. Factions, friction, and fabrications about life and death matters swirl with hurricane force and demand not only your attention, but also your hope, your joy, and your peace. Nothing less than cowering fear, quiet resignation, or rabid anger is allowed in our cultural climate.
And here you stand, child of God. Do you think God was out of His mind for letting you come to this hour, this place, and to these issues? Do you wonder if He forgot how you don’t like this kind of high voltage environment or conflict of any kind?
OR maybe you like it too well. You may find yourself internally raging till the blood vessels pop out all over your neck as you fantasize your next tweet or post or conversation with a member of an opposing political viewpoint.
Or maybe you’re like I am at times—one moment freaked out, the next moment ready to take off someone’s head? (Figuratively speaking, of course.)
No matter your bent, Believer, the only way to achieve the will of God and to ensure that your hope, joy, peace, and sanity remain intact throughout the demonic storm in which we’ve found ourselves is emphasized in this Psalm.
What are you saying of the Lord? If you’ve moved into the Secret Place of the Most High; if you abide under the shadow of the Almighty, you need to SAY SO, especially now.
I don’t care what your personality type is, you need to speak out loud to God and tell Him who He is to you.
You are my Refuge. You, Lord, are my safety and shelter from danger, pursuit, and trouble. You are where I can rest in time of threat or distress. I can run to You and am safe, no matter the peril.
You are my Fortress. You, Sir, are my place of defense. You are a stronghold so fortified that enemy forces cannot break through. In You I am safe, and the evil one touches me not (1 John 5:18).
You are my God. Lord, I will acknowledge no other God but You. You are MY God. You are real; You are alive; and You care about me. I belong to You.
In You I will trust. I trust You today with everything that I will face. I will trust You tomorrow with everything that comes my way. I will trust You with every oppressive detail of life that is pulling and pushing, mauling and maligning to force me to bow to a version of truth not of You. When I am afraid, I will trust in You (Psalm 56:3); and as my mind is stayed on You, trusting, You will keep me in perfect peace (see Isaiah 26:3).
What are you saying of the Lord? Make it count.
© Dorothy Frick, 2021
Read MoreUnder the shadow of the Almighty
He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High will abide under the shadow of the Almighty. Psalm 91:1
The Secret Place of the Most High is always available to anyone who dares to ask the Lord for refuge in a time of trouble. I know many people who, although they had no prior relationship to Jesus, experienced unexplainable intervention in awful situations when they simply asked Him for help. Without realizing it, they had stumbled into His Secret Place.
But did you know that this Secret Place was actually created to become your dwelling and not merely a safe place to run to during tough times? How do you find your way there permanently? Jesus said, “I am the Way”; and once you decide to make Him your home, He in turn, will make you HIS home. He said of this living arrangement, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me” (Revelation 3:20).
The effect of making Him—the Most High—your dwelling place is this: You will live, 24/7, under His protective, far-reaching shadow.
Priceless benefits become yours when you abide under His shadow—and they are yours for a lifetime.
Proximity
When you are under the shadow of God, He is near, close enough to block incoming attacks of every kind. His arm is not so short that He cannot save you, nor is His ear deaf to your cries (see Isaiah 59:1). No; He is right there, present with you, His shadow hovering over you, and He will hear your cry and will grasp you firmly with His hand, pulling you out of harm’s way. His proximity is a Shadow benefit.
Hiddenness
Playing hide and seek as a kid, I loved hiding in deep foliage. As I sneaked away into the shadowy places, staying still, no one could ever find me. Think about the gift of camouflage with which God clothes little fawns. As they stand motionless in the shadows mixed with sunlight through the leaves above, they remain undetected by roaming predators. And as YOU remain steadfast, trusting Him during times of peril, His shadow will keep you hidden as danger passes by. Hiddenness is a Shadow benefit.
Refreshing
When I first wrote this, my area was under a multi-day excessive heat warning. Going outside was just shy of stepping into Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego’s blazing furnace! On those daily walks around my neighborhood, the shade from large trees offered refreshing oases of cool as I passed under them. Yet as relieving as walking through deep shade on a sweltering day may feel, abiding under the shadow of the Almighty will restore your soul. The incessant heat of this culture’s raging turmoil, bent on sapping energy and strength, rolls off of you when you frequently find your way into the Secret Place. Refreshing is a Shadow benefit.
Miracles
In the early days of the church, miraculous healings were expected underneath a shadow. You see, signs and wonders were taking place at the hands of the apostles; Peter was preaching, and the fear of God was heavy upon the people. Many were being saved; and the sick were being carried out into the streets and laid on cots and pallets…just to get a chance to be under Peter’s shadow as he passed by. Acts 5:16 states it plainly…the sick and afflicted were ALL being healed.
YOU are under a shadow of far greater effect than Peter’s. YOU are under the shadow of the ALMIGHTY, the miracle-working God. As you think on the security that is yours in this secret place under the shadow of His presence, you can boldly pour out your requests before Him—however impossible your situation may be—and know that He is here, listening, loving, and willing to move on your behalf. The miraculous is a Shadow benefit.
As you saturate yourself in the awareness of all the benefits that are yours under the shadow of the Almighty, those things will become more and more real to you; but don’t forget: All these blessings are yours because you have chosen to shelter in Secret Place with the Most High.
I pray you grow closer to Him day by day while abiding under the shadow of the Almighty,
© Dorothy Frick, 2021
Read MoreThe Secret Place
He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High will abide under the shadow of the Almighty. Psalm 91:1
Secret place. There is a place set aside for you to meet with the Most High. It is tucked away, hidden from prying eyes and sneering faces. You first found it when you cried out alone to Him on your bed or stared wonderingly about Him into the starry night sky. Wherever you were, at whatever age you started this quest, you stumbled into the Secret Place of the Most High.
That time in the secret place may be but a memory of a different time in your life when you dared to venture into the Unknown called God. But the One of the Secret Place is ever present, ever anticipating, ever ready for a visit from you.
The Psalmist tells us that there are those who have actually made the Secret Place their home. They are no better than you; they merely found their way back to that spot so frequently that sooner or later they made it their address.
The One who provides you this Secret Place also offers the gift of faith necessary to dwell there permanently with Him. It is yours for the asking…but remember: He designed the Secret Place; you did not. You merely found your way there…and not without His help.
Once you make Him your home, the awkwardness of considering Him first in all areas of your life starts to fade away, and the adventure begins.
When you live in your physical home, storms may roar or blizzards may blow, but your roof and your walls keep you safe, dry and warm. When you make the Most High your dwelling place, you are under His roof, safe behind His walls…whether you are inside or out; soaring at cruise altitude through the sky or diving far beneath the waves; in the middle of a crowd or in an abandoned outpost at the remotest part of the earth…you are under His shadow. He is there, watching over you, listening for your call, ready to move on your behalf…because you are His. You have made Him your home.
Lord Jesus, Thank You for preparing the Secret Place for us. I receive You as my Home.
Dorothy
© Dorothy Frick, 2021
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