Psalm 91 Revisited

A few posts ago, I blogged about my Texas home girls' Bible Study - Psalm 91.  I've been studying along with them (from a far land) and wishing I was there.  It's been a great study.

Last week I was reading the Daily Chronological Bible, in yet another attempt to read the Bible through in a year, and came upon Psalm 91.  It was placed chronologically between Deuteronomy and Joshua.  That surprised me because I had always given David credit for all of Psalms.

The Israelites had just come to the end of their 40 year wilderness experience. Moses had died.  Joshua was their new leader.  God said, "It's time to cross into the land I've been promising you." --- "You've circled this mountain long enough".

Just imagine being one of those people who had been in the desert all those years - being led by God (cloud by day and fire by night) every step of the way - drinking water that poured out of a rock, that they didn't have to draw from a well, eating the food of angels (manna) that they didn't have to hunt for, work for, shop for, or cook (yeah!).  Their sandals didn't wear out.  Their robes weren't threadbare.  They had learned how to worship God and the 10 rules for highly successful living.  They were about to be on their own, stepping into a new way of living.

Imagine standing at the Jordan River in sight of the land flowing with milk and honey, houses and cities that you were to go in and take as your own, and hearing God say: 

(Missouri River - North Dakota)

"If you will stay in MY presence, say that you trust ME, say that I am your refuge, hold on to ME for dear life, and call on ME - then you will live in MY shadow, be protected from traps, arrows, lions, snakes, disease, disaster, fear, and evil. MY angels will be with you wherever you go. I will answer when you call, text, or message, and I will give you a long satisfying life."

^{Psalm 91}

¹ Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will rest in 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 will save you
from the fowler’s snare
and from the deadly pestilence.
⁴ He will cover you with his feathers,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
⁵ You will not fear the terror of night,
nor the arrow that flies by day,
⁶ nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,
nor the plague that destroys at midday.
⁷ A thousand may fall at your side,
ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you.
⁸ You will only observe with your eyes
and see the punishment of the wicked.

⁹ If you say, “The LORD is my refuge,”
and you make the Most High your dwelling,
¹⁰ no harm will overtake you,
no disaster will come near your tent.
¹¹ For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways;
¹² they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
¹³ You will tread on the lion and the cobra;
you will trample the great lion and the serpent.

¹⁴ “Because he loves me,” says the LORD, “I will rescue him;
I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
¹⁵ He will call on 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.”

(NIV)

Lord, let us not fail to see YOUR provision when we are in a wilderness.

And let us hang on to YOUR promises when we have left the wilderness.

HE loves you so much.