There is a sacred refuge available to us at all times.
A place of peace,
Shelter and divine protection.
It is not found in the shifting sands of this world,
Nor in the strength of our own hands but in the presence of the divine.
Psalm 91 is an invitation to abide in this refuge,
To trust deeply in the One who holds us beyond fear,
Beyond uncertainty,
Beyond the storms of life.
This meditation will guide us verse by verse,
Drawing from its wisdom to offer insight into how we may live with trust,
Courage and inner stillness.
Psalm 91 He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say of the Lord,
He is my refuge and my fortress,
My God,
In Him I will trust.
Surely He will 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.
You shall not be afraid of the tether 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,
Because you have made the Lord,
Who is my refuge,
Even the Most High your dwelling place.
No evil shall befall you,
Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling,
For He shall give His angels charge over you to keep you in all your ways.
In their hands they shall bear you up,
Lest you dash your foot against a stone.
You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra,
The young lion and the serpent.
You shall trample underfoot.
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.
He shall call upon me and I will answer Him.
I will be with Him in trouble.
I will deliver Him and honour Him.
With long life I will satisfy Him and show Him my salvation.
He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
This is an invitation,
An opening door to divine intimacy.
The secret place is not a distant land,
Nor is it a reward for the spiritually alight.
It is here,
Now,
Within us.
It is the stillness of the soul when we surrender our striving and rest in Divine Presence.
To abide in the shadow of the Almighty means to live in continual awareness of God's nearness.
Just as the shadow of a great tree provides relief from the heat of the sun,
So does God's presence shield us from the weight of life's burdens.
Take a deep breath.
Imagine yourself stepping into this sacred shelter where body dissolves and peace unfolds you.
Verse 2 I will say of the Lord,
He is my refuge and my fortress.
My God,
In Him I will trust.
A fortress is not built overnight.
It is strong,
Steady and immovable.
Likewise,
Trust in God is not a fleeting emotion but a foundation we build over time.
When life shakes us,
When we feel fragile,
Uncertain or lost,
We must return to this truth.
God is our refuge.
Not our plans,
Not our control,
Not our own wisdom,
But God alone.
What are you holding on to today that is weighing you down?
Release it into the hands of the One who is your fortress.
Verse 3 Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the perilous pestilence.
We often live in fear of what might entangle us.
Fears of failure,
Rejection,
Sickness or loss.
Yet God promises deliverance.
The snare of the fowler is a hidden trap,
Something we do not see coming.
Life is unpredictable but God is never caught off guard.
Trust that He sees what you cannot and He will guide your steps.
Breathe in the assurance that you are being led,
Protected and guarded from unseen dangers.
Verse 4 He shall cover you with His feathers and under His wings you shall take refuge.
His truth shall be your shield and buckler.
This is one of the most tender images in scripture.
A mother bird sheltering her young beneath her wings.
It speaks of warmth,
Closeness and an intimate nearness to God.
Are you weary?
Are you longing for comfort?
Imagine yourself resting beneath the wings of divine love,
Safe and embraced.
Let God's truth be your shield today.
When doubt,
Fear or lies try to creep in,
Let His words of love and faithfulness guard your heart.
Verses 5 and 6 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.
Fear lurks in many forms,
Some visible,
Some hidden.
The darkness of night can bring uncertainty,
While the arrows of the day remind us of life's struggles and attacks.
Yet God tells us,
Do not be afraid.
Why?
Because His presence is our shield.
The eternal storms may rage but they do not have the power to shake the peace we carry within.
Release your anxieties.
Picture them dissolving like mist in the morning light.
You are held,
You are safe.
Verses 7 and 8 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.
This verse is a promise that even in chaos we are protected.
It does not mean we will never face trials,
But rather that we will not be overcome by them.
The storms of life may rage around us,
But we are rooted in something deeper and unshakable peace that the world cannot touch.
Verses 9 and 10 Because you have made the Lord who is my refuge,
Even the Most High your dwelling place,
No evil shall befall you,
Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling.
To make the Lord our dwelling means to centre our lives around Him,
Not just in moments of crisis,
But in the quiet,
Ordinary rhythms of our days.
When we abide in Him,
We live from a place of assurance,
No matter what unfolds around us.
Pause for a moment.
Ask yourself,
Am I dwelling in God today or am I dwelling in worry?
Return to the refuge of His presence.
Verses 11 and 12 For He shall give His angels charge over you to keep you in all your ways.
In their hands they shall bear you up,
Lest you dash your foot against a stone.
You are not alone.
There are unseen forces working for your good,
Guarding your steps.
Even in the moments when you feel most vulnerable,
Divine protection surrounds you.
Lean into this truth.
Walk forward with courage knowing you are watched over and held.
Verses 13-16 You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra,
The young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot.
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.
He shall call upon me and I will answer Him.
I will be with Him in trouble.
I will deliver Him and honour Him.
With long life I will satisfy Him and show Him my salvation.
These closing verses remind us that love is the key to deliverance.
It is not our strength or striving that secures us,
But our love and trust in God.
To tread upon the lion and cobra symbolises walking in victory over fear and trials.
With God,
We are not merely surviving,
We are overcoming.
Let these final words be your anchor.
God is with you.
He will answer you.
He will satisfy you with His presence and show you the beauty of salvation.
A prayer Divine refuge,
Shelter of my soul.
I rest beneath your wings.
Teach me to trust you more,
To release my fears and to abide in your presence.
When storms rage around me,
Remind me that I am safe in you.
May I walk in peace knowing that I am held,
Guided and deeply loved.
In you,
I find my dwelling place.
Amen.
