Theme
Stay in the Shadow of the Almighty, where Christ your God will keep you safe.
Text
1 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
2 I will say to the LORD, “My refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust.”
3 For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler
and from the deadly pestilence.
4 He will cover you with his pinions,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.
5 You will not fear the terror of the night,
nor the arrow that flies by day,
6 nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness,
nor the destruction that wastes at noonday.
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 look with your eyes
and see the recompense of the wicked.
9 Because you have made the LORD your dwelling place—
the Most High, who is my refuge—
10 no evil shall be allowed to befall you,
no plague come near your tent.
11 For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways.
12 On their hands they will bear you up,
lest you strike your foot against a stone.
13 You will tread on the lion and the adder;
the young lion and the serpent you will trample underfoot.
14 “Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him;
I will protect him, because he knows my name.
15 When he calls to me, I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble;
I will rescue him and honor him.
16 With long life I will satisfy him
and show him my salvation.”
Introduction | New Heights
The Names We Know
“Most High” ( עֶלְיֹון| Elyon)
“Almighty” ( שַׁדַּי| Shaddai)
“The LORD” ( יהוה| YHWH)
“My God” ( אֱלֹהַי| Elohai)
The Perils We Face
Snare: The Seductive Peril
Plague: The Unstoppable Peril
Terror: The Unseen Peril
Arrow: The Seen Peril
Beasts: The Satanic Peril
The Promises We’ve Been Made
Protection from All Danger
Provision of Every Need
Personal, Everlasting Love
Conclusion | Stay in the Shadow
Discussion Questions
- What are some of the names ascribed to God in vv. 1–2? What do these names reveal about both God’s greatness and goodness?
- What are some of the perils described in this psalm? How can you know that you will be delivered from these perils? See Gen. 3:15; Rom. 16:20
- Ps. 91:11–12 is deliberately misquoted in Lk. 4. How does Jesus respond? How might this help prevent us from misapplying God’s promises, and point us to the deeper security we have in Christ? See Rom. 8:31–39
- In vv. 14–16, God directly speaks. Why do you think the psalm shifts from the psalmist’s voice to God’s direct promise?
- What conditions are given for God’s deliverance in verse 14 (“because he holds fast to me in love”)? How do we find these conditions met in Christ?
- Read Ps. 21:1–7. How are God promises for “long life” and “salvation” (Ps. 91:16) first fulfilled in Jesus? How can you be confident that you, too, will be satisfied with this long life?
- How can you “stay in the shadow of the Almighty” today? How can fixing your eyes on Christ keep you safe, even when dangers press in on every side?
