June 7, 2026 - Psalms 91-95

I don’t know about others but, when I begin reading Psalm 91, my heart leaps with joy.  Of course, all of Scripture is given by God and encourages and directs us.  But there are some among the Scriptures that are (What might I call them?) old friends that have their special places in our hearts and lives.  For many of us, Psalm 91 fits that description.  The psalmist begins and, then, continues:

“He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High

      will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.

I will say to the LORD, “My refuge and my fortress,

      my God, in whom I trust” (91:1-2).

“You have made the LORD your dwelling place—

      the Most High, who is my refuge— . . .

He will command his angels concerning you

      to guard you in all your ways” (91:9-11).

Of course, there is much more to this psalm that these verses but we get the idea.  We rest in God and find in him a safe dwelling place even in the midst of the storm.  Elisabeth Elliot wrote the biography of her husband, Jim Elliot, who was killed while taking the gospel to a tribal people in South America, and she took the title from this psalm:  Shadow of the Almighty.  Jim Elliot was killed while following the Lord; yet, even in death, in God he found a refuge and fortress.  The God of the psalmist and the God of the hymn is also our God.  Isn’t that good to know!

Be not dismayed whate’er betide;

God will take care of you.

Beneath His wings of love abide;

God will take care of you.

God will take care of you,

through ev’ry day, o’er all the way.

He will take care of you;

God will take care of you.

Through days of toil when heart doth fail,

God will take care of you.

When dangers fierce your path assail,

God will take care of you.   --Civilla D. Martin (1905)