For those who may wish to ‘study’ this chapter, the following simple resources are provided for you. Each passage has a four-Part approach to help you take in and think further about what you have read.

Passage: 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 honour him.
16 With long life I will satisfy him
    and show him my salvation.’

A. Find Out:

1. How is closeness to the Lord first portrayed? v.1,2
2. What is the second such picture? v.4
3. What is the first consequence of that? v.3,5-8
4. What will the Lord do? v.11,12
5. What will you be able to do? v.13
6. What are the 5 “I will”s by the Lord? v.14,15

B. Think:

1. How is “position” or “location” seen to be so important?
2. How would you summarise the main thought of verses 1-13?
3. Find one word that would summarise verses 14-16.

C. Comment:

First of all we note the Psalmist’s POSITION, close to the Lord, in His shadow, “under His wing”. As Christians today we are “in Christ” (e.g. 2 Corinthians 5:17 ). All our characteristics and activities follow from WHO we are and WHERE we are. Then comes the CONFIDENCE OF FAITH concerning PROTECTION, “surely He will save you” (v.3). He is confident that the Lord will guard him, keep him from evil, and protect him. Meditate on 1 John 5:18.

How many modern day Christians have the same confidence in God’s promises like the psalmist had? Yes, there are battles, there are failures, but God promises that He will be with us in it all (Hebrews 13:5b,6).

Third in the psalm we see RELATIONSHIP with the Lord, much of which indicates that we will have difficulties, we will have troubles, where we will need the Lord to help us. “I will rescue… I will protect.. I will answer… I will be with… I will deliver…” all reveal a personal God who comes to us in our life situations which are not always easy.

Yes, the Psalmist reminds us of our position with the Lord, challenges us to be people of faith and comforts and reassures us with the promise of the Lord’s activity with us.

D. Application?

1. I AM in Christ, protected, secure!
2. He is for me! (Romans 8:31)