June 22, 2021
Psalms Series
Psalm 91 - Finding Rest in God
Episode 60

Psalm 91:1-2 (NIV)
 1  He who 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." 

4 Metaphors for God

1. The 1st one is Shelter: a shelter is a place that we go to when we are caught in a storm, a tornado or a flood.  It is where we are safe, where we can rest, where we can find food.  During the Cold War a number of buildings within the community were designated as shelters – they were places that people could go to in case of a nuclear attack.  
    
2. Shadow: a shadow is like shade.  On a hot day we usually seek out a place of shade to find refuge from the hot sun.  It could be the shadow of a tree or the side of a building.  And not only does it give us a cooler place to rest the shadow protects us from the harmful UV rays of the sun.  
    
3. The 3rd word is Refuge: another word for refuge is hiding place.  Many ancient castles had places where the inhabitants could hide if the castle was invaded by an enemy.  There were secret passages, hallways, and rooms behind the walls to hide in or to flee.  During the Civil War there were hiding places for slaves who escaped.  And as they traveled north to Canada they would hide here and there on a route called the Underground Railroad.  
    
4. The final word is Fortress: numerous psalms speak of God being our fortress, such as the 46th Psalm, which was used by Martin Luther in writing the hymn “A Mighty Fortress is Our God.”  Over the years I have visited many forts.  Forts from the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, even WWII.  Forts are a place of protection when we are surrounded by enemies. 
    

Now, the question often arises, well, does this mean that we will never experience problems with our enemies and we will never get sick?  

 And the answer is no.  There will be times when we encounter such struggles and they will have an effect upon us.  

However, in the broad spectrum of life God over and over again delivers us from manifold danger.  He is our shelter, our shadow, our refuge, our fortress.  He does cover us with His wings.  

Charles Spurgeon, the great 19th century preacher in London wrote this about the 91st Psalm: he said,

“The blessings here promised are not for all believers, but for those who live in close fellowship with God.  Every child of God looks towards the inner sanctuary and the mercy-seat, yet all do not dwell in the most holy place; they run to it at times, and enjoy occasional approaches, but they do not habitually reside in the mysterious presence.”