Psalm 91 – Ultimate Assurance When In Fear

How must it have been to have lived during the great plagues—hearing the cries regularly: ‘Bring out your dead.’ We can hardly fathom it we live in such a medically and technologically sanitised age. One thing never changes, however, from those ages to this. That thing is fear.

Psalm 91 talks about such fear that times like this might cause; fear, and the Power to amend such fear.

It talks a miraculous hope; a hope of God’s direct Presence and intervention in the affairs of the living—your life. And this is faith; to hold out hope in the presence of nothing to hope for, short of a biblical promise. (Surely that is something to place our hopes in? Indeed, it’s everything!)

“No harm will befall you,” verse 10 says. Even though you observe the terror with your own eyes, allegiances cast upon the LORD, you will survive!

“He will command the angels concerning you,” says verse 11, and they will come to your personal aid in your time of dramatic tumult—in the fear that confounds and intends to bind you.

Imagine being lifted up high out of trouble—a spiritual lifting. Being there and in the midst of such trouble, but somehow beyond it—protected from it. Anointed beyond it.

The dangers of life seem ever present at times. But we do have an Avenger who scurries away the pain of fear; his actual Presence never fails, though at times we feel it not, such is the enemy’s grasp over us for the moment.

Then we recall, ‘That mighty Word!’

Psalm 91 is therefore such a wonderfully assuring psalm to read and recite and meditate over. When fear overwhelms your soul, be reminded that God stands between. Jesus intercedes. An army of the holiest of angels, imbued with powerful love, swarm over the situation, through the agency of the Holy Spirit. In our courageous faithfulness to go on into the Promised Land, God too is faithful.

Be reminded today, in your fear, the Lord your God goes with you, into battle, and beyond.

© 2010 S. J. Wickham.