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We are on day 37 of 91 days of praying Psalm 91. As we continue to read and pray Psalm 91, we wanted to share some thoughts about what has impacted us from this Psalm during the past month. We hope some of you are still joining us in this daily activity during these times that can feel so overwhelming. At E4, we continue to trust God with our families, our partners and our organization. Here is a glimpse into how God has spoken to each of us during this time of sheltering at home. We hope this brings some extra joy to your day.
Brynn: I have read some commentaries and blog posts about this Psalm over the past month and one thing that stood out to me was a post I read about the different names of God used in just the first two verses.The names of God are really meaningful to me as I have recently been in two Bible studies focused on this. In the first two verses of this Psalm, the author uses four different names for God: Most High, the Almighty, the LORD and my God. Each of these names have a different meaning in Hebrew.
- Most High - El Elyon - the Sovereign Ruler, Majesty, Most Exalted
- The Almighty -El Shaddai - the powerful, all sufficient One
- The LORD - Jehovah, Yahweh, God of relationship
- My God - Elohim - the Creator, Supreme One
The author talks about God through the names he uses as both the supreme God above everything and the personal God who we have a relationship with. I love all the different ways that we can come before God and address Him and it impacted me to read about how we can reach out to Him at the same time as both an almighty, powerful, creator God as well as our personal savior and relational God.
Eric: As I have been reading through Psalm 91, the theme that has impacted me the most is God’s absolute protection of His children. The imagery of God covering us under His feathers and wings that the psalmist uses to portray God as a protector of his children is especially comforting in this time. This imagery reminds me of the webcams that are placed near bald eagle nests. I recall a number of times seeing eagles completely covered in snow, but they are not moving because they are protecting their young or their eggs. I am thankful that we serve a God that is our protector. A God that loves his children dearly, and is willing to cover us under His wings to shield us from the forces around us which we cannot control. God loves us and God protects us. These truths are found throughout Psalm 91 and is comforting to me in this difficult season of life.
Sarah: The part of this Psalm that impacts me the most during this time is the very first verse. “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.” As someone who is always tempted to try to operate on my own strength, constantly working toward the next thing and trying to find something I can do to help, this verse is what I need to be reminded of daily. Even in the midst of a pandemic, I am able to rest in the goodness of God. But in order to find that rest in God, I have to be dwelling in the shelter of the Most High that is always available to me, no matter what is happening in my life or the world around me. Dwell in the shelter of the Most High, and find rest in Him.
Dan: My wife Alicia is a PA in the Emergency room of a hospital that sees a lot of COVID-19, so our household is at a higher than average risk of infection. As I read Psalm 91 and reflect on the fulfillment of old testament scripture that Jesus represents, what stands out to me is how the hope of Jesus gives us refuge in a way that transcends our earthly troubles. Our family could be hit by this virus, and yet God is sovereign and good. Paul reminds us in Romans 8:38-39 that, “For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
This truth is my refuge and strength, my peace in time of trouble. Through Christ we “will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday.” Psalm 91:5-6.
We pray that you are all seeking God during this very difficult time and can find comfort and rest in Him. Our hope is in Christ and our eternal home with Him and the more we can focus on that, the more peace we can feel during this time.
Next week, we will share how we are serving our partners during Covid-19 and how you can help if you are able to during this time. We are working to protect the most vulnerable in the communities we serve while both countries are on lock-down and food and supplies become more scarce.
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