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Psalm 91:1 - Living in God's Presence.Psalm 91:1-2 (NLT) Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. This I declare about the Lord: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I trust him.INTRODUCTION This psalm wonderfully reassures anyone facing the sickness or death of a loved one, time in prison, or some other great loss. When you have the opportunity, read this psalm aloud as a prayer for yourself or someone who needs help. It will bring great comfort, encouragement, and peace. God shelters and protects us when we are afraid, sick, or in deep trouble. The writer's faith in the almighty God as his protector would carry him through all of life's dangers and fears. This is a picture of how we should trust God - trading all our fears for faith in him, no matter how intense they may be. To do this, we must "live" and "rest" with him (91:1). By entrusting ourselves to his protection and pledging our daily devotion to him, we acknowledge that he will keep us safe. [Life Application SB 2019] COMMENTARY PEARL Drowning Out The Distractions Do you feel constantly bombarded by waves of alarms, texts, questions, to-dos, or interruptions? If so, how can you mute the distractions that seem to continuously come up? Start by holding on to Jesus and abiding in Him. Scripture is full of powerful promises for those who abide in Jesus. We are able to dwell in the shelter of the Most High and rest in the shadow of the Almighty. Through Jesus, we have been given everything we need for a life of godliness, and when we remain in Him, John 15 tells us that we will bear much fruit. Today, listen to His voice and follow where He guides. Cling to Him and watch in wonder as He leads you toward life to the full. Rejoice as His eternal life becomes yours, and depend on Him not just to protect you but to provide for you. Then, no matter your circumstances, you will be able to truly say, "The LORD is my Shepherd; I shall not want" (Psalm 23:1 NKJV). Dear Lord, I prioritize resting in the shadow of the Almighty today. I stay, remain, linger, and wait for You to lead me in Your grace and into Your glory. [Grace and Glory by Louie Giglio] COMMENTARY Without question, Psalm 91 is a real gem among the psalms. Next to Psalm 23, it probably has brought more encouragement and comfort throughout the centuries than any other psalm. But it's worth noting that the blessings promised in Psalm 91 aren't for just anyone. They are specifically given to believers - and not just to believers in general. These benefits are targeted toward believers who specifically meet the requirements found within the psalm. Psalm 91 is full of what we call conditional promises. In other words, God promises to do certain things for us, hinging on our doing certain things that are required. Verse 1 begins, "He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High ..." The word dwells could be translated as "quiet and resting, enduring and remaining with consistency." It is very similar to the word abide, which we see often in the New Testament. Jesus said, "He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit" (John 15:5). That word abide means "to stay in a given place, to maintain unbroken fellowship and communion with another." Here's what God is saying: If you want to experience the promises of Psalm 91 - My protection, My provision, and My blessing - you must dwell in the secret place of the Most High. You must remain in constant fellowship with Me." We have relationship with God because we have put our faith in Jesus Christ and have turned from our sin. But are we living in constant fellowship with God? Many believers aren't. God is interested in a relationship with you - not just on Sundays, but throughout the week. He wants you to dwell in the secret place of the Most High. [Every Day with Jesus by Greg Laurie] When you were a kid, did you ever have a hiding place, a place you would run to when you were afraid or wanted to be alone? God wants to be your hiding place. The good news is that you can retreat to this hiding place wherever you are. Psalm 91:1 tells us, "He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty" (NKJV). It is worth noting that the blessings promised in this psalm are not for just anyone. They are specifically given to believers--and not just believers in general but believers who specifically meet the requirements in it. Psalm 91 is full of conditional promises. God promises to do certain things for us, hinging on our doing certain things that are required of us in this psalm. We have a relationship with God because we have put our faith in Jesus Christ and have turned from our sin. But are we living in constant communion and fellowship with God? That is so important. Many people are not. They are not dwelling consistently with God. But the Lord wants you to dwell in the secret place of the Most High. He wants you to be like Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet when He came to visit her home in Bethany. There is a time for busyness. There is a time for work. And there is also a time to worship. Unfortunately we sometimes substitute perspiration for inspiration and work for worship. If you do that, it only will be a matter of time until you spiritually burn out. You can't give out more than you take in. YOU NEED TO LIVE IN COMMUNION WITH HIM. You need to dwell in the secret place of the Most High. [Greg Laurie from Harvest Ministries; https://www.harvestdaily.com] We never have to be lonely, because God is always present with us. TO DWELL IN HIS SHELTER IS TO MAINTAIN CONSCIOUS CONNECTION WITH HIM THROUGHOUT THE DAY. We can maintain it by offering short prayers, such as the name of Jesus or You are my refuge or I trust you, Lord. We can also schedule short breaks in the day to meditate on him - his goodness, his love, his faithfulness. The psalmist says to God, "I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory" (Psalm 73:23, 24). God is always, always there, close enough to hold us by the hand, eager to guide us, promising to take us into glory. How amazing it is that right now you are with him. God is our refuge and fortress, the Friend who always stands with us, and he longs for us to seek his presence. [The Daniel Plan 365-Day Devotional] LINKS FOR FURTHER STUDY Psalm 91:1 - Living in God's Presence. https://www.abible.com/devotions/2025/20250108-1456.html https://www.abible.com/devotions/2019/20190724-1058.html Psalm 91:1 - Dwelling in the Almighty http://www.abible.com/devotions/2016/20160809-1644.html Psalm 91:1 - Promises with a Prerequisite. https://www.abible.com/devotions/2021/20210513-0933.html Psalm 23:1 - The LORD Is My Shepherd. https://www.abible.com/devotions/2019/20190331-1208.html LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT https://abible.com/links/ |