How can it be true? Under what circumstances are these words a reflection of the reality of God’s followers? I am not comforted but these words as many people find comfort because they appear to be a false promise. I thought for a moment that it might be speaking about Jesus. Maybe He is the one that can claim this promise. Apparently, I am not alone in this thought.
“and said, “If you are the Son of God, jump off! For the Scriptures say, ‘He will order his angels to protect you. And they will hold you up with their hands so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone.’””
Satan thought too that this promise was a step too far and used it to try and tempt Jesus to sin and Jesus responded with another scripture from Deuteronomy.
“Jesus responded, “The Scriptures also say, ‘You must not test the LORD your God.’””
So if you look at the context of the passage that Jesus is quoting to Satan, it tells us that this is actually a conditional promise:
14 “You must not worship any of the gods of neighboring nations, 15 for the Lord your God, who lives among you, is a jealous God. His anger will flare up against you, and he will wipe you from the face of the earth. 16 You must not test the Lord your God as you did when you complained at Massah. 17 You must diligently obey the commands of the Lord your God—all the laws and decrees he has given you. 18 Do what is right and good in the Lord’s sight, so all will go well with you. Then you will enter and occupy the good land that the Lord swore to give your ancestors. 19 You will drive out all the enemies living in the land, just as the Lord said you would.
I suppose I did not need to go anywhere out of the Psalm to see that. Because the Psalm begins with a clear statement of condition.
“Those who live in the shelter of the Most High”
But surely Jesus has done that. Jesus lived in constant communion and deep relationship with God the Father. If anyone ever was living in the shelter of the Most High it was Jesus. But He did
“hurt your foot on a stone”
And on the cross it sure did seem like evil conquered him.
“no evil will conquer you”
But the cross is not the end of the story, and it is in the end of the story that we see the full fulfilment of the promise in Psalm 91.
“1 "Don't let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. 2 There is more than enough room in my Father's home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? 3 When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am. 4 And you know the way to where I am going." 5 "No, we don't know, Lord," Thomas said. "We have no idea where you are going, so how can we know the way?" 6 Jesus told him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.”
So there are two things to take away from Psalm 91.
MAIN POINT: We are safe when we are in the presence of God, and Jesus is the only way to be in the presence of God.
Look again at the Psalm and you will see that the psalmist knew well that we’d be surrounded by trouble.
There will be traps and there will be deadly diseases verse 3. You will need protection. And it is interesting to me that one image of that protection is a bird. Because we will need to fly away with God to heaven for the ultimate victory and to finally escape this world and its woes. But like Jesus, that is part of the plan. And just like Jesus, we will fly to heaven to be with God in this place described as a place of shelter and where is that? Obviously it is with God, just as Psalms 91 tells us. (vv 1, 2)
But expect to see thousands, even tens of thousands will fall around you. Don’t think for an instant that Psalm 91 is promising you not to see or face such difficulties. In fact the opposite. It confirms that you will see such things right next to you. You will need armour and protection (verse 4). You will be aware of terrors, arrows and disasters. Being near God does not mean that these things will disappear immediately, it means you will be saved from them ultimately. And that is what Jesus shows us.
So call on Him in your troubles and know He will answer. (verse 15). But see again you will have troubles and you will need to call.
The chapter ends with a funny little understatement that later we see is fulfilled in Jesus in a much bigger way that the psalmist could imagine.
“I will reward them with a long life and give them my salvation.”
And it just so happens it is in another verse sixteen in the bible:
“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”
So now the long life is eternal. And salvation is in the gift of His Son. And the way to shelter by God is to believe in His Son.
Conclusion:
You will have trouble and see disease and disaster, but if you believe in Jesus and shelter in His Father, you will be saved and see eternal life. So none of the troubles of this world will actually have any lasting harm to you. You will be safe by God.
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