Every time I read psalm 91, I cannot help but understand the spiritual implication that it carries. Most folks when facing life challenges or difficulties they would normally refer to this particular passage of scripture for comfort or at least a re-assurance that God will assist them in whatever it is that there’re facing.
Today, I want us to carefully observe this very powerful Psalm and how its origin is that of a spiritual nature to bring about hope, comfort, a peace of mind and victory for the believe, even while they’re experiencing the most trying time of their life. So for the sake of today’s teaching we will be dealing with verses one through nine of Psalms 91.
Now in the first verse of this chapter, it speaks of one dwelling or residing in the secret place of the Most High, and that they should abide under the shadow of the almighty. Firstly, we must ask, what is the secret place of the Most High? The word secret is defined as something or someone that is unknown. Secondly, if God is a spirit according to Matthew 4:24 then how does a spirit that is not physical gives a shadow?
Clearly, the writer is writing of things that relates to a spiritual order, and the help that he seeks must come from a source that is not familiar to his enemies or haters (The secret place). In verses two, King David, literally surrenders his will and recognizes God as his refuge and fortress, which I must concludeto be a requirement of dwelling in the secret place. Noisome pestilence, night terrors, pestilence and the Fowler are descriptions of evil forces that are behind the people and things that are opposing him. They are insurmountable and beyond his capability to fight naturally, however he’s convinced that God and God alone will deliver him from the traps laid by these relentless destructive forces.
Surprisingly, King David begins to give the appearance of the Most High as a winged creature with feathers(In my own mind I envison a bird covering her offspring from the dangers that lie outside) and under his wings will he trust and that his truth (God's word) will be his shield. In verses five and six the importance of being in this secret place becomes more obvious, because there is an ongoing battle against the believer. David explains that, while in this secret place one must not fear for the terror by night, or the arrows that flies by day, neither the pestilence that walks in the darkness nor the destruction that occurs at noon day, a relentless battle.
David again speaks to the origin of these things which are all spiritual that influences people and things to bring about the calamities, misfortune, death and the like that we witness daily in this world that we live in.
The carnage of this spiritual conflict is discovered in verse seven, “A thousand shall fall to my side, and ten thousand at thy right; but it shall not come nigh thee”. Now the reality is have any human being that you are aware of had a thousand enemies fall at their side and an additional ten thousand at their right? I am certain you haven’t so clearly he’s not speaking of people. Instead he’s speaking about demons and evil forces that oppose the believer, but in reviewing scripture, scripture asked the question, "How should one chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight, except their Rock had sold them, and the "LORD" had shut them up? Deut. 32:30. As you can see, God is the one fighting your battle, even thought your the one in the battle. Your victory is only due to his ever present invisible protective presence, whuch speaks so much of that secret place.
" Nevertheless, they cannot succeed and must fall once the believer is in the secret place of the Most High, God is now obligated to protect him continuously . This is why scripture says, “no weapon formed against the secret place resident shall prosper, and he also has the authority to condemn any and all tongues spoken against him in judgment. He’s protected by an unseen force greater than anything that is against him Isaiah 54:17. Again scripture reminds us and assures us that "greater is he that is in us(The Most High) than he (Satan and his forces) that is in the world" 1 John 4:4. Job also benefited from this protection when Satan said to God that Job is only serving you because you have a hedge around him, no one else could see this invisible hedge except those that are of the spiritual realm Job 1:10.
As additional evidence of you being in the secret place, verse eight and nine unequivocally states you will witness with your own eyes the reward of the wicked or those that have been influenced by these evil spirits King David spoke of earlier, additionally, because you’ve made God your refuge and even the Most High thy habitation your physical dwelling is guaranteed God's protection.
The overall understand of Psalms 91, is clearly a psalm of protection, the difference between this Psalm and any other Psalm is the believer’s habitation or residence is in the secret place, and that secret place is having a mind that envisions God as a place of refuge, comfort, protection and an overall sense of security with the sole purpose of giving victory in the midst of your difficulty.
At no point in Psalms 91 does it even give a hint of fear, worry, unbelief, doubt, frustration or fatigue to the residents of the secret place. My words of wisdom for today is, make an effort to position yourself in the secret place of the Most High. That process begins by reading the word of God and meditating on it consistently. As a reminder the word of God is spirit, John 6:63 and it is that spirit filled word that escorts you into the secret place which is also spiritual.
Heavenly Father, thank you once again for the secret place that you have made available for those who desire to enter. Your word says, “for he spoke in a certain place on the seventh day on this wise, and God did rest the seventh day from all his works. And in this place again, if they shall enter into his rest. Seeing therefore there remain some who must enter there in” Hebrews 4:4-6. I pray that all who would read this article will find themselves in that secret place of rest, in spite of their challenges in the matchless name of Jesus Christ. Amen!
Written by: Kevin L A Ewing
kevinewing@coralwave.com
