Understanding Psalm 91 and How to Live it out
Psalm 91
Psalm 91. This is such an essential chapter in the Bible for believers. It is not just a random religious declaration we repeatedly say as part of our to-do list. Neither is it just a weapon against witchcraft and the kingdom of darkness, but it shows the power of when we take the position to hide in our God as a refuge. Just like it reads in Psalm 91 verse 2, “I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.” It’s where we can see that God provides us with peace just by being in His presence, peace from our enemies, peace within our souls, and even peace for our bodies. It is where deliverance often happens, and God rescues us from the snares that trapped us. Psalm 91 verse 3, “ Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.” It’s where strategy is given to know how to go about life. I believe it must be declared by believers, if possible daily, not in a legalistic way but one where we stand in agreement with what the word of God says.
When I first became a believer, I was attacked with fear on all sides; I knew that it was demons. I remember when I sensed a group of them coming into the room one night when the fear woke me out of my sleep. The Lord had begun speaking to me about spiritual warfare, which I didn't know about at the time, and instructed me to declare Psalm 91 daily before I went to bed, and sure enough, my freedom came forth by the spirit of God. I do not want to magnify darkness and evil in this post because the existence of evil is not why Psalm 91 is powerful; the sovereignty of the Lord God and how that preserves His Saints is why it is beautiful. It’s a covenant for God’s children that we are protected beyond measure. This is why we agree by thanksgiving and declare Psalm 91; we do not have to beg God to do what He promised He would do according to His word. He is forever more faithful to His word than we could ever be. This is the loving and unfailing, always reliable God that we serve. He loves us so much that he ensured Psalm 91 remained established in the New Testament through our Lord Jesus Christ.
In Luke chapter 10, Jesus is speaking to 70 of His disciples (the followers of Jesus). After they went out to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ, cast out demons, and heal the sick, they were astonished by their authority in the name of Jesus. Jesus proceeded to tell them in verses 18 through 20 KJV, “And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven. Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven." In these scriptures, we can see it parallel with Psalm 91:1, 7, 13, and 15
"He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty," verse 7 says, "A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand, but it shall not come nigh thee," verse 13 continues "Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet," and verse 15 adds "He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honor him."
See how Jesus shifted His disciples focus on what mattered the most, not that evil spirits obeyed them when they used the name of Jesus but that their names were written in the book of heaven showing that they knew the heavenly father and the heavenly father knew them. Why does this matter? Because the promises of the Lord are not in effect for those who do not follow Jesus. Realized in the text, the followers of Jesus are not referred to as believers but disciples. Believers of Jesus is not a negative thing, the disciples were believers as well but what made the difference was that disciples followed Jesus, their belief bore fruit, the fruit of what they were instructed to do. There were many people who believed yet were too scared to show it in front of others, the true disciples took on the call to show their beliefs in the Lord. You see, right before the Lord Jesus was taken up to heaven after he returned from His resurrection, he spoke these words “ And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. Do you hear the correlation with Psalm 91 or is it Just me? There are signs that follow those that believe, everything listed after Psalm 91 verse 1 shows there are signs that follow those that dwell in the secret place of God. The disciples of God must always dwell in the secret place of God.
I must admit the Lord had prompted me to write about this long ago. I guess I knew the weight of the subject and was unknowingly procrastinating from writing about it. However, a few months ago, the Lord began to reveal some things that will take place on the earth; I know I’ve touched on some of this, but the judgment of the Lord is scheduled to come on the earth along with revival. It’s His sovereign will. It is not something we can pray away; however, it is something that we can begin taking the right position and interceding for, for the will of God to come forth, that the loss gets saved, and that we are prepared as servants of the gospel to bring forth the will of God and to help those He sends our way. That we establish His kingdom through projects, plans, and businesses, the Lord has given us through visions, dreams, and prophecies that give us instructions on what to do as believers.
Repentance turns God’s judgment away; we see this with the story of Jonah. We must repent and stay repented. This is less about the success these things will give us (though He will allow it to be successful); that is not what keeps us in the Lord. Abiding in the Lord is why he will reveal such things; he knows what's coming and what is needed to have us stand during those times. The secret place of the Lord is our weapon, covering, shield, and place of strength and revelation at all times, and it is the ONLY thing that can protect anyone from any disaster. Church attendance cannot even do that; how much spiritual knowledge you know can not save you; why? Because dwelling in the secret place is where the promises of refuge begin to manifest in the believer's life. The Lord began to put it urgently in my heart that I need to tell His people to cover themselves with Psalm 91, not just praying but living it. If you want to know how to be covered through pestilence, famine, and plague, Psalm 91 verse 1 is how. If you want to know how to be covered through trials, challenges, and attacks (both spiritual and physical) and have the protection of the Lord in your life at all times, no matter what it looks like. We have to declare it in faith, not just say we did it, not as a task. Psalm 91 is for the believer not to do the Lord a favor. I even see how I need to correct my approach to Psalm 91.
This is not meant to be mistaken for trials never coming your way and you just living a perfect, problem-free life. Psalm 91 shows us that when things are occurring, God will also lose His angels concerning us to get through times well. Psalms 91 shows how to live, and when we are able to do life with the Lord, we will also begin to praise Him well.
Psalm 91 also shows that God gives us the grace to build His kingdom here on earth. In verse 11 we are told, “For he shall give His angels charge over thee (you/us), to keep thee in all thy ways.” There is also a connection here with Proverbs 3:5-6 KJV, Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.If we being believers of the Lord Jesus Christ, trust in God to direct all of our ways, wouldn't he keep us because we are doing life His way? His angels keep us in all of our ways as we continue in the ways of the Lord, that too is covenant.
I want to look at this through the perspective of the Psalmist King David. David was a great King who served the Lord faithfully despite the times he did fall into sin. The Bible tells us that he was indeed a man after God's own heart ( check 1 Samuel 13:14 and Acts 13:22). He knows what it was like to go to war with other nations, even His own son, and even conflict that came in the form of people he had friendships with, so He knew what he was talking about when he spoke Psalm 91, it appeared to be that david was telling someone else this, like he was edifying, or evangelizing, or even testifying (maybe all three) of who the Most High God is and how he works for those who abide in Him. He was speaking from the place of personal encounter with God, this was not Him trying to look high and mighty with a religious coat on but a testimony of the Lord that he knew time and time again we know this because the majority of the Psalms prior is david petitioning to the Lord to save him from His enemies or praising the Lord from saving his enemies. Many times when David referred to the Lord in scripture, it was Yahweh Sabaoth which translates to “The Lord of Host” or “The Lord of the angel armies”. He was a man of war who knew that the God of heaven fought His battles, however in Psalm 91 he refers to God as the Most High God, probably giving a key detail that in order to dwell in the most high you have to be willing to allow Him to cover you, you have to humble yourself. When we act pridefully it prohibits the presence of God to move gracefully for us. God almighty is not going to fight against someone who is mighty in their own sight for a position He rightfully has. It is like what John the Baptist said when the ministry of Jesus began to make a great impact , He must increase but I must decrease (John 3:30). The King must take his position and we as servants must take ours. Our heavenly father must take His position and we must remain as little children in ours, for the angels are always working on the behalf of those who carry themselves like little children. Matthew 18:3,4,10 reads, “And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven.”
Let's break down Psalm 91:
“He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.” KJV
“Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.”
“He that dwelleth”
Dwelleth here in the hebrew concordance is their means to dwell, to remain, sit, abide
I. to sit, sit down
ii.To be set
Iii. to remain, stay
Iv. to dwell, have one’s abode
B. to be inhabited
C.to set, place
D.i. to cause to sit
Ii. to cause to cause to abide, set
Iii. to dose to dwell
Iv. to cause (cities
“In the secret place”
covering, shelter, hiding place, secrecy
covering, cover
hiding place, shelter, secret place
secrecy
secrecy (of tongue being slanderous)
feminine noun
shelter, protection
“Of the Most High”
ELYON
high, upper
of Davidic king exalted above monarchs
masculine noun
Highest, Most High
name of God
of rulers, either monarchs or angel-princes
Shall abide
to lodge, stop over, pass the night, abide
(Qal)
to lodge, pass the night
to abide, remain (fig.)
(Hiphil) to cause to rest or lodge
(Hithpalpel) to dwell, abide
to grumble, complain, murmur
(Niphal) to grumble
(Hiphil) to complain, cause to grumble
“Under the shadow”
shadow, shade
shadow (on dial)
shadow, shade (as protection)
shadow (symbolic of transitoriness of life)
“The almighty”
almighty, most powerful
Shaddai, the Almighty (of God)
So How do we Live out Psalm 91?
First, We must live out Psalm 91 verse one. We must love the Lord truly, worship Him out of our hearts, sing praises to the Lord and obey Him. We must be Holy and set apart for His will. This is different from perfectionism, this is when we say yes to Jesus and choose to rest in His presence and be transformed by His presence just by spending time with Him talking to Him and learning more about Him. There is no specific blueprint for this just intimacy and allow His Spirit to do the rest. Get rid of all sin.
Also, If you would like to accept the love of God and His son, Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, or even if you have backslidden and want to return to the Lord, Here’s a prayer to guide you.
“ God almighty, I come before you to accept your love, to no longer reject you and what you have done for me. I choose to stop running from you and to finally stop rejecting myself of your love. Thank you for dying for me Lord Jesus, thank you for taking on my sins and shame. Thank you, Lord, that you became a curse for me so that I would no longer be bound by them but set free by your blood that was shed for me. Thank You for making yourself available to me, as a friend, father, Lord, God, helper, comforter, savior, and all the good things I need in my life. Jesus, I love you and ask you to help me keep loving you like how you want me to. I accept you completely as my Lord and savior, not what this world and demons have presented to me. Now I declare in the both spiritual and physical realms, that I no longer belong to Satan nor his Kingdom but according to Colossians 1:13, God has delivered me from the kingdom of darkness and has placed me in the Kingdom of light, where Jesus Christ is, I declare I belong to Jesus Christ and I now seat with Him In heavenly places. I rebuke all demonic retaliation in me making this decision and come into agreement with a sound mind in Jesus' name. I repent, renounce, denounce, and divorce myself from all the sins I’ve committed (list what you can remember) and break the evil covenants associated with them, and I declare once again I am a part of the kingdom of Jesus Christ. In Jesus' name, I pray and seal this prayer in His blood, Amen.”
Hallelujah! Congratulations if you made this decision. I pray that you prevail in your walk in the Lord, that forces of darkness continue to fail concerning you, and that the forces of light continue to persevere and propel you in the name of Jesus.
