Psalm 91 tells us of the number of wonderful promises that our God has for us. It says that we have His shadow that defends us, He is our refuge and fortress, He delivers us from the snare (trap), He covers us with His pinions (wings), and we have no need to fear the terrors of the night nor the arrows that fly in the daytime.

However, these promises are not for everyone. They do not come without criteria. It speaks of he who dwells in the shelter of the Most High. It says because you have made the Lord your dwelling place and because you holds fast to the Lord in love that these promises are for you.

What does it mean to dwell in the shelter of the Most High? Dwells here means to sit down, remain and settle. Shelter here means in the covering or hiding place of the Most High. Do we dwell in his shelter? Do we know what his shelter is? Are we making sure that we remain in his covering? Dwelling with Him means to be with Him and remain there; to be with Him, we need to know Him and where He is. Are we investing time in our relationship with Him so that we can get to know him?

We are to hold fast to the Lord in love. We are to set our love on Him as He has done with us (Deuteronomy 7:7). How do we know how to do this? We take an example from Him and how He has loved us? He chose us and kept his oath to us in the action of saving us through Jesus. He gave himself to rescue us. How can we love Him like that? We really cannot, but it can show us how we should want to love him. We need to understand that love and want to love Him back like that. To understand his love, we need to spend time with Him, put Him first in all we do and obey Him. We need to follow in His footsteps and learn at His feet. We need to spend time in prayer with Him and in His word.

These promises are so beautiful and reassuring. When we have these promises, we have no other concerns in life. We can have faith and trust that He has us no matter what comes our way. So let us make sure we are not falling away from his dwelling place; let us make sure we choose Him every moment of every day. Let us ensure that these promises are for us.

Psalm 91

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
    will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
² I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress,
    my God, in whom I trust.”

For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler
    and from the deadly pestilence.
⁴ He will cover you with his pinions,
    and under his wings you will find refuge;
    his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.
⁵ You will not fear the terror of the night,
    nor the arrow that flies by day,
⁶ nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness,
    nor the destruction that wastes at noonday.

A thousand may fall at your side,
    ten thousand at your right hand,
    but it will not come near you.
⁸ You will only look with your eyes
    and see the recompense of the wicked.

Because you have made the Lord your dwelling place—
    the Most High, who is my refuge^[b]—
¹⁰ no evil shall be allowed to befall you,
    no plague come near your tent.

¹¹ For he will command his angels concerning you
    to guard you in all your ways.
¹² On their hands they will bear you up,
    lest you strike your foot against a stone.
¹³ You will tread on the lion and the adder;
    the young lion and the serpent you will trample underfoot.

“Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him;
    I will protect him, because he knows my name.
¹⁵ When he calls to me, I will answer him;
    I will be with him in trouble;
    I will rescue him and honor him.
¹⁶ With long life I will satisfy him
    and show him my salvation.”