“He that dwelleth in the secret place”: Psalm 91 and the promise of protection

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Psalm 91 was shared widely on WhatsApp and read in churches that had moved online. “Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night… nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness.” For many believers, it was the psalm of the season.

Psalm 91 is a song of trust in God’s protection. It is often prayed in times of danger, sickness, travel and fear.

The secret place

“He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty” (Psalm 91:1). The psalm begins by describing a person who lives close to God, rather than visiting Him only in emergencies. Protection is linked to dwelling. “I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust” (91:2).

Under his wings

“He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler” (91:4). The image is of a mother bird protecting her young. It is tender as well as strong. “Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday” (91:5 to 6). The psalm covers every hour and every kind of danger.

Angels and God's voice

“For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways” (91:11). This verse was quoted by Satan when tempting Jesus in the wilderness (Matthew 4:6). Jesus refused to test God by throwing Himself from the temple. The lesson is that God’s promises are for trust, not for reckless testing. The psalm ends with God’s own voice: “Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him… He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble” (91:14 to 15). God does not promise the absence of trouble. He promises His presence in it.

Reading it wisely

Believers still get sick and face hardship. Psalm 91 is not a guarantee that nothing bad will happen, but an assurance that nothing happens outside God’s care, and that He is with His people. Read Psalm 91 aloud before sleeping or travelling. Put your own name in the verses, and remember the phrase “I will be with him in trouble”.

The psalm does not say the storm will never come. It says there is a shelter, and a wing to hide under.