Uncertainty is like a plague. It infects our minds and whittles away what confidence we have. Left to run amuck, this kind of doubt gives way to fear. And fear can grip the heart so much that we feel as if we cannot breathe. What are we to do then? Go to God. He is our refuge.
The best place to see God as our refuge is Psalm 91. Admittedly, Psalm 46 is also an excellent place to go. However, the critical difference between the two is that Psalm 91 relates specifically to an individual's life rather than a large community. This can be seen particularly in that Psalm 46 uses words like "our" and "us," whereas Psalm 91 uses personal pronouns such as "I," "my," "me," and "you." Furthermore, where Psalm 46 is filled with expressions of a community's unwavering trust in God, Psalm 91 is filled with declarations of God's promises to an individual. Both Psalms have validity. But the point is that God cares as much for the one as He does for the whole. You may feel left out, overlooked, like no one knows who you are, but God knows you personally. He loves the one as much as the many.
Now, to grasp what comes next, you're going to have to go ahead and read Psalm 91. And really read it. Please. What follows isn't worth your time unless you read the passage.
I’ll wait.
As you no doubt noticed, the Psalmist portrays God in several ways throughout the Psalm. For instance, should a hunter set a trap, God will be there to rescue us from their sly hand (vs. 3). I particularly like how the writer likened the Lord to a mother bird concealing her young from a summer storm (vs. 4a). But then the Psalmist tells us that God is there on the battlefield with us as a shield, protecting us from our enemies (vs. 4b, 7-8). This means that we have nothing to fear from the darkest night or the hottest day when God is our refuge (vs. 6).
But more rewarding than the metaphors is how the Psalmist uses four different names of God right at the beginning of the passage. And using these names, I'd like to structure the rest of the post.
God, The Most High.
“Most High” was the name Melchizedek used of God in Gen. 14. And before some of God's other titles came into vogue with the Israelites, this was the most natural way of speaking about God. It is also one of the most common methods of talking about God in the book of Psalms. This title speaks of his incredible power and oversight over all things (cf. Ps. 18:13; 47:2). Melchizedek knew God as "Creator of heaven and earth"; thus, when we say God is Most High, we speak about his primacy in all things. He is the first cause. No one person nor one thing existed before He did.
He is the pinnacle of all things. No one is greater than He is. This is why throughout the Psalms, you'll find expressions where God alone is to be honored, glorified, and praised (cf. Ps. 97:9; 83:8). He who created the molecules and atoms which make up the universe can also turn them in the direction they should go. He is the force by which all things continue to exist (cf. Col. 1:17). The Sun does not burn because of fusion. The earth does not orbit the Sun because of gravitational forces. They move through space and time along predestined tracks laid down by a Divine hand.
God, the Almighty.
“Almighty” is a fantastic title for God. Interestingly, in Hebrew, “Almighty” is pronounced Shaddai, and, literally translated, it means to treat violently or to destroy (cf. Ru. 1:20-21). Yet throughout the OT, Almighty is just as connected with God's promises as his punishments (cf. Gen. 28:3; 35:11; Num. 24:4; Isa. 13:6; Joel 1:15). And while it only shows up twice in the whole of Psalms, it was the name most on the lips of the likes of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (cf. Gen. 17:1-3).
Being the Almighty speaks of God’s omnipotence. His is a booming voice reverberating with power (cf. 1 Ki. 19:9-18). His is a thunderous presence that can evoke fear (cf. Ex. 20:18-21). It is no wonder that many have said that to speak of God as the "Almighty" is to refer to Him as the great "thunderer” as there are few things that can exude more power than thunder. Or, as another bible commentator explained, Shaddai could also be understood as God of the “mountains.”
God, The Lord.
The Psalmist then addresses God as “Lord.” In Hebrew, it is actually “Yahweh," and it is the personal name for God. Unsurprisingly, it appears over 6,500 times in the OT. And throughout Psalms, "Lord" clocks in at a staggering 787 times. Interestingly, while Yahweh first appears in Gen. 24:42, we won't know its meaning until Exodus 3:3-15. There, Moses is communicating with God via a burning bush. And Moses asks for God's name. God tells him that is "I AM," or Yahweh. The simplest way to understand God’s name is to see that God isn’t dependent upon anyone for anything. God's existence stands on its own. He is not descended from another; He has always been and will always be.
God does not abide by any laws or expectations other than His own. He does as He wants to do. We ought to never presume to know how He will act but simply know He will act as He wills. In Psalm 91, the writer uses Yahweh as a form of personal address. When he talks about Yahweh, he uses "Most High" and "Almighty." But when he talks directly to God, he uses God’s personal name: Yahweh. The Psalmist’s casual use of God's name speaks of his intimate and close-knit relationship with God.
God, My God.
God is not impersonal. He is not aloof or uncaring. He is not disconnected from us. No. God is our God. He has a personal, intimate, and unique relationship with us. Who are we—who am I—to assume ownership of one so great as God? Yet, that is precisely what the Scriptures tell us to do. In fact, the phrase "my God" appears nearly a hundred and fifty times in the OT and over fifty times in the Psalms alone! So, yes, even though He is God, the Most High above all others. And yes, even though He is God, the Almighty, powerful and without equal. And yes, even though He is God, Yahweh, the One who holds all things together by the potent force of his name. That God is also my God.
From verses one through sixteen, the message of Psalm 91 is clear: God is our protection. He is the haven unbroken. He is the fortress unassailable. He is the refuge unyielding. We can come to hide under the One who never hides. God will deliver us out of the schemes of broken men and even the chaos of a broken world.
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