9 Because thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation; 10 There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. 11 For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. 12 They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone. 13 Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet. 14 Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name. 15 He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him. 16 With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation. Psalms 91:9-16 (KJV)
In yesterday’s devotion on Psalms 91 (Pt I), we discussed the SECRET PLACE of the MOST HIGH. It is a secret place to the lost, but a known place to the saved and called of God. Though the elect of God may not know the geographical boundaries of the SECRET PLACE, they know the WAY and the means of getting there.
The SECRET PLACE is likened to a fortress in an evil land full of robbers, murderers, and the reprobate. The Fortress of the Almighty is on an elevated plane, high above the mundane concerns of the world, and is a strong place of security. But even inside the walls of the Fortress is another more heavily guarded stronghold called the King’s Chamber where the saved of the Lord abide in His Presence. The HABITATION AND STATE OF THE GODLY is completely opposite the habitation and state of the dead. Death does not exist in the Presence of God. It is for this reason that those who die in their sins will not see God’s Throne on High. But those who are the elect will not see death, either. “I AM the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.” Matt 22:32 (KJV)
If we abide in Christ as our habitation, He will likewise abide in us. Our habitation must be a place of life and not death. So, “we live and have our being in Christ.”
If our Habitation is in God, how can evil or pestilence come near? “There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.”
Even the Angels of God stand watch over the people of God. “11 For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. 12 They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.” Our Lord is the Light to show is the way and the Lamp to guide our feet from the stones of the bad way. “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way.” Psalms 37:23 (KJV) See how the Angels of God are ever-present with the righteous to guard our every step!
Even in our hard-fought battles of life, we are amazed at our victories against great odds. If so, the victory was not ours, but belongs to the Lord: “ 7 Be strong and courageous, be not afraid nor dismayed for the king of Assyria, nor for all the multitude that is with him: for there be more with us than with him: 8 With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the Lord our God to help us, and to fight our battles. And the people rested themselves upon the words of Hezekiah king of Judah” 2 Chron 32:7-8 (KJV)
When we were young, we could do little to return the unconditional love of our dear mothers. But when she sacrificed, day-in and day-out, in cleaning our rooms and cooking our meals, and hugging and loving us, did we not at times bring in a bouquet of wild flowers to give to the darling of our hearts? Was she not more delighted at the wild flowers than the beautiful red roses of the florist? We can give nothing to God that He does not already own. He bought our salvation on the cross at Calvary, as well. All that we have comes from Him; but how delighted He is that we return to Him our paltry tokens of love as little children! God desires even an echo of that love with which He first loved us while we yet knew Him not. “14 Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name.” We are not acquainted with a person simply because we know their names from a page of the telephone directory. When we truly know a person, their names conjures up emotions of love, of dread, of contempt, or friendship. When we truly know the Lord, we know His Name with an intimate love and understanding, and we are pressed to study more of Him to know Him even better.
We have a Sovereign power upon whom to call in time of need, loneliness, or even joyful praise – the Lord Jesus Christ! If we are on that Divine frequency of His Will, He will hear us and answer according to our need. “15 He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him.” If our dials are only a slight degree off, He will not hear, nor will He answer. Why? “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me.” Psalms 66:18 (KJV) Mr. Benny Hinn and Joel Osteen are going to be shocked when the answer does not come! The Lord disdains to hear any voice that emanates from a corrupted vessel. But He also knows our needs more than we know them. (Do not confuse NEEDS with DESIRES). Our parents knew better than we where the safe playgrounds were, and God knows better than we where our hearts should wander. “Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.” James 4:3 (KJV)
God will bless His people with long life, if ETERNITY can be considered long! “With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.” This is even more profound for those who honor their mothers and fathers. “12 Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.” Ex 20:12 (KJV)
