Psalm 91

She had silvery, white hair by the time I came to know her. Her shoulders stooped a bit, but that didn’t deter her from good, old fashioned, gardening and wonderful cooking. Home-made noodles . . . Mmmm, no one could make them quite like her. Church potlucks just weren’t complete without her large, stainless steel, kettle, sitting on the counter, sending off mouth watering aromas as it waited to warm your heart and satisfy your hunger.

It was extremely seldom for the Pastor to take any time off — this I know first hand since he was my dad. Our church didn’t boast a church “staff” so if their was a message to be preached, Dad did it. If someone needed visiting — Dad did it. Therefore, if Dad were gone on a Wednesday evening, he would often ask Mrs. Settles to have prayer meeting.

Now there was one thing that stood out about this lady even more than her homemade noodles. She knew God. She talked to Him — lots! She talked to Him because she loved Him. She talked to Him for family, for friends, for the lost . . . She knew God and He knew her.

After several years of being at the church, our family was preparing to be gone over a Wednesday. One of my young friends made a comment that they would probably hear Psalm 91 again! Evidently every time this dear saint “filled in” she would use Psalm 91.

As the years have gone by, this Psalm has become most precious to me. Many nights I read it before going to sleep. Sometimes my daughter reads it to me, or I read it to her. Recently we read it in family devotions. It’s one of those Psalms of which we can never get enough. It’s words hold such promises . . . Such faith-filled declarations! This was a secret Mrs. Settles had discovered. No wonder she used it nearly ever time!

In a devotional book, entitled, “Springs in the Valley,” I found a version of this Psalm that was new to me. I absolutely fell in love all over again with the meaning of this passage from God . It goes like this:

“He that goeth aside to sit quietly in the secret place with the Most High, will find him coming over so close that this man shall be lodging under the very shadow of the Almighty.” (Psalm 91:1 free translation)

Don’t you just love that?!? Going aside and sitting quietly brings Him close! So close in fact that you will be “lodging” or living under the shadow of the Almighty! The very Almighty God!!! What a privilege! What a place to rest! What a place to live!

“Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” (James 4:8)

Let’s determine to “live in Him” more than ever before, and let Him “live in us!” (John 14:1)

Take it with You

“He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty."      Psalm 91:1