He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. - Psalm 91:1
Generally, scholars believe that this Psalm was written during the plague that struck Jerusalem (2 Sam 24). For this reason, it probably was not written by David. David’s name is usually affixed to his Psalms, and it is unlikely that David, after having brought the plague through his sin, would neither mention of it nor express any repentance for it. Hence it is probably Gad’s. He was David’s seer and was therefore not associated with the event in any way.
This verse contains a qualification and a privilege. We can see it in the sentence structure: “He that…..shall….” Furthermore there are three angles from which these two sides of the verse are contrasted. The three angles are:
• The act of faith
• The manner of preservation
• The Person trusted
The act of faith: “He that dwells” This is the qualification. The one who will receive the promise will be the one who “dwells” The privilege is: “shall abide.” In other words, He that dwells will dwell.
The manner of preservation: “The secret place of the Most High,” is the manner of preservation from the side of the qualification. But in the privilege, it is called “the shadow of the Almighty.” The help of God is a secret to carnal man and God’s shadow is His refreshing and cooling presence, i.e., His protection.
The Person trusted: In the qualification God is called the “Most High.” In the privilege He is called “Almighty.”
When we put all these parts together, we see that this verse teaches us that anyone who entrusts himself into God’s hands may remain secure under His protection in the midst of all dangers.
What a wonderful thought this is! This is merely an overview of the passage. We will expound it in more detail in the next post or two.
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