The Protection of God's Name / Teacher Notes at the End
The Protection of God’s Name
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THE POINT
We can trust God to strengthen and help us.
THE BIBLE MEETS LIFE
My kids called me “Safety Man” with a grin. Through the years, I’ve taken personal risks on dangerous mission fields and in other settings. Yet, after our children were born, I became apprehensive about their safety and was somewhat overprotective. Although I tried to be reasonable, at times I may have gone overboard.
One incident put matters into perspective. While my wife and I were on a trip, our daughter experienced a serious auto accident near her college. Our first reaction was to go home. I had to protect our child. God reminded me that if I had been sitting beside her, I could not have prevented the accident. If God didn’t guard our children, my efforts would be futile. We prayed with her over the phone and committed her to the Lord.
Nationwide, security has become one of the primary issues in personal choices and public policy. While we should take reasonable measures to protect our families and others, only God can truly ease our minds. We can trust Him in all sorts of situations with our families and with our lives. Placing our faith in Him, we have peace.
Question 1:
What are some things people look to for security?
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?
Psalm 91:1-6
1 The one who lives under the protection of the Most High dwells in the shadow of the Almighty. 2 I will say concerning the Lord, who is my refuge and my fortress, my God in whom I trust: 3 He himself will rescue you from the bird trap, from the destructive plague. 4 He will cover you with his feathers; you will take refuge under his wings. His faithfulness will be a protective shield. 5 You will not fear the terror of the night, the arrow that flies by day, 6 the plague that stalks in darkness, or the pestilence that ravages at noon.
We might sleep better by avoiding newscasts before bedtime. From local crime to national economic distress to global conflicts, airways scream bad news. Many people rate safety as their chief concern. The writer of Psalm 91 understood our anxieties and shared how to rest in the security of God.
The first two verses testify to God’s faithful protection. The speaker then offered advice for the reader. Finally, God interjected His promise of protection in the last three verses. The psalm assures us that God cares for all who place their trust in Him. As the basis for his confidence, the psalmist emphasized four names of God:
- The Most High. Among nations who believed in many gods, the Hebrews believed in one true God. He is the Most High—above all others.
- The Almighty. People of faith make their dwelling place in the “shadow of the Almighty.” Transliterated as Shaddai, this name means “the all-powerful One.”
- Lord. “Lord” in capital letters represents God’s covenant name. It translates the word YHWH, sometimes rendered Yahweh or Jehovah. We can depend on God not because of our merit, but because of His relationship with us.
- My God. The psalmist also employed the name Elohim for God in verse two. Moses used this name in Genesis when referencing the Creator. Because of God’s personal relationship with us and His powerful protection of us, we can put our trust in Him.
The writer assured readers they could depend on the Lord. Two word pictures expressed how God interacted with His people:
- God was the Rescuer who delivered them like a bird from a trap; God rescued His people from natural plagues and calamities, as He did from their enemies.
- The second metaphor likens God to a mother bird stretching to protect its young. God will cover us with “his feathers” when we “take refuge” under His wings.
As a result of God’s dependable love, we have no reason to fear. The psalmist listed four types of hazards: the terror of the night, the arrow that flies by day, the plague that stalks in darkness, and the pestilence that ravages at noon. His point wasn’t to make an exhaustive list but to represent various types of danger that occur day or night. During any of these situations, we can be at peace because of God’s care.
Question 2:
What does it look like to dwell and rest in God’s protection?
Psalm 91:9-13
9 Because you have made the Lord—my refuge, the Most High—your dwelling place, 10 no harm will come to you; no plague will come near your tent. 11 For he will give his angels orders concerning you, to protect you in all your ways. 12 They will support you with their hands so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. 13 You will tread on the lion and the cobra; you will trample the young lion and the serpent.
Most people desire peaceful lives. Far from being sedentary, peace means the active elimination of conflict. In a fallen world, we commonly encounter opposition from people and circumstances. Despite challenging situations, believers can rest in God’s power because He is able to keep us secure.
This passage isn’t a universal promise that harm will never come to people who trust in God. Even when we trust the Lord, we can—and do—encounter pain, suffering, and death. However, we can depend on God’s love and power to intercede for us. Sometimes He protects us from evil. Sometimes He strengthens us in the midst of danger. Sometimes He uses our reaction to pain to encourage others.
The point of this passage involves the intentional choice of making the Lord our dwelling place. Repeating elements of the preceding section, the psalmist emphasized names of God to focus on God’s attributes. Using the covenant name of God—YHWH—the writer reminded God’s people of their faith relationship to Him. Because of our relationship with Him, we can rely on His consistent faithfulness.
The psalmist reiterated his basis of confidence because the “Most High” was his refuge. A shelter from storms of human or natural origin, our God can overcome any danger we encounter. We demonstrate faith by making Him our dwelling place.
Some people may misconstrue verse 10 to be an absolute promise they will never experience harm or problems. Consequently, when they experience trauma or illness, their faith wavers. God allows us to go through difficulties, but He never abandons us. He strengthens and upholds us. In many instances, God delivers us. In all cases, He remains faithfully present with us. As Paul reminded the Romans, God works all things for the good of those who love Him (Rom. 8:28).
Verses 11-12 can be applied in two ways. In the immediate context, the psalmist illustrated how God lifts us up to save us from danger. God sometimes uses angelic beings to intercede for us. The reference to dashing one’s foot against a rock demonstrates the way God cares even about our steps.
We also recognize this passage as being a part of Satan’s temptation of Jesus (Matt. 4:6). The devil misused Scripture for his nefarious purposes. Testing Jesus’s trust of the Father, Satan tried to get Jesus to leap from the pinnacle of the temple. Reaching back to this passage, he sought to make Jesus put the Father to the test. Christ understood the intention of Psalm 91:11-12 and refused to be tricked. He knew God’s Word cannot be employed to force God into a box or make Him behave as we want.
God’s angels supported Jesus in His trials, as they do us. In the wilderness temptation, they ministered to Jesus after He successfully stood against the enemy. God also uses supernatural forces to help us. The descriptions of protection in verse 13 exemplify ways God intercedes on our behalf. We can rest securely in the presence of the Lord because of several truths:
- The Lord established a covenant relationship with us in Christ.
- The Most High possesses supreme power because He is above all.
- We have security by remaining in Him.
- We can experience life without fear because God cares for us.
Our confidence rests not in our abilities, but in His loving power. Our role is to remain in Him and trust in His faithfulness.
Question 3:
What challenges have you been able to overcome because of God’s protection?
Psalm 91:14-16
14 Because he has his heart set on me, I will deliver him; I will protect him because he knows my name. 15 When he calls out to me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble. I will rescue him and give him honor. 16 I will satisfy him with a long life and show him my salvation.
Responding to the psalmist’s statement of faith, God interjected a response. Using the third person could apply the statements to the writer or the reader. In fact, it applies to all who have set their hearts on God. The list of promises is not all-inclusive but represents ways God works on our behalf. Each statement portrays God’s assurances to people who trust Him.
- He will deliver us and rescue us. Deliverance suggests a dangerous situation that threatens someone’s well-being. This term describes God carrying the person safely away, like a shepherd might pull a lamb away from a predator.
- He will protect us. Once we are delivered, God protects believers because we know His name. Like a high tower that guards a city, the Lord watches over His people. Our relationship with Him begins with coming to know Him, not just knowing about Him.
- He will answer us. In this ongoing relationship, we can call on God in our need and He promises to answer. We can be confident God hears His children. What good parent ignores the cries of a child? God’s answer doesn’t mean He always acts on our prayers like we want, but He does hear us, and He always answers us.
- He will be with us in trouble. God’s promise to be with us in times of trouble may be the most assuring promise in this section. Sometimes we feel totally alone when distress surrounds us. Friends and family may be absent, but God never leaves us or forsakes us. In His presence, we need never be afraid or discouraged (Deut. 31:8).
- He will give us honor. The Lord not only rescues us from danger, but He also bestows honor in the process. Some commentators see this action to mean a restoration to honor. However, the syntax suggests God bestows something lacking. When God rescues, He lifts up our downcast heads in dignity.
- He will satisfy us with a long life. Through God’s intervention, the believer may experience a “long life.” Interestingly, God promises to “satisfy” the faithful one. Some people live many years but experience bitterness and sorrow. God’s presence provides a superior quality of life, not merely an extended quantity of life.
- He will show us His salvation. Finally, the Lord will “show” His salvation. Each of these words is important. Some people are saved, but they fail to see salvation’s evidence in daily life. Sin, sorrows, or doubts rob them of the joy of their salvation (Ps. 51:12).
Engage
Strength in Times of Trouble
We live in challenging times with ongoing threats from viruses, political fighting, civil unrest, and world conflict, just to name a few. Rank these things in terms of your concern. Then write a prayer, handing them over to God.
_____war _____viruses _____political fighting _____civil unrest
____crime ____poor economics _____natural disasters ____other:
My Prayer:
____________________________
Our satisfaction and security lie not in self-effort but in God’s mercy. We are not saved, sanctified, or secured by anything we generate through personal endeavors. Instead, we are His workmanship, created and kept in Christ for God’s glory and our good (Eph. 2:10). Even when we feel like collapsing, God—who began this work in us—promises to continue doing so until the coming of the Lord (Phil. 1:6).
Question 4:
What practices or habits can help us trust God for security, instead of ourselves?
Question 5:
How will knowing God’s name help your walk with Him?
LIVE IT OUT
We can trust God to help us in our difficulties. Each name of God furthers our appreciation for His love and care. Work through one or more of these applications to deepen your trust in Him.
Look in. Meditate on what makes you feel insecure. What causes you to be afraid?
Look up. Use Bible resources to look up other names of God. Look up to Him in prayer and surrender your cares to Him.
Look out. Look out for a friend who is experiencing difficulties. Encourage your friend by sharing these insights.
Rather than being overprotective or constantly worried, use this study to increase your trust in God. Cast your cares on Him, for He cares for you (1 Pet. 5:7).
Teacher Notes:
The Protection
of God’s Name
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Introduction:
In Psalm 91, the
psalmist writes about the assurance of God’s protection. Life comes with all kinds of difficulties and
struggles; Christ told us that it would be this way (John 16:33). But one thing
we know for sure, is that God is greater than them all.
SETTING - Like many
of the psalms, Psalm 91 is anonymous — we do not know who wrote it. Whoever the
human author was, we know all of Scripture is ultimately attributable to God
the Holy Spirit.
El
Shaddai - “God Almighty”
El Shaddai means
“God Almighty” – God’s name, El Shaddai, reminds us that He is all-powerful, He
is the Mighty One, He is the 9-1-1 (Psalm 91:1) to run to.
Psalm
91:1-6
The one who lives
under the protection of the Most High dwells in the shadow of the Almighty. I
will say concerning the Lord, who is my refuge and my fortress, my God in whom
I trust: He himself will rescue you from the bird trap, from the destructive plague.
He will cover you with His feathers; you will take refuge under His wings. His
faithfulness will be a protective shield. You will not fear the terror of the
night, the arrow that flies by day, the plague that stalks in darkness, or the
pestilence that ravages at noon.
What does
it mean to live under God’s protection?
When was a time,
that you can share with the class, in which you sensed God’s presence and fear
abated?
We can
trust God’s power to protect us.
God’s arm is never
too short to save His people. We can trust in God’s power to protect us. The
names of God testify to His unlimited power and provision.
God is a shelter, a
refuge when we are afraid. The psalmist’s faith in the Almighty God as
Protector would carry him through all the dangers and fears of life. This
should be a picture of our trust – trading all our fears for faith in Him, no
matter how intense our fears. To do this we must “dwell” and “rest” with Him
(91:1). By entrusting ourselves to His protection and pledging our daily
devotion to Him, we will be kept safe.
What are the
different names that the psalmist used to describe God? Why are these names
important?
Most High - a metaphor
pertaining to height and conveying ownership. God is higher than any of the
so-called gods the people who lived around and among the Israelites worshiped.
Among all the forces that exist in the universe, both seen and unseen, the
psalmist declared that his God is above them all. He is the owner of all
things.
The
Almighty - pertains to might and to power and conveys the ability to do all things.
God’s power is unmatched. There is nothing He cannot do. Verse 2 goes on to
describe what God does with this power. He uses it to protect and provide for
His people.
What images did he
use to depict God? What do those images tell us about God and His nature?
We see several of
God’s names. God is called the most High. The Hebrew word behind this name is Elyon. The concept behind this Hebrew word is
simply “highest.” The name is related to the Hebrew verb that means “to go up” or “to
climb.” The word denotes that God is
higher than any of the so-called gods the people who lived around and among the
Israelites worshiped. Among all the forces that exist in the universe, both seen and unseen,
the psalmist declared that his God is above them all. As the One who sits
enthroned above all things, He is the owner of all things. He owns the
cattle on a thousand hills (Ps. 50:10). He knows when a sparrow falls to the
ground (Matt. 10:29). The earth and all that is in it belong to Him (Ps. 24:1).
As the One who is above all things and the One who owns all things, God, the
psalmist declares, is “Most High.”
God is called the
Almighty.
If “Most High” is a metaphor pertaining to height
and conveying ownership, then the word “Almighty” pertains
to might and to power and conveys the ability to do all things. God’s power is unmatched. There is nothing
He cannot do. Verse 2 goes on to describe what God does with this power. He
uses it to protect and provide for His people.
God is referred to
as the Lord, my refuge, and my fortress. When God refers to Himself as “the Lord,” He
is using His covenant name — the one He revealed to Moses in Exodus 3. By
invoking His covenant name, all the promises God made to Moses are recalled.
Remember, the previous psalm is “A prayer of Moses,” so by using the covenant
name for God in this verse, the author, whether it is Moses or someone else, was
reminding the reader that God is a God who keeps His covenant. Unlike how
humans may be either unable or unwilling to keep their promises, God’s arm is
never too short (Num. 11:23; Isa. 59:1). The psalmist went on to describe God
as “my refuge.” A refuge is a place of comfort and stability. It provides
shelter, comfort, and aid for those who are in trouble. God is a refuge to
those who trust in Him. He provides a place where one can hide when life’s
storms come bearing down. He provides food and water for those who are hungry
and thirsty. Finally, the psalmist said that God is “my fortress.” A
fortress
is more than a refuge. A fortress is a place that protects from the ravages of war. A fortress is a place
of peace when war is all around. Jesus fulfills these roles as Mighty God, Wonderful Counselor, and Prince
of Peace.
The psalmist
declared that He will be the One who rescues us. As far back as Genesis 3, we
see that God did not abandon His creation after it fell into sin. Instead, God
came seeking the very creatures who had deliberately and directly rebelled
against His clear commands. Throughout the Old Testament, we see examples of
God coming to make His presence and provision felt among His people. Whether it
was the angel of the Lord visiting Abraham, or the mysterious fourth
figure in the fiery furnace with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, or the
commander of the Lord’s army who presented himself to Joshua, God sent constant
reminders that His people were not alone. As we fast forward to the New
Testament, the wonderful truth of the incarnation is that God did not stand
back from sinful creation, but He took on human flesh, suffered as we suffer,
and even faced temptation. In all of this, He did not sin but came as the final
Rescuer. The psalmist uses two metaphors to describe what
God rescues him from. First, he rescues from the snare of the fowler. We are like birds
who wander into traps set by the enemy. These snares can be set up in a moment.
In the blink of an eye, we can be captured by our sin. We are helpless and need
to be rescued from those moments when sin seeks to ensnare us. Second, God
rescues from the noisome pestilence. If the bird trap is a picture of the danger
of sin swallowing us up in moments of weakness, then the “noisome pestilence”
is a picture of the danger of sin over the course of time. Sin is not always
something that takes us down in a moment. Very often, it is a slow burn of
apathy and indifference to the things of God. This is the plague from which God
rescues us.
In his song, “The
Man Comes Around,” Johnny Cash referred to God as the “father hen” who calls
“his chickens’ home.” That imagery is taken from verses where the psalmist
pictured God as a protective father bird. Exodus 19:4 describes God as bearing
up the people of Israel on the wings of an eagle. Deuteronomy 32:11 compares
God to an eagle who cares for its young. In Luke 13:34, Jesus compared Himself
to a hen who “doth gather her brood under her wings.” In all these verses, God
is pictured as a protective bird who cares for its young. A bird places its
young directly under its wings to protect them both from predators and the
elements of nature. God’s care for us protects us from both the enemy and the
world. The psalmist restates this same concept by comparing His faithfulness to
a shield. While our faithfulness ranges from nonexistent to imperfect, God’s
faithfulness never fails (Ps. 100:5; 117:2; 2 Tim. 2:13).
In verses 5 and 6,
the psalmist declared the results of God’s faithful care described in the
previous verses. He used parallelism to do this. The psalmist listed four
things
that God’s faithfulness should cause us not to fear. The basic result is that
thou shalt not be afraid. First, we should not fear the terror by
night.
In a world full of electric lights, we tend not to think much about how fearful
the night can be, but the people of the psalmist’s world had reasons to fear
the night. The darkness of the night could be full of danger. That’s why Psalm
130:6 says watchmen wait for the morning. The image of darkness is repeated in
the first line of verse 6. This time, the psalmist repeated the language of
“pestilence” mentioned earlier. Once again, the psalmist teaches we should not
fear because of the provision and protection of Almighty God.
Second, God’s
activity causes us to not fear the arrow that flies by day. Just as the night
has certain hazards, so too does daytime bring certain perils and threats. In
the second lines of both verse 5 and verse 6, the psalmist spoke about these
dangers. Historically, warfare has taken place during the day, so the psalmist was
using the imagery of warfare to illustrate that perils and pitfalls are not
limited to the darkness of nighttime. But neither is God’s provision limited to
the night. God is an ever-present God who never slumbers or sleeps (Ps. 121:4).
The Bible is full
of commands to not be afraid. The phrase is repeated and again throughout the
Old Testament as God promises to be with His people. Jesus also had something
to say about fear. He said that we should not fear those who can kill the body.
Instead, we should “fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in
hell” (Matt. 10:28). The power of God is unmatched in the universe. Nothing can
come close to matching His might. And the testimony of this psalm is that the
God of unlimited power is for His people. He desires their peace and not their
destruction. As members of God’s covenant people, we can rest in this truth.
Psalm
91:9-13
Because you have
made the Lord — my refuge, the Most High — your dwelling place, no harm will
come to you; no plague will come near your tent. For He will give His angels
orders concerning you, to protect you in all your ways. They will support you
with their hands so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. You
will tread on the lion and the cobra; you will trample the young lion and the
serpent.
How do
God’s angels minister to His people?
One of the
functions of angels is to watch over believers (Hebrews 1:14). There are
examples of guardian angels in Scripture (1Kings 19:5; Daniel 6:22; Matthew
18:10; Luke 16:22; Acts 12:7), although there is no indication that one angel
is assigned to each believer. Angels can also be God’s messengers (Matthew
2:13; Acts 27:23-24). Angels are not visible, except on special occasions
(Numbers 22:31; Luke 2:9). Verses 11 and 12 were quoted by Satan when he
tempted Jesus (Matthew 4:6; Luke 4:10-11). It is comforting to know that God
watches over us even in times of great stress and fear.
How do
the promises of God in this psalm apply to us today?
What challenges
have you been able to overcome because of God’s protection?
In what ways can
these verses encourage us, even when we walk through times of illness and
suffering in life?
We can
rest in God’s power to keep us secure.
We can trust God’s
power to keep us secure. The God of Israel is more powerful than anything in
either the natural or supernatural world. The promises of these verses apply to
us as Christians in an ultimate and eschatological manner.
The Old Testament
is an account of the promises of God, and He always keeps His promises. Those promises find their ultimate
fulfillment in Jesus. As such, we should note that the promises made in these verses from Psalm 91 were made to a specific
people at a specific time in salvation history — namely the people of Israel
living before the time of Jesus’s incarnation. The promises of physical protection given to
ancient Israel do not transfer to Christians today. We should not look to these
verses as being some kind of guarantee that we will not face physical harm or
ever be impacted by physical sickness. In fact, more Christians died from
persecution in the twentieth century than in the previous nineteen centuries
combined. Christians can and do face a real threat of physical violence and
even death, and we have all experienced sickness and even the death of loved
ones from things like heart disease and cancer. As we read promises like the
ones in this psalm, we must remember that these promises ultimately apply to us
as the New Testament people of God in an eschatological manner. This
means that final, ultimate, and eternal harm will not come to God’s people. Believers will
get sick and even die from acute and chronic illnesses. Christians may be
imprisoned, tortured, or even killed, but their eternal security is never in doubt.
What does it mean
to make the Lord our refuge?
Why do we sometimes
forget God’s promise of protection?
In verses 9 and 10,
the psalmist continued the theme of God’s protection and provision for His
people. The psalmist made it clear that God’s protection and provision are not
universally applied to all people everywhere. They are reserved
for those of whom it could be said, thou hast made the Lord, which is my
refuge, even the Most High, thy habitation. Once again, the psalmist uses the
covenant name of God and by doing so ties his hope to the promises that God
made to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Moses.
The Bible
does not teach universalism — that all people will be saved. It also
does not teach pluralism — that people will be saved by whatever path they
follow.
From the beginning
to the end, the Bible teaches that only those who are in Christ will be saved
from the wrath and judgment of God. For those (like the psalmist) who lived
before the time of Jesus’s incarnation, people were saved by grace through
their faith in the promises of God that He would bring a Messiah to save them
from their sins. For those of us living after the death, burial, resurrection,
and ascension of Jesus, we are saved by grace through faith that God kept His
promises through the life of Christ. He is the One in whom we place our hope
and trust.
In addition to
invoking the covenant name of God, the psalmist described God’s provision using
several phrases. First, he called the Lord, my refuge. He had already
used this phrase in verse 2, so by invoking this phrase again, the psalmist was
emphasizing God’s provision and protection. Second, he once
again used the phrase most High to refer to God. As mentioned earlier, the
metaphor of height emphasizes God’s place of superiority over all His creation.
He is above and beyond our thoughts. His plans are above and beyond our
comprehension. God’s status as most High does not mean, however, that we cannot
know Him at all. God has chosen to reveal Himself to us, and by His gracious
self-revelation, while we cannot know God exhaustively, we can know Him truly.
Finally, the psalmist refers to God as thy habitation (“dwelling place,”
CSB). This phrase completes the idea mentioned earlier. The reason that the
people of God can have confidence in God’s provision is because they have a personal
relationship with Him. He is their “habitation” — their refuge.
The psalmist
continued to discuss God’s care for His people in verses 11 and 12. The
psalmist said God will dispatch angels to protect His
people.
Throughout the Old Testament, we read stories of God dispatching angels to
protect His people. In Genesis, Lot and his family were protected
from the wickedness of the men of Sodom and then from God’s judgment on Sodom (Gen. 19). Daniel
testified to God’s provision of an angel to save him from the mouths of lions (Dan. 6:22). Elisha is
saved from the king of Syria by God’s provision of heavenly chariots (2 Kings 6:8-23).
God is willing to use His angels to minister to His people.
Amazingly, Satan quoted
these verses when he tempted Jesus in Matthew 4. The enemy and his demons know
the Bible. James wrote that the demons know true things about God’s name—namely
that there is one God (Jas. 2:19). Knowing God is more than knowing true things
about God. The ability to quote the Bible or make factually correct statements
about God, Jesus, or theology is not an indication that an individual is in
right standing with God.
In verse 13, we see
an example of synonymous parallelism. The second line is, more or less, a
repeat of the first line. In this verse, we see further language of God’s
promise of protection for His people. The lion and the adder (“cobra,” CSB)
were two of the deadliest creatures in the psalmist’s world. The psalmist
assured the reader that even these powerful predators are nothing compared to
the matchless power of their God. Additionally, the religions of Israel’s
neighbors (including the Egyptians) often depicted their gods in the form of
animals, so this verse might also serve as a critique of those false religions
and false gods. The Lord stands in judgment over these false gods because He is
the Creator of all things — whether literal lions and serpents, or the demonic
spirits being worshiped in the forms of these animals.
The Old Testament is an account of the
promises of God, and He always keeps His promises. Those promises find their
ultimate fulfillment in Jesus. Paul wrote, “For
all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God
by us” (2 Cor. 1:20). As such, we should note that the promises made in these
verses from Psalm 91 were made to a specific people at a specific time in salvation
history — namely the people of Israel living before the time of Jesus’s
incarnation. The
promises of physical protection given to ancient Israel do not transfer to
Christians today. Therefore, we
should not appeal to these verses as being some kind of guarantee that we will
not face physical harm or ever be impacted by physical sickness. In fact, more
Christians died from persecution in the twentieth century than in the previous
nineteen centuries combined. Christians can and do face a real threat of
physical violence and even death, and we have all experienced sickness and even
the death of loved ones from things like heart disease and cancer. As we read promises like the ones in this
psalm, we must remember that these promises ultimately apply to us as the New
Testament people of God in an eschatological manner. This means that final,
ultimate, and eternal harm will not come to God’s people. Believers will get
sick and even die from acute and chronic illnesses. Christians may be
imprisoned, tortured, or even killed, but their eternal security is never in
doubt. In fact, in a
sobering and somber passage, the apostle John teaches in the book of Revelation
that there is a providential ordained number of martyrs who will be killed for
their faith in Jesus. After writing that he saw “the souls of them that were
slain for the word of God” (Rev. 6:9). He went to write that these martyrs are
told to rest, “until their fellow servants also and their brethren, that should
be killed as they were, should be fulfilled” (v. 11).
Psalm
91:14-16
Because he has his
heart set on Me, I will deliver him; I will protect him because he knows My
name. When he calls out to Me, I will answer him; I will be with him in
trouble. I will rescue him and give him honor. I will satisfy him with a long
life and show him my salvation.
What does it mean
to know God’s name?
How will knowing
God’s name help your walk with Him?
We can
experience satisfaction because God works on our behalf.
We can experience
satisfaction because God works on our behalf.
People can only call out to God if they hear the message about God. Our
confidence in our salvation is due to God’s gracious work for us.
What does it mean
to set our love upon God? What does God want us to do when we need help? What
does God promise in these verses?
In these final
three verses, the point of view of the psalm changes. Up to this point in the
psalm, the speaker has been the psalmist. In these verses, the speaker is God. As we listen to
the voice of God in these verses, our assurance of God’s care is deepened. He
has spoken to us. We are known by Him. This should give us great assurance.
In verses 14 and
15, we see the appropriate response to God. In verse 14, it is having
our love set on Him. The primary issue, according to this verse, is not the amount of
knowledge that we have about God. Instead, the primary issue is that our hearts have
responded appropriately — namely in faith and trust out of a heart of love. The second part of
the verse says that protection comes because he hath known my name. The
psalmist was not giving some kind of magic formula for God’s protection as if
God can be duty-bound to act because we have the “right” name for Him. Instead,
the psalmist is saying that God protects those who are in covenant
relationship with Him — those who have called out to Him for salvation. The man on the
cross with Jesus knew very little about Jesus, yet Jesus said he would be with
Him in paradise. Our confidence in our salvation does not rest on anything we
have done but on what He has done for us. Our assurance of salvation should
always start with “Because He,” not “Because I.”
In verse 15, God
says those who call upon Him will be answered. The idea of calling out to God
is carried throughout the Bible. Paul used this language in Romans 10 when he
quoted Joel 2:32, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be
saved” (Rom. 10:13). Immediately following this verse, Paul had proclaimed that
the only way people can call on the name of the Lord is if they believe this
message, and the only way that they can believe it is if they hear it. The only
way that they can hear it is if someone preaches it to them, and the only way
that people can preach it is if they are sent. Thus, for people to hear,
understand, and believe the gospel, our churches must take up our birthright to
make disciples of all nations (Matt. 28:19-20).
In verse 16, we see
that the salvation we find in knowing God and being known by God satisfies our
deepest desires and our greatest needs. The world’s biggest problem is
lostness, and the world’s greatest need is the gospel. This applies on a macro
level — in terms of global missions. It also applies on a micro level — in the
hearts of our unsaved friends, neighbors, and family members. And the gospel is
what we must preach to ourselves every day of our lives.
Conclusion:
We can trust God to
strengthen and help us.
This final lesson is
a call to trust in God’s care for us as His people. God is our sanctuary. He is
our deliverer and rescuer. We can and must trust Him. When we do, He will prove
Himself faithful.
What Do
You Need Protection From?
Another
Thought?
If Jesus prayed for
our protection … “Holy Father, protect them by your name that you have given
me” (John 17:11)
… then why am I not
protected from the bad things I experience? Jesus prayed for our protection,
yet life is still full of attacks and problems.
What’s up with
that?
Jesus prayed for
protection for His disciples, but they all experienced persecution. Everyone
one of them except John died as martyrs.
Where’s the
protection in that?
That question is
grounded in a faulty premise we hold on to. We think that, if we love Jesus, He
will make our lives better physically, financially, socially, and … well,
better in every way. We expect Jesus to give us heaven right here on earth.
I don’t believe God
is opposed to that, but our pleasure and physical comfort is not His main
focus. God heals. God provides. God brings joy into our lives in a host of ways
— but He never promised we won’t face setbacks. Consider this: every person
healed by Jesus eventually died — even Lazarus, who had been brought back from
the dead. Lazarus later died — again.
So, what kind of
protection was Jesus praying for?
The last half of
the verse explains it: “Holy Father, protect them by your name that you have
given me, so that they may be one as we are one” (John 17:11).
Jesus seeks our
protection so that we may be one. He seeks our protection in unity. His prayer
in this verse is not focused on protection from outside forces; it’s a focus on
protection from internal forces like sin, temptation, and my own sin nature’s desire
to exalt myself.
What does that have
to do with unity? When I exalt myself or go after what I want, that puts me at
odds with others — especially if they are seeking to exalt themselves too! In
those moments, love for Christ and love for others goes out the door.
What was the one
thing that got Judas?
Greed and
ambition.
When he saw what Jesus was doing — and what He was not doing — he approached
the religious leaders with his traitorous actions. It wasn’t about what Jesus
wanted; it was about what Judas wanted.
We need protection
from self and those things that would disrupt our unity with Christ and with
one another.
In Romans 8:28, we
are promised that God works all things for our good, but we fail to read the
very next verse.
“For those he
foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son” (Rom. 8:29).
The good
that God will work in our lives is to bring us into conformity with His Son. So, God will not
“protect” us from bad things if the process of going through those difficulties
brings us closer to Him and makes us more like Jesus.
The protection
Jesus prayed for was spiritual protection. That’s the greater need. Take my
health, and I can still love and follow Jesus. Threaten my life — and even take
my life — but that does not affect my relationship with Christ. But if Satan
can attack me internally, get me to focus on self or doubt the goodness of God,
then I am on a dangerous path. I am pulling away for unity with Christ and
unity with His body — the church.
So, Holy Father,
protect me by the power of your name, so that I may be one with You and others.
What does
the Bible say about protection?
Ultimately, our
protection comes from God. In times of physical and spiritual attack and in
threatening situations of all kinds, those who trust in the Lord find Him to be
a strong Protector. “He shields all who take refuge in him” (Psalm 18:30). Here
are some other passages that emphasize the protection of God:
·
“You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround
me with songs of deliverance” (Psalm 32:7).
·
“You make your saving help my shield, and your right hand sustains me;
your help has made me great. You provide a broad path for my feet, so that my
ankles do not give way” (Psalm 18:35–36).
·
“You are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in your word” (Psalm
119:114).
·
“Lord, how many are my foes! How many rise up against me! . . . But you,
Lord, are a shield around me, my glory, the One who lifts my head high” (Psalm
3:1, 3).
Under the Old
Covenant, God promised physical protection to His people, the Israelites, as
they kept the law (Deuteronomy 7:11–26). That divine protection extended to
keeping them safe against the nations that would come against them as they
entered the Promised Land: “I will send My terror ahead of you and throw into
confusion all the people among whom you come, and I will make all your enemies
turn their backs to you” (Exodus 23:27, NASB). Here we see God protecting those
whose actions accorded with His foreordained plans and purpose.
Psalm 121 is a
wonderfully encouraging song for those who trust fully in God. The psalmist
first identifies that his help comes from the Lord of all the earth (Psalm
121:1–2). He then instructs us on the attentiveness of the Lord toward His
children — the One who never slumbers is on duty night and day (Psalm 121:3–6).
Finally, the psalmist assures us that the God who watches us will keep us from
harm and that He oversees all our activities now and forever (Psalm 121:7–8).
Individuals who knew the protection of God
include David (Psalm 18:3; 54:7;
138:7); Noah (Genesis 7); Daniel (Daniel 6); and Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego (Daniel 3). God’s protection was even evident in Job’s
life. Yes, Job suffered many trials because of the
attacks of Satan, but God established boundaries that Satan could not
cross. Satan was limited to doing only what God
allowed, and nothing more (Job 1—3). Through all the misery and afflictions Job
endured, God was protecting him from greater harm. God also protected Job’s
faith, allowing Job to be tested only so far before He stepped in and spoke to
Job (Job 38—42). Job could not see God working behind the scenes, but he
came to understand that God’s protection is sure and faithful. God promises His people, “I will never leave you nor forsake
you” (see Deuteronomy 31:6; Joshua 1:5; 1 Chronicles 28:20; Hebrews 13:5).
In Scripture, God used several means of
protecting His people, including angels (Psalm 91:11–12), fire (2
Kings 1:9–10), floods (Judges 5:21), escape
routes (Acts 9:24–25), royal decrees (Ezra 6:11–12), pagan armies (Acts
23:23–24), and insomnia (Esther 6). God’s power
and creativity are unlimited.
God’s promise of protection does not
guarantee that we will never know pain or loss. Job’s story shows us that,
although God can deliver us out of every physical calamity or trouble, it may
not be His will to do so. Sometimes He uses trials to purify us. At these
times, we should “count it pure joy” because, by allowing trials, God tests our
faith to develop a deeper faith so that we persevere and grow to maturity and
Christlikeness (James 1:2–3). Protecting us from trials is not always
beneficial to us.
Also, God does not always shield us from
the results of our own sins or the negative effects of the sins of others. Our
world has fallen, and we endure its hardships. Many in Jesus Christ endure
persecution (2 Timothy 3:12). Jesus assured His disciples, “I have told you these things, so that in me you
may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have
overcome the world” (John 16:33). In every situation,
however, God remains in control, and our sufferings have a limit. God will not allow us to be tested beyond our ability to
bear it (1 Corinthians 10:13). “The waves may toss and roar,” God says, “but
they can never pass the boundaries I set” (Jeremiah 5:22, NLT).
The promise of physical protection is not ours under
the New Covenant; rather, our focus is on God’s spiritual protection against
the enemies of our soul. For our spiritual protection,
God has given us spiritual armor (Ephesians 6:10–18) and His own peace to guard
our hearts and minds (Philippians 4:7). The essence of God’s protection
is the eternal indwelling of the Holy Spirit (Ephesians
2:21–22). It is this protection that Paul had in mind when he wrote, “The Lord
will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly
kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen” (2 Timothy 4:18). The Romans
could do their worst, but Paul had confidence that “to be absent from the body
[is] to be present with the Lord” (2 Corinthians 5:8).
The believer is sealed for the day of
final glorification (Ephesians 1:13–14). No matter what happens in this world,
heaven is our home. We are spiritually safe. “Blessed is the one who trusts in
the LORD, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the
water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes;
its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never
fails to bear fruit” (Jeremiah 17:8). We draw near to God and trust His protection.
We invite His work in us, knowing that He will accomplish His good purpose in
our lives (Romans 8:28–39).
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