“I will say of the Lord, he is my refuge and my fortress, my God; on him I lean and rely, and in him I confidently trust . . . He will cover me with his feathers, and under his wings I will trust and find refuge; his truth and his faithfulness are my shield and my defense.” (Psalm 91:2 & 4)
In these two verses, we can apply the theme of ‘safety.’ The list of synonyms might include: refuge, fortress, protector, shield, defense.
We find not only military-type words used in the 1st century, but also the protective nurturing of a metaphor laced with bird features.
Years ago, I read the story about a mourning dove who had been caught in a prairie fire. After the smoke cleared, a first responder found the charred remains of this little mother. But gathered under her lifeless wings were her babies, safe from the deadly flames.
In order to underscore the theme of safety, we need to also look at the action steps taken by the Psalmist and by osmosis — those of us who read the Psalm and believe its message.
Like the birds saved from the fire, we huddle under those metaphoric wings. To lean in and rely on our Protector. To confidently trust even as fires rage around us. To run into the fortress and find refuge from marauders.
Most of us, especially in the Western world, know little about the need to escape from drug-infested gangs or rebels intent on killing entire tribes. Our enemies are the more metaphysical type: illness, loss of job, grief, broken relationships, or spiritual wanderings that keep us awake at night.
But the crux of this Psalm and the reason David believed it was vital was because it spoke of two qualities that define God: truth and faithfulness.
Even when life throws its worst at us, we can be certain that God will keep his word to protect his little ‘chicks.’ We may suffer some physical harm, but there are plenty of miracles observed and recorded when God intervened in a physical way.
Even more important is the faithfulness that God promises beyond this life. For everything we experience on this earth is merely temporary — even if the struggle feels interminable. But beyond — way beyond what we suffer here — is an eternity that will never ever destroy us. God’s true promise and everlasting protection will cover our souls as we march into heaven.
These two verses offer hope to the millions of displaced believers, to the persevering saints in Ukraine, and to ordinary folks in the heartland of the U.S.
We are safe under the wings of the protective divine Trinity. No fires can take us away from our ultimate future with God. No struggles can discredit God’s truth. No discouragement can defeat the faithfulness of our loving God.
©2025 RJ Thesman – All Rights Reserved
Image Attribution: MiniMe-70 / Pixabay
When the fires of our culture seem the hottest, we can hold on to hope. Perhaps this book will help: Embracing Life with Hope: Daily Encouragement for your Spiritual Journey.
In addition to reliance on God for safety, we must always use our God given ability to protect ourselves and each other. Jesus gave up his own safety and his life to show us the importance of loving one another. Serving one another the best way we can.
Truth!