“Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation;” (Psalms 91:9)
There is a disagreement about whether Moses or David wrote this very popular psalm. But whichever, it’s evident that that they knew of the Lord’s protection in hardship. This verse is an incomplete thought. There is something that follows, explaining the “because.” Yet this Scripture has lots on its own to learn.
It's the Lord that is the author’s refuge. He didn’t trust in his might or the size or strength of the fighting men with him through his hardship, but he knew that he could trust in the Lord. (verse 2) He had experience of the Lord’s protection from snares, wickedness, pestilence and ruin, whether it came by day or night. His trust and faith in the Lord’s protection was such that he didn’t lose sleep over what might happen, but he knew that God would protect him. (verses 3-7)
The psalmist recognizes the Lord as the Most High, the Most High God, the Creator Who is above all, whatever is on the earth, below the earth and in the heavens. He is king over the all the earth. (Psalms 47:2) He is ruler over all that pertains to man. (Daniel 4:17) David in his song of deliverance refers to the Most High as thundering from heaven when He speaks delivering the righteous and giving him the strength to overcome the wicked. (2 Samuel 22:14-49)
The Most High God manifested His strength and might in those days to faithful men. It is incredible to think that the same Most High God is our heavenly Father Who has given us access to His very Throne Room. It’s incredible that we can approach the King of the whole earth with our need. “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:16) We have the access that even David didn’t have.
Man has this natural nature that makes him think he is able to do things without the Lord. Because the Lord has given us gifts and talents whereby we function on this earth with wisdom and knowledge applied to everyday tasks, mental, physical and spiritual, it gives us the illusion that we are able to do things on our own and act as if our wisdom, knowledge and our abilities are our own. And they are not. There is a tendency to go to the Throne Room as a last resort. I have even heard people say that they don’t want to bother the Lord with the little things they can handle. But the truth is that we are not able to even handle the little things without Him. What an opportunity to praise and worship Him acknowledging His Hand in the little things and in all things.
The psalmist says you have made the Lord Most High your habitation. This was an intentional decision to live in His presence. We have the privilege of living in His continual presence, something no one before Jesus had. We have the Holy Spirit indwelling, God in us. But in those days, they had to intentionally decide to live in God’s presence. Our earthiness, attention to the things of this world, keep us from the realization that the Most High is present. This may be confusing to some because the Scripture does say that it’s the Holy Spirit, part of the Godhead, Who lives in us. “But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His.” (Romans 8:9)
The Godhead is the Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit, One in unity and One in agreement. This is a difficult concept for us because we think in earthly terms. Things in heaven, in God’s realm, are very different from what we know here on earth. But if the Holy Spirit dwells in us, then we are in the presence of the Godhead. Jesus tried to explain this to His disciples, but like us, they did not understand what Jesus was trying to say. “I and my Father are one.” (John 10:30) Before Jesus went to the cross and the last time He was together with His disciples before the cross, He was teaching them many things. Philip asks Jesus to show them the Father and that would be enough to be content no matter what happened. “Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known Me, Philip? he that hath seen Me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father? Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of Myself: but the Father that dwelleth in Me, He doeth the works. Believe Me that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me: or else believe Me for the very works' sake”. (John 14:9-11) If we have been with Jesus, we have been with the Father and the Holy Spirit. If we have been with the Father, we have been with Jesus and the Holy Spirit. If we have been with the Holy Spirit, we have been with the Father and Jesus.
This concept may appear to say that they are the same person, but this is not true. The Godhead is made up of three distinct persons, Who are One in presence, unity and agreement. “Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He seeth the Father do: for what things soever He doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise. For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth Him all things that Himself doeth: and He will shew Him greater works than these, that ye may marvel. For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom He will. For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent Him.” (John 5:19-23) Jesus explained the unity in which they acted.
In Psalms 91, the psalmist made the decision to make the Lord, the Most High God his refuge and habitation. We believed the Lord and the Lord, the Most High God made His habitation in us.
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