Living Life in a Troublesome World:
Learning from Psalm 91
July 19, 2026
Scripture: Psalm 91
An unknown poet wrote the following.
The clock is my dictator, I shall not rest.
It makes me lie down only when exhausted.
It leads me into deep depression.
It hounds my soul.
It leads me in circles of frenzy, for activities sake.
Even though I run frantically from task to task, I will never get it all done,
For my ideal is with me.
Deadlines and my need for approval, they drive me.
They demand performance from me, beyond the limits of my schedule.
They anoint my head with migraines,
My in-basket overflows.
Surely fatigue and time pressures shall follow me
All the days of my life.
And I will dwell in the bonds of frustration
Forever
Today, as we look at Psalm 91, it will teach us there is a dwelling place that delivers us from the bonds of
fear, worry, frustration, discouragement and stress. So, let’s look.
Verses 1, 2a, Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the
Almighty. 2 I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God…
The Lord is described as the Most High. Most High emphasizes his supreme authority and his sovereignty.
He is higher than the kings of the earth and the false gods of the nations. He is also called the Almighty
which indicates that the Lord alone has omnipotent power.
As one dwells in the Most High, the Almighty, one will find shelter, rest, refuge and protection. In the
Lord, one can feel safe and secure! As a child runs to his father for shelter, we can run to God for shelter
from anything that life throws our way. As a small child hides behind his mother's apron when he is afraid,
we can hide in the presence of our God.
So, we can run to our Heavenly Father anytime and find rest for our souls. Jesus said, "Come to me all
who weary and burdened, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28). When the stress of life seems like
you cannot take any more, you can run to him, and he will give you rest.
The heart of God is to provide safety and refuge for His children! Who needs a refuge? Oppressed people!
Troubled people! Weary people! Grieving people! Worried people! Hurting people! Grieving people! Lonely
people! All of us! Living in the Lord’s presence, being in the shelter of the Most High, we find all we need
to get through the difficult days of this life.
Whether we are at war or whether we are at peace; whether we are experiencing prosperity or poverty,
whether things are going well or going bad, we need to remember God is our refuge, our fortress. For we
do not find true security in the strength of our military. We do not find true security by having money in
the bank. We do not find true security in other people. We find true security in the Lord God Almighty!
Principle 1: You find shelter, rest, refuge and security in the Lord!
When Aaron was 9 years, he witnessed the horror of 9/11. He has learned about earthquakes in
California, hurricanes in the south and tornadoes in the Midwest. He has learned about nuclear bombs.
Around that time of being 9/10 years old, Aaron made the comment that we need to move to a safe place
in the world. I told him there is no place on earth that is totally safe. The safest place is being in the
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center of God’s will. True hope, true security is found only in the Lord, because he is the only safe place to
be.
As you realize true security is only found in the Lord, then one needs to apply what the Psalmist states at
the end of verse 2, in whom I trust.
Trust in the Lord means fully relying on God’s character, promises, and guidance. It is surrendering
control to Him with confidence and faith. It goes beyond mere belief. Trusting in the Lord is an active,
intentional reliance on Him! One who trusts in the Lord surrenders personal understanding and commits
every aspect of life to Him. One wholeheartedly believes that He will guide, protect, and provide for you!
Trust requires daily choices to obey the Lord, to seek His wisdom, and rely on His promises even when
circumstances seem uncertain.
You cannot merely check in with him on Sunday mornings. Rather, you must trust and abide in him every
day.
Proverbs 3:5,6 states, Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; 6 In
all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.
Proverbs 37:3-6 says, Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
4 Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.
5 Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this:
6 He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun.
Isaiah 26:3 states, Trust brings perfect peace to those whose minds are steadfast on God!!
Jesus indicated in Luke 18:9, those who trust in their own righteousness/confident in themselves will tend
to treat others with contempt. Jesus goes on and tells the story of the Pharisee who prayed, God, I thank
you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. In
contrast, the tax collector prayed, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’
We are called to trust in the Lord, not in ourselves.
As I often like to say too many people simply do not realize their own sinfulness/weaknesses before a Holy
God. Yet, sin runs real deep within each one of us. I thank the Lord for His grace through Jesus!
Principle 2: Put your trust in the LORD! You will find shelter, refuge and rest in the shadow of
the Almighty.
In 1952, the American missionary Jim Elliot traveled to Ecuador to share the gospel. On January 8, 1956,
the natives he was visiting brutally murdered Elliot and four of his fellow missionaries. Elliot was 28 years
old, with a young wife and daughter who was not yet a year old. In 1958, Jim Elliot’s widow Elisabeth
published the life and testament of her husband. She called it The Shadow of the Almighty. She got the
title from this Psalm.
Now, this psalm does not guarantee immunity from trouble in life or tragedy in death. Trusting in the Lord
will not keep you from experiencing bad things in life. The trials of life will come! Maybe God will allow
Satan to sift you, like he did with David and Peter, to humble and teach you. Maybe he will allow various
trials to have you grow in understanding and teach you to trust in Almighty God as He did with Job. Yet,
as one trusts and obeys the Lord, he will keep you from experiencing numerous bad/harmful/negative
things in your life. He will empower you through His Holy Spirit to deal with life. He will give you joy and
peace as you trust Him! Note Romans 15:13!!!!
Verse 3, 4 paints a beautiful picture/an illustration of God’s protection. Surely he will save
you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence. 4 He will cover you with his
feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and
rampart.
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Have you ever seen little chicks hopping around chirping, pecking, doing chick stuff? Suddenly, the chicks
and the mother hen all become aware that there is a predator in the vicinity. The mother hen lifts both
wings simultaneously, and within just a few seconds all the baby chicks disappear under them. They are
sheltered there. They regroup there. The chicks say to each other in the darkness, “Did you see the size of
the teeth in that wolf?” However, they find refuge under the wings. As the danger passes, they leave that
place knowing the big bad wolf is not going to get them. Eventually they must crawl out to face the real
world, but they leave that place less fearful.
This is very near the heart of God. It is the character and essence of God to provide a hiding place for his
children under his wings. God delights in spreading his protective wings and in folding his frightened,
weary children under his wings. He says, "Hide here for a time. Get out of danger for a time. Regroup.
Rest. Renew your strength. Then you will not be afraid. You will be able to venture back into the world
feeling secure, strong, and courageous.
The Psalmist further elaborates in verses 5-8. You will not fear the terror of night, nor the
arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that
destroys at midday. A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it
will not come near you. You will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the
wicked.
The protection of those who abide under the shadow of the Almighty should wipe away all unwarranted
fear. With God as our shield, we need not dread the opposition of either human or superhuman forces.
With God as our refuge we should not fear and we cannot fall. We will certainly not fall under God’s wrath,
and neither will we fall under the terror of any other.
The Psalmist further writes in verses 9-12, If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,” and you make
the Most High your dwelling, 10 no harm will overtake you, no disaster will come near your
tent. 11 For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; 12 they
will lift you up in 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 great lion and the serpent.
You may recognize verses 11, 12. They are the verses Satan quoted to Jesus during his temptation in the
wilderness. Matthew 4:5-7, Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest
point of the temple. 6"If you are the Son of God," he said, "throw yourself down. For it is written: " 'He
will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike
your foot against a stone.'" 7Jesus answered him, "It is also written: 'Do not put the Lord your God to the
test.
Satan misapplied God’s word as he tempted Jesus. Jesus simply rebuked him with Scripture from
Deuteronomy 6:16. Jesus’ response emphasized that faith in God should not rely on forcing Him to act or
provide signs, but on trust in His Word and promises.
We are not to drive 100 miles per hour and expect God to protect us from an accident. If you know a
category 5 hurricane is coming and think God will protect you, you are in a sense testing God.
Now for many it had appeared that harm fell upon Jesus, just before he was arrested, an angel appeared
to him and strengthened him (Luke 22:43). He was strengthened so that he could go through the torture
of being beaten and crucified. The hand of God protected him. For on the third day after his death, Jesus
rose from the dead. Even death could not harm him. May we understand God protects and guards his
children even in the most traumatic times.
Psalm 91:13, You will tread upon the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the
serpent. The basic idea of this verse is that God will help you conquer the mortal threats of life.
However, I find it interesting that the Evil One is referred to as a roaring lion and snake/serpent in
Scripture. As Jesus is being tempted by Satan, the Evil One, he knows from Genesis 3:15 and possibly
from this verse that he will one day crush, trample the Evil One’s head. Of course, that occurred as Jesus
died for our sins on the cross and overcame sin and death as he rose from the grave. Jesus delivered us
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from the bondage of sin and frustration! He opened the door for us to have a right relationship with
Almighty God. This Psalm applied to Jesus, but it also applies to each of us.
Then verses 14, 15 the Psalmist says, “Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue
him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call on me, and I will answer
him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him.
Please note devotion/dwelling in the Lord is described in three ways. Verse 14, Because he loves me. The
Hebrew word for love here indicates a zeal, a passion, a consuming love! It is love that is evidenced by
what you do, not by just what you say. This is the type of person the Lord gives assurance of protection.
As Romans 8:28 states, And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him,
who have been called according to his purpose.
Verse 14 also notes one acknowledges my name. The Lord’s name is more than a means of identification.
It is his nature, character, and authority. To know God’s name is to know God. It is to speak of the
Almighty in the personal and intimate terms of verse two, my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I
trust.
Verse 15 notes another characteristic of one who is devoted to the Lord. He will call on me.
You can love God and know God’s name and yet live without divine assurance if you do not pray. James
4:2 states, You do not have because you do not ask God.
Now those who apply these qualities will experience God’s blessing! Please take time to go through this Psalm and
note the numerous times the Psalmist asserts He will or I will then give a divine promise.
Principle 3: Dwell in His presence by loving Him, acknowledging His name and calling on Him!
If you do, He will pour out his blessings upon you! Please take to heart that no threat or
danger, no matter how great, is mightier than God’s keeping power.
Actor Jimmy Stewart found comfort in Psalm 91. When the United States entered World War II in
1941, Stewart enlisted in the Army Air Corps and prepared to go overseas. Stewart's father, Alex,
choked up when he tried to bid him farewell, so he wrote a note for his son to read in route. After
being shipped out, Jimmy read the words his father had been unable to say aloud:
My dear Jim boy. Soon after you read this letter, you will be on your way to the worst sort of danger.
Jim, I'm banking on the enclosed copy of the 91st Psalm. The thing that takes the place of fear and
worry is the promise of these words. I am staking my faith in these words. I feel sure that God will
lead you through this mad experience. I can say no more. I only continue to pray. Goodbye, my dear.
God bless you and keep you. I love you more than I can tell you. Dad.
Jimmy Stewart returned home a decorated war hero, unharmed even though his record included 20
combat missions. During the height of battle, Stewart said he learned to lean on the words of his
tattered copy of Psalm 91, especially verses 1 and 2, which speak of God as a refuge and fortress.
Upon returning home, he thanked his father for his prayers and sharing Psalm 91.
As AI notes, Stewart spoke occasionally about his Christian faith emphasizing the importance of
trusting God, facing life’s challenges with courage and viewing difficulties as sacred opportunities. His
devout Christian faith provided him with moral guidance, emotional strength, and a framework for living
a life marked by integrity, service, and compassion.
Verse 16, With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation.
Trusting and obeying God does not guarantee you will live a long life. The Lord Jesus Christ only lived 33
years. Warren Wiersbe commented about this verse as he wrote, It is one thing for doctors to add years
to your life, but God adds life to our years and makes that life worthwhile. For God to satisfy you with long
life is for him to show you, his salvation.
We have God's promise of eternal salvation. In the light of eternity, the sufferings of this life are but at a
small price to pay when compared to the blessings of eternity. The Bible teaches us that there is an
ultimate city of refuge in which we can be totally safe and protected forever. It's called heaven. Those of
us who have trusted Christ will enter that final city of refuge the moment after we draw our final breath.
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The Bible says it is safe there. There will be no more fear, no more frustration, no more oppression, no
more loneliness, no more physical limitation, no more stress.
Paul makes this point in Romans 5:1-5, Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have
peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this
grace in which we now stand. And we [b] boast in the hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only so, but we also
glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character;
and character, hope. 5 And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into
our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.
Let me close this story about a man named Polycarp. Polycarp was the Bishop in Smyrna during the
second century. He was a disciple of the Apostle John. Polycarp is recognized as one of the three chief
Apostolic Fathers, alongside Clement of Rome and Ignatius of Antioch. Polycarp’s martyrdom, recorded in
the Martyrdom of Polycarp is one of the earliest accounts of Christian martyrdom outside the New
Testament.
History records that persecution broke out in Smyrna and many Christians were fed to the wild beasts in
the arena. The godless, bloodthirsty crowd demanded the leader Polycarp to be executed. When the
authorities came to take him, Polycarp welcomed them as if they were friends. He talked with them and
insisted they eat a meal. He made only one request before being taken away. He asked for one hour to
pray. The Roman soldiers listened to his prayer. Their hearts melted and they gave him 2 hours to pray.
They had second thoughts as well and were overheard asking each other why they were sent to arrest
him? When he taken to the Proconsul, they told him, “Curse God and I will let you go!” Polycarp’s reply
was: “For eighty-six years I have served him. He has never done me wrong. How then can I blaspheme
my King who has saved me?”
The Proconsul then said, “Then do this old man, just swear by the spirit of the emperor and that will be
sufficient.’
Polycarp’s reply was: “If you imagine for a moment that I would do that, then I think you pretend that you
don’t know who I am. Hear it plainly. I am a Christian.”
When the proconsul threatened him with being mauled and killed by the wild beasts,
Polycarp’s reply was: “Bring them forth. I would change my mind if it meant going from worst to best, but
not to change from right to wrong.”
The Proconsul threatened, “I will burn you alive!”
Polycarp’s reply was: “You threaten with fire that burns for an hour and is over but the judgment on the
ungodly is forever.”
The fires engulfed him. The witnesses noticed his faith and joy. He was finished off with a dagger. He was
buried for the cause of Christ on February 23, 155 A.D. Polycarp illustrated the power of knowing Jesus!
How about you?....
Let’s pray!
