Psalm 91:1 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. 2 I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. 4 He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler. 5 Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; 6 Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.
This passage of scripture teaches us that those who put their trust in The Living God will be covered by His shadow, and God will be their refuge and strength in times of danger, as His perfect will is done. In the above verses the conditions are laid out, the first being that we be found at all times in a stable relationship with God, through prayer and a study of His word. The secret place of The Most High is the audience chamber, where we commune with God as Savior, Creator, and Friend. Without this relationship with God, He will not be able to guide us with wisdom and discretion, for even though He may be speaking, the fact is that we may not be listening.
Dwelling in God's secret place is what constituted David's experiences, especially in the earlier years of his reign, when Saul hunted him like a wild beast in order to deprive him of the throne. It was during these times of grave danger that David wrote some of the most sublime psalms, because they reflected his literal experiences through which God brought signal deliverance from imminent death. On one such occasion, David was trapped in a cave with his men, and Saul entered with his soldiers, not knowing that the very man they sought was right at their fingertips.
But the passage above also speaks of not being afraid of the "Terror" by day, which means that in times of personal or national danger, God will be the hope of His people. And so it was, because David had a stable relationship with The Most High, God sent an unnatural slumber over Saul and his men, so that David was able to make a stunning escape, by the mercies and interpositions of God alone. This experience and others like it are written for the benefit of those who like David, put their entire trust in God, and not in man. Let's read:
1st Samuel 24:2 Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to seek David and his men upon the rocks of the wild goats. 3 And he came to the sheepcotes by the way, where was a cave; and Saul went in to cover his feet: and David and his men remained in the sides of the cave. 4 And the men of David said unto him, Behold the day of which the Lord said unto thee, Behold, I will deliver thine enemy into thine hand, that thou mayest do to him as it shall seem good unto thee. Then David arose, and cut off the skirt of Saul's robe privily.
In order for David to cut of Saul's skirt, it means then that God must have caused a very deep sleep to come over his enemies, for according to the verses, David and his men also carried on a conversation right over the heads of their assailants, yet for obvious reason they could not awake from the unnatural slumber which came upon them through the providence of God. A nation or individuals are not saved by horse or spear, because our so-called means of safety, or safeguarding ourselves, amount to vanity in the sight of God. Furthermore, according to the Bible, if God's protecting hand is removed for any reason, there is nothing such as national security, because the invisible forces of evil will wreak havoc and destruction on a major scale, if permitted to do so by God. Let's read:
Psalm 33:16 There is no king saved by the multitude of an host: a mighty man is not delivered by much strength. 17 An horse is a vain thing for safety: neither shall he deliver any by his great strength. 18 Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy.
Psalm 127:1 Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.
In our day there is the ever increasing threat of terrorism hanging over our heads, and it's just a matter of time before what is transpiring in distant lands, comes to our very shores. These things were predicted by Christ and the Bible prophets, and they are omens of the soon return of Christ, and of the great time of trouble which is to envelop the entire globe, just prior to His return. It is therefore necessary that as Christians, we be found dwelling in the secret place of The Most High, for our eternal and temporal security depends on God alone, and only He will be able to say to terrorists and evil doers, "Thus far and no further".
Let us therefore take the necessary time to spend with God each day, for the last scenes of earth's history are already unfolding before our eyes, and as stated before, a stable, ongoing relationship with Christ is what will make all the difference in the world when calamity strikes. We therefore end with a passage of scripture which encourages us to put our entire trust in God alone, for He is the only one who can protect us from visible and invisible foes. Let's read:
Isaiah 26:3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. 4 Trust ye in the Lord for ever: for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength.
May God add His blessing to the study and practice of His word. "Good night" and God bless!