Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Adult Sunday School Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/bb/bb19971130.htm

PSALMS: DIARIES OF GODLY OLD TESTAMENT SAINTS
Psalm Ninety-One - Finding God's SECURITY Amidst Life's Severe Troubles
(Psalm 91:1-16)
  1. Introduction
    1. Job 5:7 NIV tells us that " . . . man is born to trouble as surely as sparks fly upward."
    2. However, aside from the regular troubles of life, occasionally people can face very severe troubles -- things that can make one's sanity bend.
    3. Psalm 91 was written for those in need of God's security amidst such severe troubles as follows:
  2. Finding God's SECURITY Amidst Life's Severe Troubles, Psalm 91:1-16.
    1. Note: this psalm was initially written for those under the Deut. 28:1-68 stipulations where PHYSICAL blessings were ALWAYS proportioned to one's obeying God. In contrast, such blessings are not automatic in the Church era, 2 Cor. 4:8-18. They are generally applicable to the Christian via 3 John 2!
    2. Knowing that he was already dwelling in the Lord's place of refuge from those who sought him for destructive purposes (v. 1a), and that he was shielded by God's protection (v. 1b), the psalmist claimed that he would continually thoroughly trust in God as His Refuge and Fortress, Ps. 91:2.
    3. Following this announcement, the psalmist then itemized the ways God protected him, providing security:
      1. God supplied him security from being taken advantage of by slick manipulators (fowler's snare), v. 3a.
      2. God made him secure from deadly disease to which he is helplessly vulnerable, v. 3b.
      3. God's faithfulness would cover one as a mother bird caringly, selflessly covered its helpless chicks, 4a.
      4. God would make one secure from dangers of the night when one is more vulnerable from what he cannot discern as dangerous, Ps. 91:5a.
      5. God would make one secure from dangers of the day when full-fledged attacks come, 91:5b.
      6. God would protect from diseases that come after such attacks via deteriorating living conditions, 91:6.
      7. God would equip the trusting one to equip his abilities (right hand) to counter all his opponents, 91:7.
      8. In fact, God would only let him witness from afar the dreadful plight of the wicked, Ps. 91:8.
      9. God would command His good angels to guard the believer who did God's will (v. 11b) so that no disaster would come near his dwelling even if it were a tent in open, vulnerable country, Ps. 91:10-11.
      10. In fact, God would use angelic messengers to protect the believer even from the little pitfalls like the event of accidentally dashing one's foot against a stone on a pathway, Ps. 91:12.
      11. Accordingly, God would make one tread in triumph over lethal enemies like the lion and cobra, 91:13.
    4. This provision is supplied because the one trusting in God exercises an attached love (kashaq) for the Lord to where he truly recognizes God's Name, or reputation in his ways, glorifying God in his life, 91:14.
    5. Additionally God promised one with this attitude toward the Lord a comprehensive rescue insurance plan:
      1. Such an attitude of attached love and acknowledging God's glory in one's life would be divinely rewarded with God's answering such a person when he called on God in a time of trouble, Ps. 91:15a.
      2. When this person called, God would be alongside him IN his time of trouble, Ps. 91:15b.
      3. God would also deliver him from the trouble, Ps. 91:15c.
      4. Following the delivery, God would also honor him, offsetting the drain of opponents, Ps. 91:15d.
      5. Finally, God would provide future preservation in times of future troubles, Ps. 91:16.
Lesson: For the believer in the CHURCH, (1) WHEN he makes a commitment out of love to God to honor God's ways in life, 91:14, 1-2, (2) God generally provides him with (a) comprehensive help (v. 3-13), (b) being WITH him IN the time of need (15b), (c) delivering him from the trouble (15c), (d) honoring him when he's pressured by detractors (15d) and by (e) paving a way for future preservations from troubles, Ps. 91:16. (3) However, God's plan for the believer of TODAY MAY be modified to ALLOW troubles to press him to reveal the power of Christ in his life, 2 Cor. 4:8-18.

Application: (1) If the believer in Christ loves God and seeks His glory in his earthly life, he can expect God's help when in dire trouble. (2) If he finds NO such help, or a LIMITED degree of it, he must assume EITHER that (a) he is NOT blessed as he has NOT honored the Lord OR that (b) he is under a special divine program of trouble so that others can witness God's power in his life!