The Psalms – Israel’s strong faith
“There you look into the hearts of all the saints as into a beautiful garden, indeed as into heaven. And in that garden you see lovely bright flowers, flowers of all sorts about God and his mercy.
“Again, where do you find words expressing sorrow more deeply and picturing its misery more tellingly than in the words contained in the psalms?
“Again, wherever they speak of fear or hope they use words that no painter could portray and no orator could fashion.
“And the very best thing is that they speak such words about God and to God”(Martin Luther).
The above quotation comes from Martin Luther’s Preface to the German Psalter (1528).
His high estimation of the Book of Psalms has been shared by everyone for whom this book is a golden treasury of spiritual values.
Every human experience is found in the Psalms, and every God-given blessing is offered from its pages.
Supremely this Book was born in the heart and soul of God’s people Israel.
It was written from their history and was created within their worship.
Today, let us read psalm 91. It reveals the strength of Israel’s faith, and encourages us to cherish our own.
Psalm 91 is similar to psalm 46. Psalm 91 opens: “In the shelter of the Most High shall he dwell”, while Psalm 46 opens:“God is our refuge and strength.”
But Psalm 46 is the assertion of the whole community, while psalm 91 describes the psalmist’s own personal relationship with God.
The psalmist highlights the scenes in life where he knows God will protect him.
In verses three to six the psalmist thinks of the everyday experience that can affect us. When he speaks of the“snare of the fowler”(verse three) he is referring to the ways we suffer.
There is a note of confidence in the psalmist’s words:“You will not fear the terror by night nor the arrow that flies by day.”
Next, the psalmist looks to God for his moral protection.
“Because you have made the Lord your refuge, the Most High your habitation, then no evil shall befall you, no scourge come near your tent”(verses nine to 10).
The moral dimension in life was an outstanding feature in the Jewish religion.
In contrast with other nations, the people of Israel were convinced that worship to God must be reflected in moral conduct towards their fellow men and women.
Not that they always practised sound moral behaviour.
The prophets were always criticising Israel for their low moral standards.
Before we leave verses nine and 10, let me highlight a feature of Hebrew literature. It is called parallelism.
The Hebrew writers would repeat the same idea in different words, in order to emphasize what they were saying.
“Because you have made the Lord your refuge and the Most High your habitation”(verse nine).
These two verses are saying the same thing. The clearest example of parallelism is“Thy word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path”(Psalm 119.105).
This psalm is very special for us all for one profound reason.
Jesus himself pondered over its words. In the wilderness, where he was tempted for 40 days, Jesus wondered if he should perform a dramatic act to captivate the crowd – like jumping from the pinnacle of the temple.
Because Jesus thought: “God will give his angels charge over me lest I strike my foot against a stone”(Matthew 4.6). But Jesus first learned these words in Psalm 91.11-12. Read these two passages. I find it awesome as I read the Psalms that Jesus once read them, his mind was instructed by them and his soul strengthened with their message.
Why could the psalmist write with such confidence about his God?
The answer is found in the final verses of the psalm.
Here we find God’s great undertaking to the psalmist, and that also means to you.
Listen to God speaking to you. “Because he cleaves in love I will deliver him.
“I will protect him because he knows my name. When he calls to me I will answer him. I will rescue and honour him.
“With long life I will satisfy him, and show him my salvation” (Psalm 91.14-16).