Oct. 7: Psalm 91
October 7, 2010
A Prayer from Psalm 91
John Calvin: "Those who dwell in the secret place of God are here said by the Psalmist to dwell under his shadow, in the sense that they experience to what a rich extent his protection reaches. Men generally seek out a great variety of hiding places, having recourse to one or another, according as the calamities are different which threaten to overtake them; but here we are taught that the only safe and impregnable fortress to which we can betake ourselves is the protection of God. He contrasts the security of those who trust in God with the vanity of all other confidences by which we are apt to delude ourselves."
O God, our fortress, our strength,
You've made us to dwell in your shelter, O Most High, and we will abide in your shadow--the shadow of the Almighty, forever. We will say to you, our Lord, "You are our refuge and our fortress, our God, in whom we trust."
For you have promised us that you will deliver us from the snare of the fowler and from deadly pestilence. And as a bird covers her young, so you will cover us with your feathers, and under your wings we will find refuge. Your faithfulness, O Lord, is our shield and buckler. Therefore, we will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness, nor the destruction that wastes at noonday.
And even though a thousand may fall at our side, and ten thousand at our right hand, death will not come near us because you have covered us. And as we stand in your marvelous light, we will observe with our eyes and see the recompense of the wicked by your sovereign hand.
All this, Lord, is true because we have made you our dwelling place because you have made us your dwelling place. For your Holy Spirit is our refuge, therefore no evil shall be allowed to befall us; no plague come near our dwelling place because of your presence.
Just as you have established and upheld your anointed one, you have promised that you will command your angels concerning us, to guard us in all our ways. On their hands they will bear us up, lest we strike our feet against a stone. You will tread on the lion and the cobra; the young lion and the serpent you will trample underfoot.
O LORD, by your sustaining grace, we hold fast to you in love, and you have promised that you will deliver us; that you will protect us, because you know our name. For when you call to us, we will answer you. You will say: "I will be with them in trouble; I will rescue them and honor them. With long life I will satisfy them and show them my salvation."
O Lord God Almighty, in ourselves we are not worthy of such love and grace; we are rebels and we confess our sin to you this day. Forgive us Lord, we pray, as we forgive those who have sinned against us. Bless us and keep us, O LORD, by your sustaining hand, by your sovereign might, and for your everlasting glory, in the name of and for the sake of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, amen.
John Calvin: "Those who dwell in the secret place of God are here said by the Psalmist to dwell under his shadow, in the sense that they experience to what a rich extent his protection reaches. Men generally seek out a great variety of hiding places, having recourse to one or another, according as the calamities are different which threaten to overtake them; but here we are taught that the only safe and impregnable fortress to which we can betake ourselves is the protection of God. He contrasts the security of those who trust in God with the vanity of all other confidences by which we are apt to delude ourselves."
O God, our fortress, our strength,
You've made us to dwell in your shelter, O Most High, and we will abide in your shadow--the shadow of the Almighty, forever. We will say to you, our Lord, "You are our refuge and our fortress, our God, in whom we trust."
For you have promised us that you will deliver us from the snare of the fowler and from deadly pestilence. And as a bird covers her young, so you will cover us with your feathers, and under your wings we will find refuge. Your faithfulness, O Lord, is our shield and buckler. Therefore, we will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness, nor the destruction that wastes at noonday.
And even though a thousand may fall at our side, and ten thousand at our right hand, death will not come near us because you have covered us. And as we stand in your marvelous light, we will observe with our eyes and see the recompense of the wicked by your sovereign hand.
All this, Lord, is true because we have made you our dwelling place because you have made us your dwelling place. For your Holy Spirit is our refuge, therefore no evil shall be allowed to befall us; no plague come near our dwelling place because of your presence.
Just as you have established and upheld your anointed one, you have promised that you will command your angels concerning us, to guard us in all our ways. On their hands they will bear us up, lest we strike our feet against a stone. You will tread on the lion and the cobra; the young lion and the serpent you will trample underfoot.
O LORD, by your sustaining grace, we hold fast to you in love, and you have promised that you will deliver us; that you will protect us, because you know our name. For when you call to us, we will answer you. You will say: "I will be with them in trouble; I will rescue them and honor them. With long life I will satisfy them and show them my salvation."
O Lord God Almighty, in ourselves we are not worthy of such love and grace; we are rebels and we confess our sin to you this day. Forgive us Lord, we pray, as we forgive those who have sinned against us. Bless us and keep us, O LORD, by your sustaining hand, by your sovereign might, and for your everlasting glory, in the name of and for the sake of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, amen.
