A Dwelling Place in the Storm

1 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, in whom I trust.”

3 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.
5 You will not fear the terror of night,
nor the arrow that flies by day,
6 nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,
nor the plague that destroys at midday.
7 A thousand may fall at your side,
ten thousand at your right hand,
but it will not come near you.
8 You will only observe with your eyes
and see the punishment of the wicked.

9 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.

14 “Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him;
I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
15 He will call on me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble,
I will deliver him and honor him.
16 With long life I will satisfy him
and show him my salvation.”

Is there a light on near you? Look at it. Feel the heat coming from it. See its blinding brightness—how this tiny thing can light up a room. Now imagine a small warehouse full of nothing but lightbulbs shining, lining its shelves from top to bottom—this is like the brightness of a single bolt of lighting.

Lightning is a striking display of raw power in nature, stunning and destructive. People need to protect themselves from lightning. Many cultures throughout history feared lightning as a god.

Sometimes, we say, sudden events strike us like lightning. A sudden death or accident or ­disaster—even an overwhelming temptation—can grip us like a bolt from the blue. When that happens, where can we find a place of protection and safety? What is so powerful, so firm, to keep us safe from the outpouring of danger and destruction?

The Lord is our refuge, our fortress, our rock. This is a common theme in the psalms. The world and all the forces of evil cannot approach or destroy the safety we have in God. Whatever comes at you, God holds you in peace—safe and close in his care.

“Lord, you have been our dwelling place throughout all generations. Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the whole world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God”. Amen.