What's Our Role? Psalm 91. Do I have a role in God being my protector? Do I dwell with God?

Janet Massey
Apr 16, 2023
5 min read

Updated: Apr 24, 2024

Psalm 91 is written out lower down, along with some videos, some of reading of Psalm 91 in different versions, with pauses for repeat, and one video with discussion.

Lately God seems to be pointing out all the choices we have. He is our power, our protector, our Father God, but we have a choice whether we want to be in the shelter of His wing or outside of it. We have a role to play, I get to choose to dwell with God or not. We have a choice of whether we want to keep our mind stayed on Him and let him keeps us in perfect peace (shalom), or not (from Isaiah 26:3). Psalm 91 is a great example of that. I wanted to look at it together, so the whole psalm is copied down below.

The first two verses set up this psalm. We have the choice to dwell, in the shelter of God, which comes from the word yashab, and means to sit, remain and make our dwelling or home, and settle in and remain in this place with God. And then we will abide, which comes from the root word luwn, and means that we lodge or pass the night, or in other words, to permanently stay, even through the night with God. So we are sitting and making our home with God, and we are making the choice to permanently stay and remain no matter what. And then we have choice to speak up and say to the Lord that He is our refuge, or machesah root word, which is refuge, shelter, but also hope and trust. So God is who we can hope in, and rest in, and be protected in. We are speaking this. So we are speaking words of life over ourselves. And then we remind ourselves and speak out to God and let the enemy know, etc, that God is also our fortress, or matsuwd, or our castle, our stronghold. We know that there are negative strongholds that we cast down with the weapon of the word of God, but there are also positive strongholds, or belief systems, neural pathways, that protect us and bring life. And we can remind ourselves, God and the enemy that God is our God, personally, in whom we trust. These are such strong, life giving declarations. And as we declare them, and believe them, and live these truths, we get to see the rest of Psalm 91 be true for us. Because it is true for those who believe and speak what is in the first 2 verses.

After we have made those declarations, and lived in that truth, we are delivered from the enemy, and the effects of the enemy, and protected by his Mercy and grace, and shielded by His faithfulness. Our role is to abide with God. When we abide in God, we are abiding in His love, and we know that perfect love casts out fear (from 1 John 4:18). So we will not “fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the calamity that destroys at noon” (from Psalm 91, BSB, below). All people are created by God, and unconditionally loved, but only those who choose to make Him Lord and savior of their life, get to truly have fellowship eternally with Him. It is always available, but we make the choice, so others may fall away, but we will stand. In that dwelling with God, we gain safety, protection, and authority over the enemy. He commands the angels to protect and guard us. And we are given authority, by the power of the Holy Spirit in us to trample on snakes and scorpions (from Luke 10:19), or as it says in Psalm 91, the lion and cobra. And then the last few verses of Psalm 91 talk about us loving and delighting n God, and how because of that, he will protect us. But we know it is not through our earning. We haven’t done something to earn this. Christ died for us, while we were still sinners, so we could live unto the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. But just because God loves us, and we have chosen to take hold of (receive), His mighty gifts; we get them. It’s just amazing.

So just remember, it is not our power, it is God’s amazing almighty power, but we do have the choice to realize He’s there, and He is trustworthy, and to make our home, in Him, and trust in Him. And then we have protection and so many amazing things, such as a long life. It’s not in earning or striving, it is in receiving His amazing love, and realizing that we can dwell and abide with our almighty God.

Psalm 91 BSB He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the LORD, “You are my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” Surely He will deliver you from the snare of the fowler, and from the deadly plague. He will cover you with His feathers; under His wings you will find refuge; His faithfulness is a shield and rampart. You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the calamity that destroys at noon. Though a thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand, no harm will come near you. You will only see it with your eyes and witness the punishment of the wicked. Because you have made the LORD your dwelling— my refuge, the Most High—no evil will befall you, no plague will approach your tent. For He will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways. They will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. You will tread on the lion and cobra; you will trample the young lion and serpent. “Because he loves Me, I will deliver him; because he knows My name, I will protect him. When he calls out to Me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble. I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him and show him My salvation.

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Here is a video with some discussion of Psalm 91, and below it are videos with scripture readings of Psalm 91 with pauses for repeat, in different versions of the bible.