Claiming Refuge in God
Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night,
nor the arrow that flies in the day.
Do not dread the disease that stalks in darkness,
nor the disaster that strikes at midday.
Though a thousand fall at your side,
though ten thousand are dying around you,
these evils will not touch you.
(Psalm 91:5–7)
In Psalm 91:1–4, the songwriter has acknowledged the Lord as his refuge when under attack by the forces of evil. Now in 91:5–10, he sizes up his enemy and calculates his (and our) chances of surviving the battle. (Spoiler alert: we stand a 100 percent chance of victory.)
Attitude toward Evil
The majority of the song is written in the second person singular, as if composed especially for one person. That’s not far from true; it was composed for you! Beginning in verse 5, the songwriter makes a series of predictions about you, presuming that you have placed your trust in the Lord and you’re coming to Him for refuge from the enemy. Here are his predictions.
You will have no fear (91:5–6). Look over the descriptive terms that portray our enemy’s tactics: terror . . . arrow . . . pestilence . . . destruction. All these describe satanic and demonic assaults against us. Notice also that these assaults take place at any time of the day or night. Our enemy will stop at nothing to make us afraid! Intimidation is one of his sharpest darts of deception.
But the psalmist assures that you won’t be afraid because the truth of God’s faithfulness will wrap itself around you like a warm blanket in winter. While the enemy relentlessly fires arrows in your direction, you’re safely surrounded by the “bulwark” of God’s fortress. The psalmist has you standing on a parapet, high above the range of the most powerful bowstring. You watch in complete peace as thousands of missiles fall pathetically to the ground before reaching you.
Your faith will prevail, while others fall (91:7–10). I see faith written between each line, don’t you? Our Lord expects us to stand firmly on His Word—His promises—His strength. Read Ephesians 6:10–11, 16 and you’ll see that the “shield of faith” is able to deflect everything the evil one throws at you. Remember, faith demands an object. There are at least four specific biblical truths for the Christian to claim when undergoing or seeking release from satanic/demonic attacks.
1. The Cross. Go to verses that declare Satan’s defeat at Calvary and read them out loud. (See Colossians 2:13–15, Hebrews 2:14–15, and 1 John 3:8.)
2. The Blood. As you consider and claim Satan’s defeat at the cross, call to mind specific passages dealing with the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. (See Romans 5:8–9 and Revelation 12:10–11.)
3. The Name. As you seek deliverance and strength amid your battle, verbally state the full name of the Lord Jesus Christ as your refuge and sovereign God. (See Proverbs 18:10 and Philippians 2:9–10.)
4. The Word. Stand firmly upon God’s written Word, as our Lord did when the Devil tempted Him to yield to his deception. (See Matthew 4:4, 7, 10 and Ephesians 6:11, 17.)
If you will use this as a practical guide and claim each one by faith, you will find that you can live beyond the grind of enemy attacks.
Taken from Living the Psalms by Charles R. Swindoll. Copyright © 2012 by Charles R. Swindoll, Inc. Reprinted by permission of Worthy Books, an imprint of Hachette Book Group, Inc.
