Tag: Fortress

God … My Protector

Psalm 91:1 (NIV)

Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most-High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

Our Verse of the Day is the launching verse of Psalm 91. This Psalm is filled with gracious words and affirmations of the deep care and protection of God for those who love Him.  I want to reprint it here for us today. Let this be a prayer over your life! Let it bring encouragement, hope, and comfort to you.

Psalm 91 (NIV)

1 Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most-High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty (El Shaddai)
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.”

As I read this Psalm, these thoughts came to mind:

Isaiah 54:16-17 (NIV)

“See, it is I who created the blacksmith who fans the coals into flame and forges a weapon fit for its work. And it is I who have created the destroyer to wreak havoc; but no weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and this is their vindication from me,” declares the Lord.

Romans 8:31-39 (NIV)

What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all—how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” (Quoting Psalm 44:22) No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

The message here is that God desires to be a refuge for His people. He wants us to position ourselves underneath His protection and safety. The imagery provided to us is like that of a mother hen or eagle spreading its wings over her chicks to protect them from harm. Indeed, our Father is Protector! He is mighty and able; and He has promised to watch over those who love Him! As David prayed, let us follow his example in our petitions: “Have mercy on me, my God, have mercy on me, for in you I take refuge. I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed.” (Cf. Psalm 57:1) And, “Trust in Him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to Him, for God is our refuge.” (Cf. Psalm 62:8) And, “But the Lord has become my fortress, and my God the rock in whom I take refuge.” (Cf. Psalm 94:22)

Oh, my friends, may we all submit our lives into the hands of our mighty, powerful, compassionate, gracious, merciful, loving Father and Savior. This is my prayer, in Jesus Name.

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip— He who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, He who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord watches over you— the Lord is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord will keep you from all harm— He will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore. ~ Psalm 121

My Salvation and Honor…

Psalm 62:7 (NIV)

My salvation and my honor depend on God; He is my mighty rock, my refuge.

Our Verse of the Day comes from a Psalm of David, and I believe it will inspire you with hope and encouragement in your walk of faith. His meditation affirms the faithfulness and sovereignty of God over our lives; and it challenges us with three theological conclusions to consider:

Psalm 62

For the director of music. For Jeduthun. A Psalm of David.

1 Truly my soul finds rest in God; my salvation comes from Him.
2 Truly He is my rock and my salvation; He is my fortress; I will never be shaken.

3 How long will you assault me? Would all of you throw me down—this leaning wall, this tottering fence?
4 Surely, they intend to topple me from my lofty place; they take delight in lies. With their mouths they bless, but in their hearts they curse.

5 Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from Him.
6 Truly He is my rock and my salvation; He is my fortress; I will not be shaken.
7 My salvation and my honor depend on God; He is my mighty rock, my refuge.
8 Trust in Him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to Him, for God is our refuge.

9 Surely the lowborn are but a breath, the highborn are but a lie. If weighed on a balance, they are nothing; together they are only a breath.
10 Do not trust in extortion or put vain hope in stolen goods; though your riches increase, do not set your heart on them.

11 One thing God has spoken, two things I have heard: “Power belongs to you, God,
12 and with you, Lord, is unfailing love”; and, “You reward everyone according to what they have done.”

Verses 11-12 stirred my thoughts, so I looked for some companion scriptures to expound on them:

Power Belongs to You, God:

My mouth will tell of your righteous deeds, of your saving acts all day long— though I know not how to relate them all. I will come and proclaim your mighty acts, Sovereign Lord; I will proclaim your righteous deeds, yours alone. Since my youth, God, you have taught me, and to this day I declare your marvelous deeds. Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, my God, till I declare your power to the next generation, your mighty acts to all who are to come. ~ Psalm 71:15-18

With You, Lord, is Unfailing Love:

Answer me quickly, Lord; my spirit fails. Do not hide your face from me or I will be like those who go down to the pit. Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life. Rescue me from my enemies, Lord, for I hide myself in you. ~ Psalm 143:7-9

You Reward Everyone According to What They Have Done:

“Here is the king’s spear,” David answered. “Let one of your young men come over and get it. The Lord rewards everyone for their righteousness and faithfulness. The Lord delivered you into my hands today, but I would not lay a hand on the Lord’s anointed. As surely as I valued your life today, so may the Lord value my life and deliver me from all trouble.” Then Saul said to David, “May you be blessed, David my son; you will do great things and surely triumph.” So, David went on his way, and Saul returned home. ~ 1 Samuel 26:21-25

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? For the Son of Man is going to come in His Father’s glory with His angels, and then He will reward each person according to what they have done. ~ Matthew 16:26-27

Get Some Rest…

Psalm 62:1 (NIV)

Truly my soul finds rest in God; my salvation come from Him.

Are you feeling weary with life this morning?  Perhaps, the rest you are looking for is not physical sleep….  Maybe what you and I need is some spiritual rest … a break from the fear and anxiety so prevalent in our world right now.  Our Verse of the Day reminds us to rest in God … to remember that HE is our refuge and our salvation! David knew this within his heart, yet even he became overwhelmed at times.  Whenever he became unsettled in his spirit, David would take refuge in the truth of God’s word and the assurance of His promises. 

I read all of Psalm 62 this morning, and it especially resonated with me. I think all of us are looking for some form rest these days … some measure of peace when interpersonal conflict abounds and people seem to harden their hearts against one another. One thing is for certain, we cannot control the emotions or feelings of others. And so, we can only turn to the One who is able to bring rest and peace to our souls. So, I think the Holy Spirit wants to reminds us today to simply get some rest…. I have reprinted this short Psalm for us:

Psalm 62

1 Truly my soul finds rest in God; my salvation comes from Him. 2 Truly He is my rock and my salvation; He is my fortress; I will never be shaken. 3 How long will you assault me? Would all of you throw me down—this leaning wall, this tottering fence? 4 Surely, they intend to topple me from my lofty place; they take delight in lies. With their mouths they bless, but in their hearts they curse. Selah5 Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from Him. 6 Truly He is my rock and my salvation; He is my fortress; I will not be shaken. 7 My salvation and my honor depend on God; He is my mighty rock, my refuge. 8 Trust in Him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to Him, for God is our refuge. 9 Surely the lowborn are but a breath, the highborn are but a lie. If weighed on a balance, they are nothing; together they are only a breath. 10 Do not trust in extortion or put vain hope in stolen goods; though your riches increase, do not set your heart on them. 11 One thing God has spoken, two things I have heard: “Power belongs to you, God, 12 and with you, Lord, is unfailing love”; and, “You reward everyone according to what they have done.”

What I find in this Psalm is the declaration of God as the source of rest for our souls. He is the place of strength … of hope … of refuge and deliverance. No matter what happens in our lives, we will all eventually come to the knowledge that the power of rest can only be found in God alone. He is the Sovereign King over all creation. Only He can move the mountains before us. Only He can change the hearts of those who wound us. Only in Jesus Christ can we find true rest…. Yes, only through faith in Him will peace ever abound in our souls:

Matthew 11:25-30 (NIV)

25 At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. 26 Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do. 27 “All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him. 28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Hebrews 4:1-11 (NIV)

1Therefore, since the promise of entering His rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it. 2 For we also have had the good news proclaimed to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because those who heard did not combine it with faith. 3 Now we who have believed enter that rest, just as God has said, “So I declared on oath in my anger, ‘They shall never enter my rest.’” (Citing Psalm 95:11) And yet His works have been finished since the creation of the world. 4 For somewhere He has spoken about the seventh day in these words: “On the seventh day God rested from all His works.” (Citing Genesis 2:2) 5 And again in the passage above He says, “They shall never enter my rest.” 6 Therefore since it still remains for some to enter that rest, and since those who formerly had the good news proclaimed to them did not go in because of their disobedience, 7 God again set a certain day, calling it “Today.” This He did when a long time later He spoke through David, as in the passage already quoted: “Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.” (Cf. Psalm 95:8) 8 For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day. 9 There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; 10 for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their labor, just as God did from His. 11 Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience.

Indeed, we can see that “rest” can only be found in submitting ourselves to God … surrendering ourselves to the obedience that comes through faith in Jesus Christ. There is no work we can perform that will bring reconciliation with God … no work that we can perform that will bring atonement for our sin or rebellion. Rest in the finished work of the Son of God … the One whom the Father sent is all we can do. This is what Jesus declared and affirmed before His death on the cross: “It is finished!” (Cf. John 19:30) For the work Jesus completed signifies the rest which God entered on the seventh God when He ended His work which He had done. (Cf. Genesis 2:1-3) Indeed, Jesus was the Lamb of God slain from the foundation of the world! (Cf. Revelation 13:8) And it is clear that we are in the “Day of Rest” because it remains “Today” in which those who believe may enter His rest….

So, I believe the application here is for us to enter His rest … today. The Lord is telling us to refrain from further labor or exertion on problems or burdens we were not meant to carry alone. He is telling us to wait upon Him! (Cf. Psalm 27:14) He is telling us: “Be still and know that I am God.” (Cf. Psalm 46:10) For in rest we shall find peace. Yes, Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” (Cf. John 14:27) Oh, He is the God of Peace. Indeed, “May God Himself, the God of Peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul, and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Cf. 1 Thessalonians 5:23) And like Paul, I pray: “Now may the Lord of Peace Himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you.” (Cf. 2 Thessalonians 3:16) And, “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Cf. Romans 15:13)

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

There are some additional verses from the heart of King David:

The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. ~ Psalm 18:2


Guard my life and rescue me; do not let me be put to shame, for I take refuge in you. ~ Psalm 25:20


The Lord will rescue His servants; no one who takes refuge in Him will be condemned. ~ Psalm 34:22

Trust in Him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to Him, for God is our refuge. ~ Psalm 62:8


The righteous will rejoice in the Lord and take refuge in Him; all the upright in heart will glory in Him! ~ Psalm 64:10


I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” ~ Psalm 91:2

Rest In God…

Psalm 62:1 (NIV)

Truly my soul finds rest in God; my salvation comes from Him.

This verse resonated with me this morning….  I think all of us are looking for some form rest these days … some measure of peace when interpersonal conflict abounds and people seem to harden their hearts against one another.  One thing is for certain, we cannot control the emotions or feelings of others. And so, we can only turn to the One who is able to bring rest and peace to our souls.  I have reprinted this short Psalm for us:

Psalm 62

1 Truly my soul finds rest in God; my salvation comes from Him. 2 Truly He is my rock and my salvation; He is my fortress; I will never be shaken. 3 How long will you assault me? Would all of you throw me down—this leaning wall, this tottering fence? 4 Surely they intend to topple me from my lofty place; they take delight in lies. With their mouths they bless, but in their hearts they curse. Selah 5 Yes, my soul, finds rest in God; my hope comes from Him. 6 Truly He is my rock and my salvation; He is my fortress; I will not be shaken. 7 My salvation and my honor depend on God; He is my mighty rock, my refuge. 8 Trust in Him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to Him, for God is our refuge. 9 Surely the lowborn are but a breath, the highborn are but a lie. If weighed on a balance, they are nothing; together they are only a breath. 10 Do not trust in extortion or put vain hope in stolen goods; though your riches increase, do not set your heart on them. 11 One thing God has spoken, two things I have heard: “Power belongs to you, God, 12 and with you, Lord, is unfailing love”; and, “You reward everyone according to what they have done.”

What I find in this Psalm is the declaration of God as the source of rest for our souls.  He is the place of strength … of hope … of refuge and deliverance.  No matter what happens in our lives, we will all eventually come to the knowledge that the power of rest belongs to God alone. He is the Sovereign King over all creation. Only He can move mountains. Only He can change hearts. Only in Jesus Christ can we find true rest…. Yes, only through faith in Him will peace ever abound in our souls:

Matthew 11:25-30 (NIV)

25 At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. 26 Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do. 27 “All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him. 28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Hebrews 4:1-13 (NIV)

1Therefore, since the promise of entering His rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it. 2 For we also have had the good news proclaimed to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because those who heard did not combine it with faith. 3 Now we who have believed enter that rest, just as God has said, “So I declared on oath in my anger, ‘They shall never enter my rest.’” (Quoting Psalm 95:11) And yet His works have been finished since the creation of the world. 4 For somewhere He has spoken about the seventh day in these words: “On the seventh day God rested from all his works.” (Quoting Genesis 2:2) 5 And again in the passage above He says, “They shall never enter my rest.” 6 Therefore since it still remains for some to enter that rest, and since those who formerly had the good news proclaimed to them did not go in because of their disobedience, 7 God again set a certain day, calling it “Today.” This He did when a long time later He spoke through David, as in the passage already quoted: “Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.” (Quoting Psalm 95:8) 8 For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day. 9 There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; 10 for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their labor, just as God did from His. 11 Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience. 12 For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. 13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.

So we see that “rest” can only be found in submitting ourselves to God … surrendering ourselves to the obedience that comes through faith in Jesus Christ.  There is no work we can perform that will bring reconciliation with God … no work that we can perform that will bring atonement for our sin or rebellion.  Rest in the finished work of the Son of God … the One whom the Father sent is all we can do.  This is what Jesus declared and affirmed before His death on the cross: “It is finished!” (Cf. John 19:30) For the work Jesus completed signifies the rest which God entered on the seventh God when He ended His work which He had done. (Cf. Genesis 2:1-3) Indeed, Jesus was the Lamb of God slain from the foundation of the world! (Cf. Revelation 13:8) And it is clear that we are in the “Day of Rest” because it remains “Today” in which those who believe may enter His rest….

I believe the application here is for us to enter His rest … today. The Lord is telling us to refrain from labor or exertion.  He is telling us to wait upon Him! (Cf. Psalm 27:14) He is telling us: “Be still and know that I am God.” (Cf. Psalm 46:10) For in rest we shall find peace. Yes, Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives.  Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” (John 14:27) Oh, He is the God of Peace. Indeed, “May God Himself, the God of Peace, sanctify you through and through.  May your whole spirit, soul, and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Thessalonians 5:23) And like Paul, I pray: “Now may the Lord of Peace Himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you.” (2 Thessalonians 3:16)

So Now You Know….

Have a Blessed Day!

Verse of the Day – 02/04/19

Psalm 18:1-2

[ Psalm 18 ] [ For the director of music. Of David the servant of the Lord. He sang to the Lord the words of this song when the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. He said:] I love you, Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

Another Psalm of praise for us to reflect upon … perhaps even sing within our spirits.  Beautiful words of affirmation that God is indeed the refuge for our souls.  He is trustworthy!  He is a sanctuary to all those who love Him.  I sense someone reading this blog needs this verse for confirmation! Someone needs to feel assurance that God is for them! My friend, if you ever doubt that God is for you … just read this Psalm of salvation and know that your enemies are defeated!  Call upon God in your distress. Ask for help.  He will hear from His holy temple.  He knows your voice.  He knows your name.  He will deliver you.  Trust in Him!  His love is faithful.  It is unfailing.   It is everlasting.  He is worthy of all praise!

So Now You Know….

Have a Blessed Day!

Verse of the Day – 02/03/19

Psalm 59:16 (NIV)

But I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love; for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble.

This is a beautiful excerpt from Psalm 59.  David wrote this Psalm when King Saul had sent men to watch David’s house in order to kill him.  If you read the entire Psalm, you will see the context is a plea for deliverance from his enemies.  It is a petition for God to deal with his enemies and to bring consequences for their evil intent.  But at the end of his prayer, David sings praise and thanksgiving to God for His power, love, and protection.  Look at Verses 16-17:

16 But I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love; for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble.

17 You are my strength, I sing praise to you; you, God, are my fortress, my God on whom I can rely.

Though I find little eloquence in this Psalm (much of the tone is harsh to me), I do find a zealous message of reliance upon God … a sense of dependence upon God … and a profession of faith and trust in His vindication.  My observation is that David sees God in control of the situations he faces, and he trusts God to protect him.  David praises God because He is reliable and faithful to meet his needs.  So while the passage does not have great theological weight, it does convey two important aspects of how to exercise our faith: Prayer and Praise!

So when you come under duress or under attack … when you face physical, emotional, or spiritual battles … find a quiet place to get still before God and ask Him to deliver you.  Share with God your concerns … your feelings … your hurts … your needs. Then humble yourself under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care (anxieties) upon Him, for He cares for you. (Cf. 1 Peter 5:6-7) And then remember to praise Him.  Praise Him because He is your fortress … your place of refuge. Praise Him because He is your strength.  You can rely upon Him to bring you through the situation you face!  For Jesus Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” So you can boldly say: “The Lord is my helper;
I will not fear. What can man do to me?” (Cf. Hebrews 13:5-6) Oh my friend, you CAN trust Him!  God has your back … and He loves you far beyond all you can imagine or conceive….

I am thankful that David was transparent and shared his own personal experiences for us. His writings enable us to draw upon the inspiration God imparted to him.  I hope each of us will endeavor to seek God with the same boldness that David did.  You might just be surprised at what honest prayer and joyful praise might do for your life…. Maybe we just need to realize it could be a great time to reset our mindset!  I pray we will … and that we will submit to what God has desired to do in us and for us all since the foundation of the earth … enjoy oneness with Him.

So Now You Know….

Have a Blessed Day!