Comfort and Encouragement
“Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. This I declare about the Lord: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I trust him.” Psalm 91:1-2
Ever feel like life can sometimes just suck the life out of you? Sickness, difficulties at work, family issues, disappointments, not to mention everything that is going on in the world today. The world that once seemed so far away is now as close as a button on our smartphones. Sometimes it’s overwhelming.
In these troubling times, the words of Psalm 91 are a great source of comfort and encouragement, but if you look closely, you will see something significant that one might miss with a cursory read.
In these two verses, there are four different references to the names of God:
The Most High.
The Almighty,
The LORD, and
My God.
The name Most High in Hebrew is Elyon, which suggests a supreme monarch who is superior in every way. What comfort to know that we can live in the shelter, or under the protection of God, who is superior in every way.
The Almighty, translated from Shaddai, suggests a mighty God who is powerful. There is no need He cannot meet, no circumstance He cannot overcome. We will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
The psalmist also refers to God as the LORD. This is the personal name of God revealed to Moses at the burning bush. This name of God, so sacred to the Jews that the original pronunciation has been lost, is translated as Yahweh or Jehovah, but most often LORD (usually in all caps). This personal name of God tells us that God can be known on a deep, personal level. To think that the God who created everything wants to be known by me is such an encouragement. He is not only a refuge and a place of safety, He is my refuge and my place of safety.
He is also my God, from the word Elohim. This name first appeared in Genesis 1:1. It means the one who is first, the Creator. He is the God who is one in three persons. He is my God, the one I can trust.