encountering God in Psalm 91

Onahi Idikwu tells us how she met with God in Scripture before embarking on a potentially dangerous adventure

Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say of the Lord, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.’

Surely he will save you
from the fowler’s snare
and from the deadly pestilence.
He will cover you with his feathers,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
(Psalm 91:1-4)

After months of planning and waiting, I could hardly believe that the moment to fly to Nigeria for my short medical mission trip had finally arrived.

Was I ready? My packed suitcases would suggest so. Yet, the rumbles of anxiety tapping on my heart for attention prompted me to FaceTime my mum. As we dreamed of all the Lord might do in and through me during this trip, we could not ignore the very real threat of persecution facing Christians living in the north.

But rather than panicking or backtracking, my mum reached for Psalm 91.

As she prayed those familiar words over me, it was as if the Lord called me to nestle under his wings and whispered, ‘Daughter, will you trust me to look after you?’. In that moment, Psalm 91, like a healing balm, soothed the racing hypotheticals out of my heart, replacing them with God’s calm peace. A peace rooted in the assurance that the Lord, who had faithfully held me all this while, will continue to hold me.

Of all the passages I could cling to and meditate on during my time away, Psalm 91 was an obvious choice. Though we are not explicitly told who the author is, this tender and intimate psalm drips with comfort as it describes the confidence the psalmist can have in times of trouble.

I have treasured this psalm for many years; however, as I read of what sounds like supernatural divine protection, I have wondered to what extent I can take these words upon my own lips and cherish these promises as my own. As this psalmist assures the reader of God’s awesome protection, I have wondered whether we are being invited to also encounter God in this way, can we also say of the Lord ‘He is my refuge and my fortress, my God in whom I trust’? (verse 2)

Yes, this psalm seems to suggest these promises are for whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High. To dwell is to sit, remain and abide, so as God’s people sit in the shadow of his wings, we can trust him to protect us. As I read this invitation to abide, I cannot help but think of Jesus’s call to his followers in John 15 to remain in him. How stunning that in Christ, we can experience the ultimate protection that spans into eternity.

Onahi Idikwu is a paediatric and neonatal nurse in London.