Psalms 91:4, commentary and pictures

God covers those who trust in him as a bird covers its young, giving tender and sheltering care, and his truth stands around them as shield and defense.
That covering belongs to those he has redeemed as his own, who keep his commandments, are pure in heart and true to his Word, and show living faith by confessing and forsaking sin.
To stay under it they must stand firmly on the truth rather than waver, meditate on Scripture, and cherish its solid principles.
In the time of trouble he will shelter his faithful, decided people under his wings amid danger, persecution, famine and death, sustaining them and setting angels to guard them so enemies cannot overcome them, though they will still face suffering, hunger and distress.
Revealed truth alone is the shield that keeps them right in humble obedience amid Satan's deceptions, and that protection must be truth as it is in Jesus, planted in the heart by the Holy Spirit.

Pictures in the Verse

He covers with feathers and gathers under wings as a bird covers its young, and that is tender, sheltering care for those who trust in him. The same shelter is asked for by the helpless who need strength beyond their own, to be supported, comforted, and fought for in battles they cannot win. To abide and trust under those wings is to stay safely in his care through darkness and fierce trials. It is refuge through sorrow and through the trials of life, through life's storms, and through fears and perplexities, with every fear and perplexity told to him with thankfulness and trust. His truth is shield and buckler, a defense and protection surrounding those who trust him. It is shield and defense for servants as they go out to labor under his commission. That guarding power has all heaven pledged to help, with power waiting to be bestowed on those in perplexity and discouragement who take him at his word and hold fast to him as strength and front guard and rearward, trusting not in man nor in the arm of flesh. Angels spread their wings over each saint, attending them in discouragement and danger, encouraging them and keeping them from straying, hovering over them to shield them from harmful influence and attack. The shield of faith guards heart and life against the darts of the enemy, and truth guards like a front guard and rearward, so that enemies cannot overcome the guard even amid famine and pestilence.

Who Receives the Shelter

The shelter belongs to those who have chosen the Lord as their Redeemer, who can trust beneath His care while His truth stands as their defense. They are the righteous whom Christ has secured through His merits, kept safe when judgment falls upon wickedness to end it. To abide under His wings is to remain safely in His care through darkness and fierce trials, as those who belong to Him as redeemed children.

It is His commandment-keeping people who stand under the shelter of His power, covered as a bird covers its young. They are those decided on the truth and pure in heart, true to His Word and therefore without fear. Living faith shown in confessing and forsaking sin brings reconciliation with God and the assurance that life is safe under the shadow of His wing.

Remaining under that covering requires standing firmly on the truth rather than wavering. It requires cherishing solid principles of Bible truth as the protection of the soul, teaching them and keeping them prominent in the family, speaking truth even against self-interest and never lying to guard reputation. His workers make that truth their shield and buckler by meditating on the truths of Scripture.

Children are kept from pestilence and sickness abroad when they pray much to be accepted and kept by Him. This keeping is for the young whose hearts are turned to Him, who keep God's commandments, love and obey their parents, love God, speak truth at all times, and live obediently. He loves such children and loves to bless them, is pleased with them and smiles upon them, and promises them entrance into the holy city where all is harmony and joy.

God's Protective Care

He shelters and upholds and strengthens those who put their trust in him, and that trust itself brings confidence in his protection. When temptation comes they can flee to him for strength and guidance, secure beneath his protection, for he is a sure defense and source of strength. He keeps his people safely under his protection as under the shelter of a bird's wings, like a shield and buckler, and calls them to rely on his strength.

As his servants go out to labor under his commission he protects and shelters them, and they may trust in his care. His truth is their shield and buckler and defense, and his presence and protection are among the advantages given to those who accept his commission.

He stands as a shield with those who suffer unjustly, spreading his hands over his trusting children, and his shield-like care guards people from harm. Their lives and interests are precious to him, and to wound one of his chosen is to wound the Lord himself and to strike at God. Though he may delay punishment he remembers wrongs and will bring justice, and that protection includes defending each person's rights against wrongs committed by others.

He does not leave or betray or forsake his people when they face opposition and are overruled by the majority, and he will not forsake them when councils rule against them even though their arguments are unanswerable. He himself will be their shield and buckler and their exceeding great reward, and this will hold true to the end. He is a friend who never leaves or betrays, a refuge and strength that no storm or tempest can move, and laying hold of the strength of the Mighty One gives steadiness when human friendship and bonds and ties of relationship are severed because of difference of opinion in interpretation of Scripture. Faith in God is the defense that covers and keeps in that betrayal and in the future crisis when believers are delivered to councils and betrayed by brethren and children, and his grace is sufficient for them.

Shelter in Final Trouble

The verse assures the righteous of loving shelter amid judgment and peril when the Lord comes to bring wickedness to an end. Those who have chosen the Lord as Redeemer, secured by Christ through his merits, will be safe when his judgments fall and he destroys the wicked from the earth. In the day of trouble and distress that comes upon the wicked, God is the refuge and protection of the righteous, covering with his care those who trust beneath him while his truth stands as their defense like shield and buckler.

During the time of trouble God will shelter and protect his faithful, decided people under the Almighty's covering, shadow, and wings. Though they face widespread danger, persecution, deprivation, famine, and death, he will care for them and they can trust in his protection. Those so covered are decided on the truth and pure in heart, and to remain under that protection they must stand firmly on the truth rather than waver. In that day he will shelter under the shadow of his wings those who remain faithful to him and deliver them.

That protection does not mean freedom from suffering, persecution, hunger, or distress. God will sustain his people, meet their needs, and guard them from perishing, shielding the righteous even amid famine and pestilence. The protection is real even when they appear to be abandoned and face death, for angels stand guard around every faithful person and enemies cannot overcome that guarding power.

The covering is drawn over those who are to be sheltered when the seven last plagues bring God's wrath. Those left without it have no shelter in the day of slaughter. When armed enemies prepare to kill God's people, the waiting ones plead for divine protection, and the promise of shelter for those who trust in him, with his truth as shield and protection, applies to their danger.

The righteous can trust him for refuge and preservation under his care even amid earthquakes, eruptions, upheavals, and terrible commotions, and amid the destruction of the wicked. He will be their refuge when he destroys the wicked from off the earth, preserving them in the midst of commotion as Noah was preserved in the ark, trusting under his wings. Those who heed his warning amid coming destruction dwell in the Most High's secret place and under the Almighty's shadow, protected by his truth as their shield and buckler, and receive the promise of long life and salvation, as shown in the destruction of Sodom and after the Flood.

Truth as Shield and Buckler

Revealed truth alone is the shield and buckler that makes people right and keeps them right in humble obedience amid Satan's deceptions, delusions, and deceptive workings. God's revealed truth is the defense that holds its holders safe from those workings, and he himself is the sole source of that shelter and defense. Truth alone must be that shield and buckler for the remnant people in the last days.

That protecting truth must be truth as it is in Jesus, presented as it is in Jesus, and planted in the heart by the power of the Holy Spirit. His workers are to make that truth their shield and buckler by meditating on the truths of Scripture, and cherishing solid principles of Bible truth protects the soul. Truth is to be taught and kept prominent in the family.

Heaven looks upon the remnant people of God in the last days to see if they will make truth alone their protection, with all heaven watching to see if they make it so. Without this inward planting even ministers drift away from Christ, away from piety and religious principle, and become blind leaders of the blind. Standard-bearers fall through the deceptions of Satan when that planting is lacking.

Cherishing this protection includes speaking truth even when it is against one's interest and never lying to protect one's reputation.

Trust in Daily Life

The promised covering is to be read and believed as personal truth in perplexity and discouragement, holding fast to the One who is strength and front guard and rearward. All heaven is pledged to help and strengthen, with power waiting to be bestowed on those who take God at His word. That taking Him at His word means trusting not in man nor in the arm of flesh.

When temptation comes the tempted can flee to Him for strength and guidance, secure beneath His protection. He shelters and upholds those who trust in Him, and He alone is the source of shelter and defense. His protection keeps His people safe from Satan's delusions and deceptive workings.

The defenseless, helpless soul is covered under His wings as under a shield by hanging on God, staying all trust on Him and bringing all help from Him. That hanging on Him is asking Him not to leave one alone but still to support and comfort, to fight battles beyond human strength. Every fear and perplexity can be told to Him with thankfulness and trust, and amid fears and perplexities a person can feel safe beneath His wings, like young birds covered beneath the parent's wings. Storms of opposition and rebuffs can be His providences driving people to seek that shelter under His protective care. Praying to be kept connects this shelter with protection from pestilence and sickness abroad.

Those who establish themselves in the strength of the Lord and rely on Him receive daily strengthening and encouragement, with God Himself guarding them. The promise belongs to present service in His work and stands as earth's history nears its close. It points forward to rejoicing when the conflict is over and to meeting in the city of God.