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Illustration of a warrior kneeling behind a massive shield as a swarm of arrows shatters harmlessly against it, illustrating Psalm 91's promise, 'His faithfulness is a shield and buckler... though a thousand fall at your side, it will not come near you.'

Psalm 91

Under His Wings

ProtectionCourage

This is sometimes called 'the soldier's psalm' because it promises God's protection. If you live close to God, He covers you with His wings like a mother bird protects her chicks. His angels watch over you, and nothing truly harmful can reach you.

  1. 1He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
  2. 2I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust."
  3. 3Surely He will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly plague.
  4. 4He will cover you with His feathers; under His wings you will find refuge; His faithfulness is a shield and buckler.
  5. 5You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day,
  6. 6nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday.
  7. 7Though a thousand fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand, it will not come near you.
  8. 8You will only see it with your eyes and witness the punishment of the wicked.
  9. 9Because you have made the LORD your dwelling— the Most High, who is my refuge—
  10. 10no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent.
  11. 11For He will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways.
  12. 12They will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
  13. 13You will tread on the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent.
  14. 14"Because he loves Me, I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges My name.
  15. 15He will call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him.
  16. 16With long life I will satisfy him and show him My salvation."

What it means

God promises to protect those who make Him their shelter and fortress. Like a mother bird covers her chicks with her wings, God covers us with His protection. His angels are sent to guard us in all our ways.

A little prayer

Lord, You are my shelter and my fortress. When I am afraid, let me hide under Your wings. Thank You for sending Your angels to watch over me. I trust in You. Amen.

Memory verse

“He will cover you with His feathers; under His wings you will find refuge.”

Psalm 91:4 (BSB)

It gives a child words for the moment the light goes out — a sentence to say instead of a fear to swallow.

Talk about it

Questions with no single right answer — for a family table or a Sunday-school circle.

  1. A refuge is a place you run to. Where do you run when you are frightened, and what makes it feel safe?
  2. The psalm pictures God's protection as wings over a nest. What does a bird's wing do that a wall cannot?
  3. It does not promise that nothing hard will ever happen. What does it promise instead?
  4. Who is someone you could be a safe place for this week?

Try this

Build a refuge

Make a den — a blanket over two chairs will do. Get inside together, turn a torch on, and read the psalm out loud in the dark. Talk about what makes the den feel safe: it is not that the walls are strong, it is that you are in there together.

You will need: A blanket, two chairs, and a torch.

Get the free printable — Psalm 91 Coloring Book — eight peaceful pages on God's promise of refuge

Scripture from the Berean Standard Bible (BSB)