WHEN LIFE SHAKES, GOD IS OUR REFUGE AND FORTRESS. Psalm 91, Psalm 46:1-6
Psalm 91:1-16
1 Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
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.”
Psalm 46:1-11
1 God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
3 though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.
4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells.
5 God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day.
6 Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall he lifts his voice, the earth melts.
7 The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.
8 Come and see what the Lord has done, the desolations he has brought on the earth.
9 He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth. He breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he burns the shields with fire.
10 He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”
11 The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.
OUR TITLE: WHEN LIFE SHAKES, GOD IS OUR REFUGE AND FORTRESS
Our annual theme is “Trusting God with all your heart—God’s protection in the midst of danger.” God does not promise a life free from danger, but He does promise His presence, His help, and His protection whenever we face danger. He is always near to provide refuge, security, and peace.
God’s power is complete, and His ultimate victory is certain. He will not fail to rescue those who love Him and trust in Him.
Remember Psalm 23, where King David declares: “The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want.” God supplies all that we need because He is constantly watching over us and caring for us.
As believers growing in discipleship, we must ask ourselves: How well do you know your God? How strong is your faith in the Lord God Almighty?
Today, many people live with fear—fear of uncertainty, fear of disaster, and even fear of global destruction. The thought of mountains collapsing into the sea or cities being destroyed by nuclear catastrophe troubles the hearts of many.
Yet the psalmist declares that even if the earth gives way, we should not fear. In the face of total collapse and overwhelming disaster, there is a deep confidence in God’s ability to save and sustain His people.
It may seem impossible to imagine the end of the world without fear, but Scripture is clear: God is our refuge even in the face of destruction. He is not merely a temporary shelter in crisis; He is our eternal refuge, and He gives strength in every circumstance.
- OUR PROTECTION COMES FROM THE LORD. PSALMS 91:1-4, PSALMS 121:1-8
Psalm 91:1-4
1 Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
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.
Psalm 121:1-8
1 I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from?
2 My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.
3 He will not let your foot slip—he who watches over you will not slumber;
4 Indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
5 The Lord watches over you— the Lord is your shade at your right hand;
6 The sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.
7 The Lord will keep you from all harm— he will watch over your life;
8 The Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.
God is our shelter and refuge in times of fear. The psalmist’s confidence in the Almighty as Protector sustains him through every danger and anxiety of life. In the same way, we are called to trade all our fears for faith in God, no matter how intense those fears may be.
To live in this confidence, we must dwell and rest in Him (Psalm 91:1), entrusting ourselves fully to His protection and committing ourselves to daily devotion. In Him, we find true security and safety.
The Bible also teaches that angels serve as God’s ministering spirits, sent to serve those who will inherit salvation (Hebrews 1:14). Scripture gives several examples of angelic protection and intervention: 1 Kings 19:5, Daniel 6:22, Matthew 18:10, Luke 16:22, and Acts 12:7. However, the Bible does not clearly state that each believer is assigned a personal guardian angel.
Angels also function as God’s messengers, delivering divine instructions and guidance (Matthew 2:13; Acts 27:23–24). While angels are normally invisible, they occasionally appear in visible form when God permits (Numbers 22:31).
It is also important to note that Psalm 91:11–12 was quoted by Satan during the temptation of Jesus (Matthew 4:6; Luke 4:10–11), showing that even Scripture can be misused when taken out of context.
Ultimately, it is deeply comforting to know that God watches over His people even in times of great stress and fear. Our confidence is not in angels, but in the God who commands and sends them.
2. IF YOU TRUST HIM, HE WILL SEND HELP ON YOUR WAY. PSALM 91:9-13
PSALM 91:9-13
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.
You will tread on the lion and the cobra;
you will trample the great lion and the serpent.
3. IF YOU LOVE HIM, HE WILL ANSWER YOU WHEN YOU CALL.
Psalm 91:14-16, Psalm 46:1-3
PSALM 91:14-16
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.”
Psalm 46:1-11
1 God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.
2 Therefore, we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
3 Though its waters roar and foam , and the mountains quake with their surging.
4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells.
5 God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at the break of day.
6 Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice, the earth melts.
7 The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.
8 Come and see what the Lord has done, the desolations he has brought on the earth.
9 He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth. He breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he burns the shields with fire.
10 He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”
11 The Lord Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
Many great cities are built around rivers that sustain life, enabling agriculture and supporting trade with surrounding regions. Jerusalem, however, had no natural river. Yet its true source of life was not water, but God Himself—who sustained the city like a flowing river, providing protection, provision, and peace.
As long as God dwelt among His people, Jerusalem stood secure and unshakable. But when the people turned away from Him, His covering was lifted, and the city eventually fell to the Babylonian army.
History reminds us that conflict and destruction are part of a broken world, but they are not the final word. God’s ultimate victory is certain, and one day every nation and every person will stand in silence before the Lord Almighty.
How fitting it is, then, that we learn to be still before Him even now—honouring Him with reverence, power, and majesty. Set aside time each day to be still, to acknowledge His presence, and to exalt Him above all else.
