Reflections
Psalm 91: 1-2, 10-11, 12-13, 14-15 (Read)
“Whoever clings to me I will deliver;
whoever knows my name, I will set on high.”This Sunday's Psalm is about God’s
protection of the faithful. It applies to us
who place ourselves under His protection
along the path of life. The psalmist
addresses us, “You who dwell in the shelter
of the Most High, say to the Lord, 'My refuge
and fortress.'”
As mentioned in Sunday’s first reading, the
Israelites were in great distress under the
oppression of the Egyptians. What the Lord
did for them, He is prepared to do for us,
“The Lord heard our cry and saw our
affliction.” (Deuteronomy 26:7)
In today's Gospel even the devil respects
the power of God and His commitment to our
security, when he quotes this verse of the Psalm,
“For God commands the angels to guard you in
all your ways.” (Luke 4:10)
And how do we obtain this level of protection
amidst the snares along the way and the terror
of the night? We call upon the Lord, and we trust
in Him to deliver us, “Whoever clings to me I will
deliver; whoever knows my name I will set on high.”
St Paul proclaims a similar message in Sunday's
second reading, “Everyone who calls on the name
of the Lord will be saved.” (Romans 10:13)
The psalmist agrees and quotes the Lord,
“All who call upon me I will answer; I will be with
him in distress; I will deliver and give him honor.”
What could be more reassuring than that?
Amen
Discussion Questions for Reflection
1. Our psalmist speaks about God's angels guarding us in all our ways.
Give an example of how you have been borne up upon the wings of angels
and given power physically or spiritually to trample down the devil and his minions.
2. In the Psalm God says that if we cling to Him, He will deliver us and set us on high. Tell of what it means to you to 'cling' to the Lord, and having done so, how have you been made free from evil that threatens you.
"Whoever clings to me I will deliver; whoever knows my name, I will set on high."
ReplyDeleteThat is his promise to the faithful who trust and cling to Him. He will protect us from the power of the devil and his minions. He will keep us safe in time of danger and fear and when our daily life is full of stress. He also assigns his angels to us to protect the faithful who cling to Him.
And so He is my refuge. No harm will befall me. No disaster will come near me because our Lord will command his angels to guard all my ways. This is comforting and reassuring love from Him. He says He will cover me under his wings. That’s why I do not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day.
I used to sing this song to ask God to send me an angel to protect me from car accidents while on the road. I absolutely trust his love for me. And I believe the angels watch over his believers as messengers. Truly it is comforting to know that God watches over us even in times of danger when we are being attacked by wicked, evil spirits.
I know where to turn.
I’ll cling to his love and acknowledge his name. He will rescue me.
Thank you Lord for your guardian angel assigned to me.
I do not like to put his name in print or utter it often. I prefer to soften it by calling him “the bad guy” or “the enemy.” The Bible is clear though — the devil is not a symbol or legend; he is very real. He was originally an angel of God! However, through his own pride, he fell. And took his “angels” with him. (Revelation 12:9). His name, Satan, means “Accuser” — now, we understand how he is the “Father of Lies” and how he can prowl around the world for vulnerable people — the spiritually or even physically weak. Even as I write this, I tremble and shiver. I do not like to acknowledge him...and yet, Psalm 91 reminds me of the reality of spiritual warfare.
ReplyDeleteWhen I have had to face my greatest fears... and when the accuser whispered to me that I was going to fail, or lose a loved one, or remain in a place of self-pity, I had to fight. I had to quote the Word of God. Psalm 91 especially helped me in the weeks following the terrible tragedy of 9/11. My husband was in the U.S. Army at the time, serving as a physician. Every day, I woke up with the reality that he could be deployed to a war zone, while I remained home to care for our two young children. Verses 10 and 11 were especially helpful at the time and remain powerful for me: “...then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent. For He will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways.” (NIV)
No matter what evil is present in our world, we are assured that God has the final say and is the Ultimate Victor. The enemy knows this... and is desperately lashing out in the short time he has to work. When we switch our mindset into an eternal perspective, and recognize the futile attempts of the accuser, we can have strength, and, even peace, during times of attack.
As I mentioned above, quoting scripture is a powerful weapon to use against the attacker. (We follow Jesus’ own example here, as he quotes scripture back at the enemy, while being tempted in the desert.) Additionally, prayers like St. Michael’s prayer are mighty! Here it is:
St. Michael, the Archangel,
Defend us in battle.
Be our defense against
the wickedness and snares of the devil.
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray,
and do Thou, O Prince of the heavenly hosts,
by the Power of God,
Thrust into hell, Satan
and the evil spirits who prowl about the world
seeking the ruin of souls.
Amen.
(composed by Pope Leo XIII —1878-1903)
One of my Lenten goals is to finally commit this prayer, 100 percent, to memory!
We do not have to fear... we cling to the Lord... and we are protected.
Dear God, Thank you for your presence with us, thank you for your Almighty Shadow. Thank you that you go before us, and cover us from behind. Thank you that you are in our midst, and that our future is secure in the place you're preparing for us.
ReplyDeleteYour words bring such hope and comfort. Remind us of your strength today, may we see glimpses of your glory and blessing along the way as we seek after you. For victory and salvation are found in you alone.