Psalm 91:5-6

Psalm 91:5-6

You will not fear

This verse lists the kind of threats that ancient people faced, especially when they were confronting the terrors of enemy armies, amassed on the border or infiltrating their land. These threats could loom over them at any time, day and night, and of course there was great fear amongst those who were in the way of any invading forces. I’m thinking right now of the citizens of some of the cities of the Ukraine who have laid in their cellars at night and heard the dull thuds or ground shaking explosions of Russian missiles landing nearby. For the people of Israel, especially the men who must fight, enemy arrows were also something to be feared, not so fast as a bullet maybe, but you still needed to get out of the way or you would be seriously injured or killed. There were many side-effects, and after-effects, of war in ancient times. Famine, food and water could easily be contaminated and for those who were fighting, there was little respite from the burning sun at noonday. These people did not have electricity and would be terrified of revealing their positions with fire, so the darkness would have been a time to be especially afraid, particularly if they believed that the enemy was using it as a cover to gain ground. 

In all of this, the Lord God commands His people that they will not fear, notice that He does not say you “should” not fear but you “will” not fear. “If I am with you, there is nothing to be afraid of, “my feathers will cover you and my wings will be your refuge.”” Nothing has changed, when the enemy lurks close by and we are under attack, our best form of defence is to trust in the Lord for He will watch over us. Hallelujah!

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