Is there anything that you are afraid of? Chances are you can identify with one of the top ten most popular phobias.
10. Germs
9. Public places
8. Social events
7. Shots or needles
6. Lightning and thunder
5. Dogs
4. Flying
3. Heights
2. Snakes
1. Spiders[i]
Most of us can relate to at least one of these. There are other phobias or fears that may seem a bit unusual.
Xanthophobia – Fear of Yellow
Linonophobia – Fear of String
Arachibutyrophobia – Fear of Peanut Butter Sticking to the Roof of One’s Mouth
Xerophobia – Fear of Dryness
Chaetophobia – Fear of Hair
Globophobia – Fear of Balloons
Geliophobia – Fear of Laughter
Aulophobia – Fear of Flutes
Omphalophobia – Fear of the Navel
Turophobia – Fear of Cheese
Anatidaephobia – Fear of Being Watched by A Duck[ii]
Fear is somewhat natural to most of us. When we feel threatened or sense danger, our bodies often respond with a sense of fear. Our heart may beat more rapidly, we may begin sweating, or become dizzy or lightheaded. We may experience a “fight or flight” response, with which your body prepares itself to either enter combat or run away.”[iii]
Having a fear of something and being forced to confront it can cause trauma or in the least, some unease or uncomfortableness.
I grew up in a ranch-style home that had a full-sized basement. Over the years, my dad had built rooms in the basement, and as a result, there were many nooks and dark areas. My dad had created a large workshop in the very back of the basement meaning I would have to go down the stairs then walk the length of the house to get to his workshop. In between the bottom of the stairs and his workshop was a storage room and office to the left, and on the right, a den or a game room, a sewing area for Mom, and then a hallway with closets on both sides as well as an extra refrigerator and freezer. If you were wanting to play a challenging game of hide and seek, that basement was the ideal place to do so.
Mom would often send me downstairs to get something from the extra refrigerator or freezer. My fight or flight response would immediately kick in because I had a fear of the basement. Other than the workshop, there were no overhead lights. Lamps were the source of light in all the rooms. There was a small wall lamp near the refrigerator/freezer area and thankfully, Daddy had connected it to a wall switch at the top of the stairs. But between the bottom of the stairs and the wall lamp there was very little light unless I switched on the individual lamps.
I can’t really tell you why I was so scared of the basement. Even as an adult, if I needed to go down to get something, I was definitely doing some powerwalking back to the stairs when I was done. To be fair, our home had been broken into once and they had come through the basement. And once, there was a snake found in a weird pit area in the workshop. Not to mention that the basement was where we went when there was the threat of a tornado. Perhaps, psychologically, the basement didn’t seem safe to me.
Daddy was quite inventive and creative. He had installed a buzzer upstairs that would ring downstairs. If it was time for dinner or Daddy needed to come upstairs, we’d hit the buzzer once. If there was a phone call for Daddy, we’d hit the buzzer twice. If I was on my way downstairs, I’d hit the buzzer three times. Even if I was just going to the extra fridge, I’d let Daddy know I was on my way.
So when Mom would ask me to go downstairs and get milk or whatever, I’d always ask, “Is Daddy downstairs?” If she told me that he was, I’d go over and press that buzzer three times. There was something reassuring to me that Daddy was already where I was going, and he was expecting me. Many times I would go down to find that he had opened the workshop door so that the bright overhead lights made the hallway a whole lot less dark.
The basement, the nooks, the hiding spots were all the same but what made the difference and what calmed my fear was knowing that Daddy was already there.
Our scripture today gives us the reassurance of God’s protection over us. No one knows who actually wrote Psalm 91. Some think is was Moses, others think it could have been David while there are those who credit it to Solomon. Despite not knowing the author or the circumstances behind it, this poem or song is an encouragement to us.
Psalm 91:1 CSB “The one who lives under the protection of the Most High
dwells in the shadow of the Almighty.
2 I will say concerning the Lord, who is my refuge and my fortress,
my God in whom I trust:
3 He himself will rescue you from the bird trap,
from the destructive plague.
4 He will cover you with his feathers;
you will take refuge under his wings.
His faithfulness will be a protective shield.
5 You will not fear the terror of the night,
the arrow that flies by day,
6 the plague that stalks in darkness,
or the pestilence that ravages at noon.”
In the first two verses, there are multiple names or references to God. He’s called the Most High, the Almighty, Lord, my God,
In the Names of God translation, this is how verses 1 and 2 read.
Psalm 91:1 NOG “Whoever lives under the shelter of Elyon
will remain in the shadow of Shadday.
2 I will say to Yahweh,
“You are my Machseh and my Metsuda, my Elohim in whom I trust.”
The name Elyon means “Most High ”but also ”emphasizes God’s uniqueness and his supremacy above all others.”[iv] This was written at a time when many other gods were being worshipped. The use of the name Elyon signifies that even if other gods were believed in, God, our God was the Most High and most supreme.
The name Shadday means “the All-Sufficient One.’ Simply put, He’s more than what we could ever need.
Yahweh is the proper name for God. This is the name God gives when Moses asks, “Who shall I say sent me?” Besides beings God’s proper name, Yahweh is the name used for God as His relational name. “Yahweh is only used in the Bible when the author is talking about God’s personal relationship with his people.” “The fact that God introduces himself to us as “Yahweh” tells us that his first priority in relating to us is making sure we know that he is the intensely personal God, seeking to have a relationship with his people.”[v]
Elohim is the final reference to God in the first two verses. “The term “Elohim” means “supreme one” or “mighty one.” It is not only used of the one true God but is also used on occasion to refer to human rulers, judges, and even angels. If you saw one exhibiting supreme rule and expressed mighty power, the word you would use would be Elohim. That does not necessarily mean that you are referring to the one unique God. But even as one comes to understand Yahweh, you might still grab hold of this particular word, Elohim, in order to emphasize God’s power and might.”[vi]
This song, or this poem, addresses someone who is under the shadow of the unique and supreme God Who is like no other, Who is all-sufficient, Whose first desire is a personal relationship with us and Who is mighty.
There is no denying the awe that the writer of Psalm 91 has for God. These are mighty powerful names and references in just those first two verses. But notice the other descriptions that are given.
God is our refuge (meaning shelter and protection). God is our fortress (indicating a fortified place or a stronghold). The author of Psalm 91 indicates their full trust in Him. The illustration of a bird taking its young under its wings for protection is used. In Luke 13, Jesus uses this same example when He tells the Jews how He longs to gather their children as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings.
Verse 4 of Psalm 91 states that God’s faithfulness will be a protective shield. And because of God’s protectiveness, His faithfulness, His strength, and His relationship with us, we will not fear in the night or the day, in the light, or in the dark.
Well, if this is true, why do we experience fear?
Look back at verse 1 and see the description and location of the one who benefits from God’s protectiveness. It is one who lives under Him and dwells in His shadow. Let’s dissect that a little further. Live and dwell are the two verbs in the CSB translation. Other translations use the words abide, stay, lodge, remain, and resides. These all give the impression of a permanent state. Verse 1 doesn’t state, “The one who visits and drops in” or “The one who vacations with or stops over”. The protection that is given in Psalm 91 is for those who permanently remain with God.
The other part to consider is that protection is given to one who dwells in His shadow. We must remain with Him close enough to be in His shadow. If we are living our life far from God, we can’t be in His shadow.
Psalm 91:9 CSB “Because you have made the Lord—my refuge,
the Most High—your dwelling place,
10 no harm will come to you;
no plague will come near your tent.
11 For he will give his angels orders concerning you,
to protect you in all your ways.
12 They will support you with 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 young lion and the serpent.”
We must remember that this is poetry. It’s not an invitation to test God. We shouldn’t fling ourselves into the lion exhibit at the zoo and expect a Daniel experience. We shouldn’t play with a rattlesnake and expect a Paul experience. But this also isn’t a universal promise that nothing bad will come to us. What this promise says is that no harm will come to us that abide in Him.
The original Hebrew word used in Psalm 91:10 is ra’ and it’s used as the word “evil”. Other uses of that same word occur hundreds of times throughout the Bible. Some examples to give perspective to the meaning of the word include: ‘of the knowledge of good and evil’ (Genesis 2:9); ‘of Sodom were wicked exceedingly’ (Genesis 13:13); and then Joseph exhibiting such forgiveness to his brothers in Genesis 50:20 when he said, “ But as for you, ye thought evil against me; [but] God”.
Bad things happen, right? Life is full of difficulties, heartaches, disappointments. We struggle, we encounter challenges and hardships. And yes, we are threatened daily by the evil that exists in this world.
It used to be that there were some places we felt safe. Certain venues that the risk of evil never crossed our minds.
We sent our kids to school thinking the biggest threat was them being picked on by a bully. 1999 Columbine happened.
Going to the theatre was always a fun activity and the only thing we worried about was finding a good comfortable seat. In 2012 in Aurora, Colorado, 12 people were killed and 70 people were injured because an evil man decided to enter a theatre and start shooting.
Even our churches have been infiltrated with evil. In a small South Texas community in 2017, 26 people were killed by a gunman during the worship service.
Evil is out there, and we are not immune to it. But God’s Word promises that those of us who abide in Him and stay close enough to be in His shadow will suffer no harm. How can that be explained?
It’s my belief based on my own experiences, the experiences of others, and most importantly, God’s Word, that this is a promise that if we abide in God, reside under His shadow, that nothing that comes at us will destroy us but rather will refine us. The troubles, the struggles, the difficulties that we face are used by God and not wasted. Instead, abiding in Him takes tragedies and turns them into testimonies. Dwelling with God takes pain and transforms it into praise. Residing in God’s shadow allows grief to promote growth.
Abiding in Him takes tragedies and turns them into testimonies. Dwelling with God takes pain and transforms it into praise. Residing in God’s shadow allows grief to promote growth.
Jesus Himself tells us in John 16:33 NLT “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”
“This psalm is a powerful chapter when a believer is in a time of crisis.” “The ending of all of this is the most powerful of all as God says He will “show him [or her], His salvation.” If you have salvation, all of these other serious circumstances of plagues, night terrors, thousands dropping at your sides or any other threat are only temporary because ultimately, God is our refuge, our fortress, our shield, our buckler, and His love overshadows us and will bring us safely into the kingdom someday. God truly is our fortress and our refuge.”[vii]
Just like my daddy’s presence calmed my fear of the basement, being in God’s presence calms my fears that come from the evils of this world.
[i] 10 Most Common Phobias – WorldAtlas
[ii] 32 Funniest Phobias and Fears, Just To Make You Feel Better (thecoolist.com)
[iii] Fear: Definition, Traits, Causes, Treatment (verywellmind.com)
[iv] Elyon: What Does It Mean? – Resources – Eternal Perspective Ministries (epm.org)
[v] What “Yahweh” Means in the Bible – God’s Name Explained (biblestudytools.com)
[vi] What Does Elohim Mean? Name of God Explained (biblestudytools.com)
[vii] Psalm 91: Commentary, Bible Study and Summary (whatchristianswanttoknow.com)
Beacons of Light 