He Will Cover You with His Feathers (Psalm 91:4)
By: Amanda Idleman
He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; His faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. - Psalm 91:4
The imagery that David uses in this passage gives us believers a great sense of security and hope. God covering us with his feathers is just like a hen that covers her chicks under her wings to protect them from harm, the elements, and from predators. We can nestle in close to him for comfort and safety. God shields us from the threats we face and even the emotional turmoil events of our lives can cause.
Thomas Watson explained this passage in this way: “Christ's wings are both for healing and for hiding, for curing and securing us; the devil and his instruments would soon devour the servants of God, if he did not set an invincible guard about them, and cover them with the golden feathers of his protection.”
Rather than running around wondering how we are going to make it when we face hurt, harm, or are in need of healing, we can instead run straight under the protective cover of God’s glorious wings! God is our safe place in a very unsafe world.
Our God is also a shield and strong defender against evil. Benson Commentary explains we can enjoy God’s affection under his wings, but his truth and faithfulness also make it so we can rest in God’s promise to be our “shield and rampart,” our strong and sure defense! God will take care of us no matter how precarious or challenging our circumstances may seem.
God’s protection guards our hearts against the snare of sin. Our spiritual life is protected by God’s amazing grace and keeps us from being infected by the contagion of sin. Wisdom keeps us from being unduly afraid and guards us against folly. Proverbs 4:6 says, “Don’t turn your back on wisdom, for she will protect you. Love her, and she will guard you.” When we pursue God and his wisdom that wisdom will guard us against the destructive power of sin.
God’s guarding feathers can keep us from walking into situations that would tempt us to stray from what is good in the eyes of God. It could be blinding us from a potentially toxic relationship. Sometimes it’s as simple as being a young person that is never invited to the wrong kind of party with their peers. It could be a sense of God-inspired thankfulness that helps you stay positive when the temptation to complain, gossip, or lose hope arises. God’s Spirit nudges us and sometimes may even alert us in our hearts when we start wandering away from God’s wisdom and towards the pull of sin.
Take comfort under the wings of God. He is there to protect us, shield us, and nurture us with his warm embrace. When we face sadness, temptation, loss, or any other trial we are not alone. God is there covering us with his powerful feathers.
Amanda Idleman is a writer whose passion is to encourage others to live joyfully. She writes devotions for My Daily Bible Verse Devotional and Podcast, Crosswalk Couples Devotional, the Daily Devotional App, she has work published with Her View from Home, on the MOPS Blog, and is a regular contributor for Crosswalk.com. You can find out more about Amanda on her Facebook Page, Blog or follow her on Instagram.
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