Wednesday: Ever since January 18, for over a week, I've been thinking about Psalm 91.1-4, and His words have brought such peace and deep joy to me. I'm going to post a little bit of my study of verse one of this beautiful Psalm ...
Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
Another version of the Bible: "He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide in the shadow of the Almighty." (KJV) This is the version that I grew up with actually, and it remains (at least for this verse) the most familiar to me.
Since I am a fast (and rather careless) reader, unless I make myself STOP and read and think about each word, I don't remember much of what I have read. I love to do word studies--which might bore a lot of people--but I'm not posting this for other people--I'm posting this for me ... so that I will remember.
DWELL = [yashab] carries with it the idea of "sitting down" or sitting still. Many Bible translations use the word "abide" and I think it's a good word too. Jesus had much to say about abiding in Him (John 15).
SECRET PLACE = [sether] "hiding". It can also mean "shelter." Psalm 25.5 "In the day of trouble He will keep me safe in His dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of His tabernacle and set me high upon a rock." Ah ... He will keep me safe, hidden. That seems to be the recurring desire of my life ... to find a safe place. I love the thought of a secret place where God is, don't you? I want to be IN that place!
Another thought, though, a theme that runs through Scripture; from the tabernacle to the temple and beyond. I remember that there is an important feast--The Feast of Tabernacles (aka the Feast of Booths) that was celebrated in Israel. This festival was instituted in the time of Moses and carried on through the time of Christ and beyond. The people would make temporary shelters out of straw, hay, and other well-known and accessible materials, and would live in them for two weeks. It was to commemorate their 40 years of desert wanderings and to think back on God's faithfulness to them when they had no land or "home" of their own. And remember on the Mount of Transfiguration when Peter, James and John were invited by Jesus to climb with Him? When Jesus' appearance changed and He revealed His glory, while Jesus was talking with Moses and Elijah--didn't Peter ask if they could make little booths--one for Moses (!!), one for Elijah (!!) and one for Jesus ... and just live together up there with Him?
MOST HIGH = [El Elyon] "to ascend." Since I don't know the Hebrew language, I googled names for God, "El Elyon" and was wonderfully referred to a site called hebrew4christians.com ... where I found really helpful information about this name of God.
The writer said that the first time El Elyon is mentioned is in Genesis 14.18 when describing Melchizedek, priest of the Most High God. The author of the article, "Secret of the Most High" (John Parsons) suggests that Melchizedek is the pre-incarnate JESUS (Yeshua), king of Salem (Jerusalem): He brought out bread and wine to Abram after the rescue of Lot, and He also blessed Abram. Abram then gave Melchizedek a tenth of all the spoils. Bread and wine ... that's a familiar theme all throughout Scripture ... His body and His blood. Think about the manna in the wilderness! And remember how Jesus said right out to the people: "I am the manna from heaven!" Elyon literally means "to ascend." Who else died, was buried, ROSE AGAIN and then ASCENDED to heaven but Jesus? And who else in all of creation has the Name above every other name?
Isaiah 57.15 "For this is what the high and lofty One says--he who lives forever, whose name is holy: 'I live in a high and holy place, but also with him who is contrite and lowly in spirit to revive the spirit of the lowly and revive the heart of the contrite.'" The high and lofty One. He who lives forever. His name is holy. He lives in a high and holy place ...
BUT ALSO WITH people who bow before Him, contrite, repentant, humble of heart. He takes those people into His secret place and gives them LIFE.
FIND REST = [lun] "to lodge, pass the night." I love to think about spending the night in this shelter with Jesus, getting a solid and refreshing good night's sleep. Proverbs 19.23 "The fear of the LORD leads to life: then one rests contented, untouched by trouble." Contentment. Untroubled. Psalm 112.6-8 "Surely, he will never be shaken; a righteous man will be remembered forever. He will have no fear of bad news; his heart is steadfast--trusting in the LORD. His heart is secure, he will have no fear; in the end he will look in triumph on his foes." Rest. Contentment. Zero fear.
SHADOW = [tsel] "shade, defense." Webster defines "shade" as "partial obscurity; something that shelters from heat." And "shadow" is "partial darkness in a space from which light rays are cut off; shelter." I know that it's kind of ... well, DUH ... who on earth doesn't know what a shadow is? But look! Look at the shadows in the pictures above! I LOVE shadows. They add SO much dimension and perspective and interest to a photograph ... or any drawing or piece of art work--shading is everything!
The article I was reading on the hebrew4christians site gave a lot of very interesting additional information about the thought of dwelling in the SHADOW. You see, Psalm 91 is a Psalm of Moses. I had completely forgotten that! But if you factor MOSES as the author of this psalm and remember the stories ... those wonderful, powerful, amazing stories of Moses and God! Moses on top of Mt. Sinai. God called him there. Moses left all the people down below and climbed the mountain of God. The Bible says that the glory of the LORD had settled on top of the mountain. Moses writes that on the seventh day, God called to him from "within the cloud" and Moses entered the cloud and stayed there for 40 days and 40 nights. WITH GOD. The description of Mt. Sinai--"the glory of the LORD looked like a consuming fire on top of the mountain." What did God and Moses DO for 40 days and 40 nights? I love to think that possibly Moses was writing these beautiful words: "Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty."
ALMIGHTY [Shaddai] "sustainer, refuge, shelter, home." He is ENOUGH. Where He is ... I am safe. He is as close as the shadow I am casting as I type these notes ... I want to be where He is.
There is a beautiful song, an old one, by Don Moen entitled "I Just Want to be where You are." Here are some of the lyrics:
I just want to be where You are, dwelling daily in Your presence. I don't want to worship from afar--draw me near to where You are ... I just want to be ... I just want to be with You.
Help this, Lord, to be my prayer ...
PS Photos from AMAN PARK--more pictures in the next post.
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