Psalms 91:1

The names God is given in the first two verses carry a special meaning. The "Most High" speaks of the absolute supremacy of God (Gen. 14:18-20). "The Almighty" speaks of absolute power (Gen. 17:1). Then Christ Himself tells us who this is. The One supreme in position and absolute in power is the Jehovah of Israel — the Eternal God, the I AM. How safe, then, and how sure of blessing is the one who dwells in His secret place!

In Psalm 91 we find all these names of God grouped together in their proper connection. (God had not yet revealed the name Father.)… So the one who knows the secret of who the Most High is will have the blessings of Abraham's God. Jehovah is the God of the Jews. So in the second verse Messiah answers the riddle set in the first: "I will say to Jehovah, He is my refuge and my fortress, my God; in Him I will trust."

Psalm 90 opens by announcing a great truth: the Lord has been the dwelling place of His people in all generations. This psalm opens by stating the blessedness of the one who dwells in the dwelling place. Psalm 90 describes the blessedness of the dwelling place. Psalm 91 presents the blessedness of the dweller.

We gladly agree that the one who dwells in the secret place of the Most High must stay under the shadow of the Almighty. But where can we find a man who dwells in this secret place? Adam, the first man, is described in Psalm 90. He failed to stay in the secret place, so he was driven out to wander, to fade in the evening of his life, and at last to be "cut off." In this psalm another Man comes before us… Who can this be but Christ? All the way through this world He stayed in the secret place of the Most High. He walked on earth but dwelt in heaven.

The psalm is remarkable in this way. It shows the Lord Jesus only as the One who depends on God for His protection. He never goes on the attack against the enemy… Even in treading on the young lion and the serpent, He made no display of amazing power. He defeated Satan by pointing to the Word of God (Matt. 4:4,7,10).

Notice carefully that Satan leaves out four words of Psalm 91. They are these: "in all your ways." Jesus answered him, "Again it is written, 'You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.'" It is never the way of a believer to test God. Quite true, Psalm 91 did apply to Him. But a believer does not test God to see whether He will keep His word.

Men say that we tempt God if we do not do the best we can for ourselves. The truth is the exact opposite. We tempt God when we do not trust Him fully in everything. The Lord's dependence was as perfect as His obedience. He trusted God, and He would not leave the path His will had set. In all this He is the perfect example for us.

To use our New Testament language, does this not speak of the inner life of secret communion with Divine Persons? Is this not the life the Lord means when He says, "If I do not wash you, you have no share with me"? Or again when He says, "Abide in me"?… To have part with Christ, and abide in Him, is to live in communion with Him where He is. To live such a life is to dwell "in the secret place."

As far as we are in the secret of the Most High, we are under the shadow of the Almighty. If we go our own way, we will have correction and trial — and that too is mercy. What we have to seek is to make the Lord our home.