Praying the Scriptures - Psalms 91:3-4
Happy March, everyone! Whatever that means. We're five weeks away from our Easter celebration, so just be preparing your hearts for that. That’s really what the Lenten journey is about—it’s a preparation time for us to ready our hearts and our spiritual walk so we can truly gather and celebrate the wonderful resurrection of Jesus.
We're kind of “marching” through Psalm 91. We began last week with the first two verses, and today we’ll continue with verses 3 and 4.
Psalm 91 is one of the most popular psalms, and I’m going to read verses 3 and 4 today:
“Surely he will save you from the fowler's snare and from deadly pestilence.
He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge.
His faithfulness will be your shield and your rampart.”
There are passages in Scripture that feel like fortresses—places where we can find comfort and ease. I don’t know if you have those in your own life, but there are scriptures that feel like home or like a fortress.
When fear arises, when uncertainty looms, when the future feels fragile, we run to those scriptures. We find hope, comfort, and a reminder that God is near. For me, Psalm 91 is one of those places. When things seem shaky or uncertain, I return to it.
Many scholars believe Psalm 91 was written during a time of national danger—possibly war or plague. While the author isn’t explicitly named, many traditions attribute it to Moses, particularly because Psalm 90, which precedes it, is attributed to him. Whoever wrote it, the Spirit of God inspired these words, giving us amazing promises.
In these two verses, we see three powerful images:
Deliverance from hidden traps
Protection from deadly threats
Refuge under God’s tender care
Let’s start with the first: deliverance from the fowler’s snare.
“Surely he shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler.”
Did you notice the word “surely”? And what is a “fowler”? A fowler is a bird catcher. But not just any bird catcher—he doesn’t chase birds openly. He hides traps, disguises nets, and waits for the unsuspecting. His danger is subtle; you wouldn’t see the traps if you walked along the trail.
The psalmist reminds us that God delivers us from hidden dangers, subtle temptations, and unseen snares. I spent some time this week meditating on that: God saves us from things we may not even realize are threatening us. There’s an enemy who wants to trip us up, to destroy us, to devour us—but God delivers.
In the early centuries, bird catchers would sprinkle grain over a concealed net. The birds, seeing food, didn’t notice the danger and were trapped. Isn’t that like temptation? Pride is baited with praise. Greed is baited with opportunity. Compromise is baited with convenience. The enemy rarely announces himself.
Paul warns in 2 Corinthians 11 that Satan can appear as an angel of light. He can appear beautiful, wholesome, or good—but it’s just a snare. Yet the promise of Psalm 91 is not that snares don’t exist—it’s that God delivers us from them. Notice “surely”—this is confidence, not wishful thinking.
Look back on your life. You may see hidden traps you avoided—a failed relationship, a business deal that could have ruined you, a wrong decision you didn’t make. You thought it was coincidence, but it was God’s providence.
Next, “from deadly pestilence” or “noisome pestilence.” Pestilence refers to deadly disease, plagues, or sweeping devastation. Throughout history, believers clung to Psalm 91 during times of disease and disaster: during the Black Death, the 1918 flu pandemic, and even COVID-19. This psalm doesn’t promise believers will never suffer—it promises that pestilence does not have ultimate authority over God’s people.
Psalm 91 doesn’t promise the absence of storms—it promises shelter. And that shelter is not a building; it’s the Lord himself.
Thirdly: “He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge.” The writer keeps the bird imagery, shifting from warrior language to tender care. God is pictured like a mother bird sheltering her young. Jesus uses this imagery when He weeps over Jerusalem: “How I wish I could gather you as a hen gathers her chicks.”
There’s a story pastors often tell: after a barn fire, a farmer found three baby chicks alive in the ashes. Their mother had died protecting them. This is a picture of Jesus on the cross—He absorbed the fire of judgment so that we may live. Under His wings, we find safety.
“His truth shall be my shield and my buckler.”
A shield covers the whole body; a buckler is smaller, for close combat. God’s truth protects us from distant attacks and close assaults. When lies whisper that we are abandoned or beyond forgiveness, His truth stands guard. Safety is not in our feelings; it’s in His faithfulness.
So the question for us is: Where do you run? Where do you find safety? Psalm 91 doesn’t promise there will be no traps. It promises that God delivers, covers, and shields. Under His wings, there’s rest for the weary, protection for the vulnerable, and hope for the fearful. Those wings were stretched out on the cross. If you’re in Christ, you are covered.
Let’s pray together:
Father, we thank You for Your Word. Thank You for promising to save us and deliver us from snares. Help us resist temptation and stand firm in You. Thank You for covering us with Your feathers and giving us refuge under Your wings. Protect us from disease, hardship, and every hidden trap. Remind us that You are our strength, our shelter, and our hope. We love You and trust in Your faithfulness. In Jesus’ mighty name, amen.
God bless you as you go today.
