Psalm 91 is sometimes called The Soldier’s Psalm. We hear stories of soldiers putting its words on small pieces of paper or cardboard and tucking them in a pocket in their uniform. 

Through history others have put its words in small lockets as if to ward off evil.

Although Psalm 91 most certainly speaks about God’s protection—see last week’s devotionals—it doesn’t say that you will never experience trouble. Verse 15 says: “I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him.” If we never experienced trouble, God wouldn’t have said that he would be with us when it happened!

Theologian John Stott has a helpful word: “Divine deliverance does not always mean an escape from trouble; it sometimes means finding God in trouble.”*

If you’ve experienced trouble in your life that doesn’t mean God has abandoned you. There are a variety of reasons we go through tough times. Sometimes those reasons are clear. Sometimes they’re not. We don’t always know because we’re not God.

Stott’s reminder is about the withness of God. Another of Jesus’ names is “Immanuel.” It literally means “God with us.”

Don’t assume that the presence of trouble means the absence of God. In fact, in my own experience it is usually when trouble is closest that I see his divine hand most clearly! 

Ours is a faithful, covenant God. He helps, rescues, guides, loves and provides for his people.

“Divine deliverance does not always mean an escape from trouble; it sometimes means finding God in trouble.”

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Notes:

–*From his book “Favorite Psalms” as quoted in: Church History Study Bible (Wheaton: Crossway, 2023).

–Bible quotes are from the NIV.