He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation." - Psalm 91: 15-16
Psalm 91 has been filled with such awesome images of the protection God affords His people and the power in which we should live our lives. It closes however with the Psalmist reminding us what the engine that fuels this relationship is, prayer. God is omniscient; which means He knows all. He not only knows everything, He already knows how everything turns out in your life. He knows what you need, what problems you are facing, and what holds you back from solving them. He desires however a personal relationship with us. He desires a communal relationship with us. He desires a loving relationship with us. He is a covenant God and we are in covenant relationship with Him but He still desires to always be closer to us. No matter how much we love Him, the Bible reminds us He loves us more:
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. -- John 3: 16 (KJV)
In the Old Testament, we find another expression of God's love:
Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! - Isaiah 49:15 (NIV)
This oft-quoted verse is followed however by an equally astonishing and powerful verse. Isaiah 49:16 should always provide comfort for the believer:
See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me. -- Isaiah 49: 16 (NIV)
We are engraved on the palms of almighty God! What a testament to the love of God for us! Psalm 91, verse 15 reminds us of what the love of God can do, and how that loving, communal, personal relationship is accomplished. Through prayer. It is through prayer that God will be with us in trouble. He will always be there, as our fortress (Psalm 91:2). As a believer we know that God is also omnipresent, always with us. We choose to ignore this fact too often, usually leading to the trouble spoken of in this verse. But God will be there with us in trouble for as His Word says, He will never leave us, nor forsake us (Deuteronomy 31:6).
It is through prayer that He will also deliver us. In this Psalm alone we have seen God promise to send His very angels to physically lift us up, lest we so much as stub a toe (Verses 11-12). Earlier in this Psalm God promised deliverance from all fear (5), pestilence (3), and harm (10). Romans 11:26 further declares, "And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: "The deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob." God is our deliverer. Hallelujah!
Lastly from verse 15, God will honor you. He will honor who you are in Him. He will answer you, He will deliver you, and He will honor you. He will honor His covenant with you. God himself promises all these things, based upon your willingness to call out to Him in prayer. The verse is qualified at the start when the Psalmist declares, "He will call upon me and I will answer him." There is no ambiguity with God. If you want Him to be your ever-present help in trouble, you must call upon Him. If you wish deliverance from any situation, addiction, or problem in your life, you must call upon Him. If you wish Him to honor you, to answer your prayers, and to prosper you; you must call upon Him. Prayer is the key, for God is also omnipotent; He is all-powerful. He can leverage that power in your life. YOU can walk in that power. Once you call upon Him.
The final promise of Psalm 91 is a glorious one indeed. For the obedient believer, who lives a life of prayer; who calls upon the name of the Lord, He will provide you with a long life. More than that, He will satisfy you with this long life. That means your life will have meaning and purpose. Your life will be productive and prosperous. Your life will be pleasing and joyful. How can we be assured of this? Because why else would you be "satisfied" with it? God is saying that if you follow the guidelines He sets forth, He will reward you with a satisfying long life. If you dwell in the shelter of the Most High. If you say that God is your fortress and refuge. If you use His faithfulness as your shield and rampart. If you do these things dear friends, then you can walk in the expectation of the promises of God. You will be saved from the snare and pestilence. No harm will come near thy tent and you will abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
What is God speaking into your life today? Do you feel alone in times of trouble? Do you feel like you might be in need of deliverance? Is satisfaction the last word that comes to your mind when you reflect upon your life right now? If you answered yes to any of these questions, God is asking for you to call out to Him. He is asking for your time in prayer. He is asking for that covenant relationship He desires with you. He is asking for intimacy. He is asking for you to make it personal.
And in the end (verse 16), God will show you His salvation. In the end the promise of living the faith life is that we will see Jesus in heaven. After a long and prosperous life God is promising to translate you into His glorious presence. Praise the name of the Lord from whom all blessings flow!
Rev. Anthony.
