Psalm 91

“He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the LORD, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” Psalm 91:1-2 ESV

It’s incredible how trust is developed through proximity. A consistent nearness in space and relationship can cause trust to be built between two people. Think about it in terms of a mother and her child. Even from a very young age, the child is able to recognize their mother and want to be near her, even when the child isn’t capable of that same recognition in others. Think about the relationship between a husband and a wife. There is a comfort and a knowing that develops between the two over time, something that can’t be replicated in any other relationship. Significant time spent together in the right context has a tendency to breed trust.

We see this truth so beautifully displayed in the opening lines of Psalm 91. Simply put, when we choose to make God’s presence our dwelling place, our constant reality, trust in Him naturally flows from our hearts. It’s the response that our Creator intended for us to have. The nearer we are to Him, the more we draw close to Him, the longer we remain in His presence, we come to know, understand, and desire the refuge that awaits us there. Confidence in who He is swells within us as we boldly proclaim Him to be our fortress, the one in whom we trust.

Printed across our currency reads, “In God We Trust”. Every single one of us uses this currency. It comes and goes through our hands every day. In some regards, our nation was built upon this. Yet, in what ways is this statement evident in our lives today? In my life? In yours? Has your trust in God been developed and grown by countless moments spent in His presence, dwelling in the shelter of the Most High? Or is your trust nothing more than lip service, something you say but not something you do? Many people say, “I believe in God”, to which the Bible answers in James 2:19, “Good! Even the demons believe in God, and they shudder.” Sincere trust in God comes from knowing Him, experiencing Him, and defaulting to faith when life doesn’t go as planned. It is the one who dwells with the LORD, the one who seeks the LORD, the one who is found on their knees in pursuit of the LORD…that is the one you will hear proclaim, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”