Dwelling In The Shelter Of The Most High God: Psalms 91

When I counted myself among the ranks of faithful Christians, one of my favorite Psalms was the 91st Chapter.  Indeed I enjoyed singing the songs which recounted the verses of this Psalm:  The thought of God's angels protecting me and watching my every step was most thrilling to believe.

1. He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High

       will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

2. I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and

       my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.

I did what I thought I was supposed to do, and that was to actually believe it.  I'm not sure what the purpose of singing it over and over again during our church's praise and worship service would be, if it wouldn't be to believe it.  

When you apply this chapter to everyday living, it becomes very sticky.  I, like Albert Einstein, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Paine and more, do not believe in a god who micro-manages the affairs and lives of men and women; certainly not a god who arbitrarily blesses and protects a faithful few, depending on whether their faith needs testing at the moment.  I am satisfied that I can see order and design in natural things which evokes in me an awe of a higher power than myself or mankind.  But to me, Psalms 91, as beautiful and inspiring as it is, espouses King David's hopeful hyperbole, and has been a major stumbling block for many on the road to believing the Bible.  I am not trying to offend anyone, but I think this Psalm, as beautiful as it is,  forces believers to eventually make excuses.  More to follow.