In the Shelter of God’s Wing

“He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High abides under the shadow of the Almighty. He shall say to the Lord, ‘You are my refuge and my stronghold, my God in whom I put my trust.’” — Psalm 91:1–2

What beautiful and comforting words! Here — in rich, enigmatic language — this Sunday’s Psalm ushers us into the intimacy of the divine dwelling, the place of God’s unchanging presence. The Psalmist envisions God’s shelter as a safe haven, a hideaway in which one might find deep rest and security. In this sanctuary, we are tucked under the Holy One’s shadow — held beneath the very wing of God.

Where, you might ask, is this magical place? Looking at the world today, one might question the existence of such a shelter. Is God off in some distant, unreachable heaven, with a face turned away from our problems and suffering? Is this dwelling of God for mystics and hermits, an imaginary, sacred realm only accessed in one’s mind?

It’s interesting to notice how the Psalmist not only describes this place of God’s presence but also focuses on the kind of person who rests there. “Because you have made the Lord your refuge,” they write, “and the Most High your habitation, there shall no evil happen to you.” In other words, the Psalmist indicates that this shelter of God is God’s very self. The “Most High” is the place of habitation. To dwell in this place means to seek God — to direct one’s full attention and being toward the Being that holds us all. This is a place of mutual indwelling: we reside in God, and God resides in us.

This is a place of mutual indwelling: we reside in God, and God resides in us.”

Abiding in God does involve prayer and contemplation. In silent devotion, we practice listening for God’s voice and learn to trust in God’s love. We open ourselves to be enveloped by God’s tender holding, regardless of what we see happening around us. But this does not mean that the God we encounter there is distant from the concerns of the world. On the contrary, the attunement we develop with God in the contemplative shelter of our hearts eventually spills over into the actions of our everyday lives. We work to create a more just world from a posture of serenity, not fear. The Most High is our shelter, even in harsh places, and so we are at home with God wherever we go — no matter what happens.

Summerlee Staten

Summerlee Staten is the executive director for Faith Formation and Education.

Read all of Sunday’s Scriptures

Step Into the Story

Here are some ways to think about God as our shelter.

Music

The Choir of Westminster Abbey in London performs a haunting rendition of Psalm 91.

Poetry

In “How To Belong Be Alone,” poet Pádraig Ó Tuama reflects on the refuge of our bodies — and the divine wisdom within them: “There is a you telling you another story of you. Listen to her . . . You are such an interesting conversation.”

Nature

Though not part of this week’s Scripture reading, verses 3 and 4 of Psalm 91 liken God to a bird under whose wings we find shelter. In this clip from BBC’s Planet Earth 3, two hornbills work together in an unexpected way to craft a predator-proof fortress in which to hatch their eggs.