This morning, as I woke up early to start my day with quiet time with the Lord, I opened the Bible app on my phone and saw that a friend had highlighted some verses late last night:
For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways. On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.
Psalm 91:11-12 ESV
https://bible.com/bible/59/psa.91.11-12.ESV
And as I started my morning contemplating being “Rooted in the Word”, I immediately remembered that Satan tempted Jesus in the wilderness with this very same verse:
Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written, “‘He will command his angels concerning you,’ and “‘On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.'” Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.'”
Matthew 4:5-7 ESV
https://bible.com/bible/59/mat.4.5-7.ESV
Today is a beautiful morning in our house as we celebrate my wife’s birthday. And as she and I prayed together this morning and I thanked God for her as one of the most amazingly good gifts that come down from heaven, and as I wondered how He could do such an amazing work in us to truly make us “one flesh” and build a marriage of love and unity, we could both see how the angels have guarded us in our ways — just like this Psalm foretells of “those who dwelleth in the secret place of the most high”.
I love Spurgeon’s commentary on this Psalm, and if we have time, it will do our spirit good to read it and consider “those who live in close fellowship with the Lord”:
https://www.christianity.com/bible/commentary.php?com=spur&b=19&c=91
It seems that today I am reminded as I am thankful for my wife and close companion in life on her birthday — that I am even more thankful for the faithful friend and beloved Lord who walks with me even more closely and even more intimately.
Spurgeon explains of such blessings described in verse 1 of this Psalm:
“The blessings here promised are not for all believers, but for those who live in close fellowship with God. Every child of God looks towards the inner sanctuary and the mercyseat, yet all do not dwell in the most holy place; they run to it at times, and enjoy occasional approaches, but they do not habitually reside in the mysterious presence. Those who through rich grace obtain unusual and continuous communion with God, so as to abide in Christ and Christ in them, become possessors of rare and special benefits, which are missed by those who follow afar off, and grieve the Holy Spirit of God. Into the secret place those only come who know the love of God in Christ Jesus, and those only dwell there to whom to live is Christ.” – Charles M. Spurgeon
While also humbly reminding us of our own weaknesses in this particular verse of note — reminding us that we do not walk perfectly as Christ did, but that we stumble at times and must be tended to by the angels:
“They, that is the angels, God’s own angels, shall cheerfully become our servants. They shall bear thee up in their hands; as nurses carry little children, with careful love, so shall those glorious spirits bear up each individual believer. Lest thou dash thy foot against a stone; even minor ills they ward off. It is most desirable that we should not stumble, but as the way is rough, it is most gracious on the Lord’s part to send his servants to bear us up above the loose pebbles. If we cannot have the way smoothed it answers every purpose if we have angels to bear us up in their hands. Since the greatest ills may arise out of little accidents, it shows the wisdom of the Lord that from the smaller evils we are protected.” – Charles M. Spurgeon
Harold J. Ballinger 