18 - Bible Commentary | Karuna Sadan

Verse 1:

He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High (El-Elyon)

Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty (El-Shaddai).

🔍 Key Terms:

“Dwells” – This is not a passing visit. It implies permanent residence, intimacy, and stability. God doesn’t just want us to visit His presence on Sundays—He invites us to live there daily. (John 15:4 – “Abide in Me, and I in you.”)

“Secret place” – In Hebrew, the word “seter” means a hiding place, a place of intimacy and safety. In the Old Testament, this was symbolic and mysterious. But in the New Testament, Colossians 3:3 reveals it plainly:

“For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.”

“Most High” (El-Elyon) – This name of God emphasizes His supremacy. He is above all powers and authorities. (See Genesis 14:18–20 where Melchizedek refers to God as El-Elyon.)

“Shadow of the Almighty” (El-Shaddai) – El-Shaddai means “the All-Sufficient One”. This “shadow” is metaphorical—God is light (1 John 1:5), so shadows don't come from Him. The image here speaks of proximity and protection. You have to be very close to someone for their shadow to fall on you. It’s an image of deep closeness and divine coverage.

🪙 Practical Application:

Are you merely visiting God's presence in emergencies? Or are you dwelling? Make intimacy with God your daily priority, and everything else will fall into place.

Verse 2:

I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.”

🗣️ Confession is Key

Notice the psalmist speaks. What you say in times of fear or uncertainty reveals your faith.

“Refuge” – A shelter you run to in a storm.

“Fortress” – A military stronghold—impenetrable and defensive.

Together, they depict both a place of comfort and strong protection.

Compare with Proverbs 18:10:

“The name of the Lord is a strong tower; The righteous run to it and are safe.”

🔁 Scripture Connection:

Psalm 35:27 says:

“Let them say continually, ‘Let the Lord be magnified…’”

Faith must be spoken consistently—not as vain repetition but as faithful declaration.

🪙 Practical Application:

Speak the truth of who God is over your life daily. Let your mouth agree with your faith—even when you don’t feel it.

Verse 3:

Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the perilous pestilence.

🎯 “Surely” = Certainty

There is no “maybe” here. God’s deliverance is sure.

🦅 “Snare of the fowler”

A fowler traps birds secretly and skillfully. This is a metaphor for satanic traps—custom-designed to ensnare. The enemy studies your weaknesses like a fowler studies a bird’s behavior.

See 2 Corinthians 2:11:

“Lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices.”

🦠 “Perilous pestilence”

Refers to deadly disease, but also symbolically represents spiritual plagues—lies, fear, sin.

Note: This can also be a demonic affliction; spiritual darkness often manifests as illness or oppression. (See Luke 13:16 – the woman bound by a spirit of infirmity.)

🪙 Practical Application:

Whether it's traps you didn’t see or diseases you couldn’t avoid, God is your Deliverer—not just healer, but a rescuer.

Verse 4:

He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler.

🕊️ God as a Mother Bird

This is a powerful image of tenderness and intimacy.

Lord Jesus tell us in Matthew 23:37: “How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings…”

🛡️ Shield and Buckler

Shield (Tzinah): Large, full-body shield—used for long-range attacks.

Buckler (Soherah): Small, handheld—used for close combat. This is a picture of complete protection, both defensive and close-quarter.

And what is the shield? Not an object—but His truth.

“The sum of Your word is truth.” (Psalm 119:160)

“Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.” (John 17:17)

🪙 Practical Application:

Immerse yourself in the truth of God’s Word. That’s your ultimate defense—not just against lies, but against emotional attacks, spiritual confusion, and fear.

Verse 5:

You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, nor of the arrow that flies by day,

🌙🌞 Day & Night Imagery = Constant Protection

“Terror by night” refers to fears that come in darkness—unknown threats, anxiety, nightmares, demonic oppression.

“Arrow by day” refers to open, obvious attacks—words, criticism, visible danger.

This verse reassures: you’re safe in all scenarios—hidden or visible, emotional or physical.

🔁 Connection:

Isaiah 54:17: “No weapon formed against you shall prosper…”

🪙 Practical Application:

Stop fearing the unknown. You have 24/7 spiritual coverage when you dwell in God's presence.

Verse 6:

Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday.

👤 “Pestilence that walks in darkness”

The Hebrew structure personifies pestilence—it's portrayed as a spiritual entity.

Suggests demonic orchestration behind natural disasters and diseases. This aligns with Ephesians 6:12: “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood…”

🔥 “Destruction at noonday”

Refers to sudden calamity—attacks when you least expect.

Noonday is when you think you're safest, most alert—and still, danger can strike. But God says: You will not fear it.

🪙 Practical Application:

There are dangers you can’t anticipate. But God is already ahead of them.

Verse 7:

A thousand may fall at your side,

And ten thousand at your right hand;

But it shall not come near you.

🕊️ Immune in the Midst of Chaos

This verse paints a vivid image: devastation all around, yet you remain untouched. The numbers are not literal—they’re poetic hyperbole to emphasize the magnitude of the danger and the miracle of your protection.

📖 Related Scriptures:

Isaiah 54:17 – “No weapon formed against you shall prosper…”

Exodus 12:23 – During the Passover, death struck Egypt, yet God’s people remained untouched.

🪙 Practical Insight:

When fear grips a generation—be it war, pandemic, or collapse—you stand unshaken not because of luck, but because of covenant. You are not “safe by chance” but “safe by choice”—because you’ve chosen to abide in God.

Verse 8:

Only with your eyes shall you look,

And see the reward of the wicked.

🔎 The Principle of Justice

Your note is spot on: everyone reaps what they sow. This verse reminds us of God’s justice. You will witness the consequences of evil—but not experience them.

Galatians 6:7 – “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.”

Proverbs 11:31 – “If the righteous is repaid on earth, how much more the wicked and the sinner!”

God is not passive in the face of wickedness. He is merciful, but also just. The wicked are not getting away with anything—even if it looks like they are for a season.

🪙 Practical Insight:

Don’t envy or fear the wicked. God sees, knows, and will act in due time. You will see the results—not to gloat, but to be reminded that God is just.

Verse 9:

Because you have made the Lord, who is my refuge,

Even the Most High, your dwelling place…

🧱 The Foundation of Protection

This is the condition. God’s promises are often covenantal—they involve our participation.

The psalmist shifts from general promises to a personal declaration. “Because you have made…” implies a choice—an intentional positioning of trust in God.

“Refuge” implies emergency safety.

“Dwelling place” speaks of permanent relationship, not just running to God when trouble strikes.

John 15:5 – “He who abides in Me and I in him bears much fruit…”

🪙 Practical Insight:

Is God your emergency contact or your daily companion? This verse separates those who casually acknowledge God from those who abide in Him.

Verse 10:

No evil shall befall you,

Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling;

🛡️ Divine Immunity

“No evil” doesn’t mean absence of trials—but rather preservation through them.

“Plague” (Hebrew: nega) includes sickness, calamity, or disaster. In today’s language, think: viruses, natural disasters, or societal breakdown.

Isaiah 43:2 – “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you…”

Exodus 15:26 – “I am the Lord who heals you.”

This is not superstition. It's supernatural assurance rooted in God’s covenantal nature.

🪙 Practical Insight:

This verse has been a lifeline for generations during times of war, plagues, and persecution. Don’t just quote it—believe it, and dwell under the wings of the Most High.

Verse 11:

For He shall give His angels charge over you,

To keep you in all your ways.

👼 Heavenly Bodyguards

This verse pulls back the curtain on the spiritual realm. God assigns angels to protect His people. The Hebrew word “charge” here is a command—not a casual request. God orders angels to guard you.

Hebrews 1:14 – “Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation?”

📖 Biblical Examples:

Elisha in 2 Kings 6:17 – His servant saw angelic chariots surrounding them.

Daniel in the lions’ den (Daniel 6:22) – “My God sent His angel…”

🪙 Practical Insight:

You’re not walking alone. There’s an unseen world working on your behalf. Don’t neglect the reality of angels just because they’re invisible.

Verse 12:

In their hands they shall bear you up,

Lest you dash your foot against a stone.

🧭 God's Precise Protection

This is preventive protection. God doesn’t just rescue—He prevents harm from ever reaching you.

Matthew 4:6 – satan quotes this verse to Jesus during the wilderness temptation, twisting it to tempt Him into presumption.

Lord Jesus responds with Deuteronomy 6:16 – “You shall not test the Lord your God.”

This reminds us: faith is not foolishness. God protects, but we must not act recklessly.

🪙 Practical Insight:

Trust in God’s protection is not an excuse for carelessness. It’s a confidence that as you walk wisely and faithfully, you’re surrounded and lifted by divine hands.

Verse 13:

“You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra,

The young lion and the serpent (dragon) you shall trample underfoot.”

(KJV: "Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet.")

🐍🦁 Spiritual Imagery and Authority

This verse shifts into the language of warfare and dominion. The imagery isn't about literal animals—it’s metaphorical, representing demonic forces, hidden dangers, and open threats:

Lion: Often symbolizes open and violent attack.

“Your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” (1 Peter 5:8)

Cobra/Adder: Represents secret, deceptive attacks (like false doctrines or hidden temptations).

Genesis 3:1 – “Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast…”

Young Lion: Represents energetic, fierce, unrelenting evil.

Psalm 35:17 – “Rescue me… from the lions!”

Dragon/Serpent: A symbol of satanic powers, often used in apocalyptic language.

Revelation 12:9 – “The great dragon… that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan.”

🧭 Application:

This is about spiritual authority. As New Covenant believers, we are not passive victims — we are empowered to trample.

Luke 10:19 – “Behold, I give you authority… over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.”

Verse 14:

“Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him;

I will set him on high, because he has known My name.”

💓 A Personal Response from God

Here, God personally speaks in response to the devotion of the believer.

🔥 Key Phrases:

“Set his love upon Me” – In Hebrew, it implies clinging, cleaving, and being deeply attached to God.

“I will deliver him” – Deliverance here means pulling out from danger with strength.

“I will set him on high” – This is not just physical elevation; it speaks of promotion, honor, and spiritual authority. God lifts those who love and trust Him. (James 4:10)

📖 Connection:

Psalm 20:1 – “May the name of the God of Jacob defend you.”

Proverbs 18:10 – “The name of the Lord is a strong tower…”

Knowing God’s name in Hebrew thought means much more than intellectual knowledge—it means personal experience of His character. "Knowing His name" implies intimacy, trust, and relationship.

Verse 15:

“He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him;

I will be with him in trouble;

I will deliver him and honor him.”

🗣️ God’s Assurance in the Storm

This verse is profoundly comforting—God promises His presence, His response, and His deliverance.

🪙 Let’s break it down:

“Call upon Me” – This is prayer. God desires that we speak to Him.

“I will answer” – Not might, not maybe. He will.

“I will be with him in trouble” – God doesn’t just watch us suffer—He steps into the furnace with us.

Isaiah 43:2 – “When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned…”

“I will deliver him” – Again, deliverance is promised.

“And honor him” – The Hebrew implies weight, substance, glory. God will not just rescue you—He will honor you for trusting Him.

Romans 8:30 – “Whom He justified, these He also glorified.”

Verse 16:

“With long life I will satisfy him,

And show him My salvation.”

🕊️ The Grand Finale: Satisfaction & Salvation

This final verse is a crowning promise, summing up the entire psalm.

✨ Key Blessings:

“With long life” – Hebrew: orekh yamim, meaning length of days, often symbolic of a full, contented life.

Not just quantity, but quality of life — peace, purpose, and divine favor.

“Satisfy him” – Satisfaction is the opposite of striving or emptiness. God promises to fill your life with meaning.

“Show him My salvation” – The Hebrew word “yeshua” is used here — the same root word as the name Jesus!

Luke 2:30 – “For my eyes have seen Your salvation…”

This is more than deliverance from physical harm. It’s a prophetic foreshadowing of the Messiah, who would bring eternal salvation.

🔥 The Five Blessings

1.The Blessing of Protection

“I will deliver him.”

→ Spiritual, physical, and emotional protection in times of crisis.

2.The Blessing of Promotion

“I will set him on high.”

→ Divine favor and honor—even when others fall around you.

3.The Blessing of Answered Prayer

“He shall call… I will answer.”

→ Not only will God hear, He will respond with wisdom, power, and love.

4.The Blessing of His Presence

“I will be with him in trouble.”

→ You’ll never walk through hardship alone. God walks with you.

5.The Blessing of Prosperity (Wholeness)

“With long life I will satisfy him and show him My salvation.”

→ A life filled with peace, purpose, and a vision of Jesus.

Chapter 91