Let’s hide another verse of Psalm 91 in our heart, verse three, by drawing picture cues to help us memorize these wonderful words.
Here we read about the fowler’s snare and deadly pestilence! It all sounds so dire, and indeed it is!
Many times we see our life failing or difficulties mounting up, and we can lose hope and feel trapped; perhaps we have walked right into the enemy’s snare! We must put our trust in God who saves and look up!
We have a great lesson of encouragement in store so let’s dig in!
Psalm 91 1 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.[a] 2 I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” 3 Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence.
Fowlers are people who hunt, shoot or trap wild birds. Not something most of us are familiar with today, but in biblical times this craft was needed to provide birds for food, sacrifices, and various other purposes. Verse three teaches, “Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare…”
The snare was a trap set with bait, luring him in, concealed so the bird wasn’t alerted to danger. Does this ring any bells?
What a terrific analogy for how Satan lures us to sin using something we find tempting! It is often concealed to us as well if we are not on guard, and we unknowingly enter the snare and SNAP! The mechanism is triggered and we are trapped and in need of rescue.
Our children are particularly susceptible to these tricks of the enemy because they are at different stages developmentally, just beginning to build spiritual muscles and discernment, and have very little experience to draw on when operating in the world.
This lesson can be so helpful because they will be able to relate to someone catching an animal.
First, we see the word, “surely”, which is a positive affirmation that without a doubt, we will be saved!
God will not let us be hunted and trapped by the enemy without a rescue plan. We can trust he will save us because he is trustworthy!
For the word of the LORD is right and true; He is faithful in all He does. (Psalm 33:4)
What can we trust? That God will SAVE US! Such good news! God loves us, in fact so much that he sent his son to die for us and take our place, so he certainly wants to save us!
(Psalms 116: 1) I love the Lord, for he heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy.
We have learned it is a done deal that God will show us mercy and save us. From what? The fowler’s snare! We can learn so much about how the enemy operates from these few words.
As far as the bird can tell, he is flying into a safe territory to gain a hearty meal, fill his stomach, and fly away.
Yet nothing could be further from the truth! He is flying to his last meal on this earth, in most cases.
Here is where the poor bird went wrong:
1- He does not see the hidden trap
2- He is propelled by his desire to satiate hunger
3- He doesn’t even know there is someone after him
How easily we can do these same things!
1-The enemy is crafty and disguises his traps for us, hoping we will walk right in.
We must be alert and discerning in all situations, praying the Lord will guide us into all truth and that we won’t be deceived.
Pray the Holy Spirit will give you a check in your spirit if something is off, and trust his voice in your heart guiding you into all righteousness.
Take your Christian friends’ warning to heart and ask the Lord if he is using them to protect you.
2-Our fleshly desires often lead us into situations that compromise or attack our Christian principles and efforts to lead a God-honoring life in service to the King.
Just like the bird’s hunger, we are driven by forces that can cloud our judgment and contribute to bad decision-making.
Our blind spots become larger and our sinful nature leads us right into the trap.
We must remind ourselves that we are only truly satisfied by the bread of life, no matter how shiny and sparkly what the world has to offer appears.
(John 6:35)Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.
3- The bird isn’t aware that a fowler is waiting to catch him, he has no idea of such things.
Are any of you denying the reality of Satan and how he operates? The world wants to tell us that it’s all up to us and our only enemy is ourselves. “If it is to be, then it’s up to me, ” is a popular quote.
It is true God uses the willing who get up on their feet that are fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.
However, to assume that all power rests in our own hands is placing God in a supplementary role to our bidding, which is not how this works!
Let’s go to John 1:1-5
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome[a]
We clearly see here that the eternal triune Godhead was present at creation and all things were made through him, and without him nothing was made.
So with God’s sovereignty established, we must recognize that he is in control, and a force in opposition to him is trying to derail us.
(John 10:10) The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
He has set traps for you and me, my friend, hoping to fulfill his plans to steal, kill and destroy. To deny his existence is not wise, BUT…we know from verse 5 the darkness has not overcome the Light:
(Psalm 68:20) Our God is a God who saves; from the Sovereign Lord comes escape from death.
This song just popped into my head from when I was very young, to illustrate reliance on God:
Put your hand in the hand
Of the man who stilled the water
Put your hand in the hand
Of the man who calmed the sea.
Take a look at yourself and
A you can look at others diff’rently
By puttin’ your hand in the hand
Of the man from-a Galilee.
[“Put Your Hand in the Hand” is a gospel pop song composed by Gene MacLellan and first recorded by Canadian singer Anne Murray from her third studio album Honey, Wheat and Laughter.]
When we walk with our hand in the hand of the Man he will steer us away from danger. If we fall prey to the enemy and get caught in his trap, he will save us from his snare!
But what about the deadly pestilence (fatal epidemic disease)?
Virulent, destructive, and devastating, would all describe a deadly disease that could sweep over a population of people.
Today there are many examples in our culture of ideas, lifestyles, precepts, and ideologies that do not conform to the pattern God has laid out for us to thrive and glorify him. I believe these are truly a deadly pestilence on our nation and people.
It is so easy to be drawn into believing something which on the surface seems to have merit. We need to be on high alert to being infected with these deadly pestilences.
Verse three assures us that God will save us from these things. We must actively seek the truth through his word so we can recognize the deadly pestilence and be inoculated from it. God is the only remedy, and He is the inoculant.
Psalm 91:3 Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence.
We have learned that we can be confident in God’s saving power from the enemy who wants to trap us and also from the diseases of this world that kill us spiritually.
If you want to read C.S.Spurgeon’s sermon on the fowler’s snare and get some insight from his wisdom, here it is: The Snare of the Fowler by C. H. Spurgeon (blueletterbible.org)
As you talk to your children drawing this verse, be open to the Holy Spirit’s guidance and dialogue with them about its meaning.
This time around the table will be such a blessing and fond memory.
Enjoy the video!