But let all who take refuge in you rejoice; let them ever sing for joy, and spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may exult in you. For you bless the righteous, O Lord; you cover him with favor as with a shield.
(Psalm 5:11-12 ESV)
I felt the heat of spiritual battle. Accusing thoughts, lies, anxiety, fear, and confusion. Lord help me, I prayed. The next day I opened my Bible to discover a beautiful image.
The Picture I Saw
The Bible paints a beautiful picture in Psalm 5: “But let all who take refuge in you rejoice; let them ever sing for joy, and spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may exult in you. For you bless the righteous, O Lord; you cover him with favor as with a shield” (Psalm 5:11-12 ESV).
Did you hear what that psalm describes? Rejoicing and singing, safe inside a refuge. Peace and joy in the middle of a battle. God spreads his protection over the one who comes to him for refuge—and in response they sing for joy.
This verse echoes Psalm 91: “Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust… He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart” (Psalm 91:1-2, 4 NIV).
I imagined a girl, surrounded by a huge bird, wrapped in its wings, which formed a haven. The wings were so huge you couldn’t even make out the creature, but they formed a massive, gentle wall all around her—a dome of safety. There she found refuge—a quiet place in the strife. Outside those wings, a war raged. In the utter safety these wings created, she danced elegantly, joyfully, and at ease.
What Does It Mean to “Take Refuge” in God?
Psalm 5 speaks to those who “take refuge” in God, who love his name, and who are called “righteous.” From the rest of the Bible, we understand that this does not mean a decent person who believes in God. No, it means someone who understands that they need shelter from the storm of God’s judgment that they deserve because of their sin. They realize that the only means of safety from the punishment they deserve is to find refuge in Jesus, who has fully paid for their sin and satisfied the wrath of God toward their sin. They receive the gift of righteousness that Jesus offers them by believing in him (Romans 3:21-24).
To find refuge in God means to believe in Jesus to reconcile you to God and make you righteous in his sight.
Anyone who has found their eternal safety in Jesus will continue to take refuge in him all their days. We find refuge in Jesus continually by trusting his promises, running to him in prayer, obeying his Word, and resting in what he has already done for us.
The Picture Psalm 5 Paints
Did you hear from Psalm 5 what God does for those who take refuge in him? He spreads his protection over them (Psalm 5:11), meaning he hedges them in. Psalm 91 uses the analogy of a huge bird using its wing to create a refuge to illustrate how God wraps his protection around us. Psalm 5 uses the analogy of a shield—God’s favor toward us is like a shield around us. Our God is pleased with us in Christ, and he delights in us. His face beams on account of us. This is all true in the heat of battle.
Did you hear the battle language: Refuge, protection, shield? These are all things you need in war. It is in the fury of the fight that God himself comes to be our shield, spreading his protection over us, because of his great love for us.
But how does Psalm 5 describe those who have found their refuge in God? “Let them rejoice; let them ever sing for joy,” the psalm says. They exult in God. They are rejoicing, singing, and celebrating! Dancing, perhaps!
What a nice picture. But is it just that, a picture? No this is reality for those who love Jesus.
We all live in a spiritual war (Ephesians 6:12), and we face circumstances, relationships, and trials that God’s enemies exploit. Our enemy wants to destroy our faith in God. He labors to diminish our joy in God and lead us to doubt the goodness of God. Truly we find ourselves on a battlefield. Yet, in Christ we now have God’s smile upon us and his favor defends us like a shield. In the midst of our war, we rejoice because God is our refuge, and we are surrounded by his love.
Will You Dance in the Battle Today?
Often in battle, I see myself as a cowering soldier, shaking in my armor, scared to death. I see myself as a weary, wounded soldier, wondering where is Jesus in this? I see myself as vulnerable, beaten, and alone.
When that is how you feel, may Psalm 5 encourage you to enter the picture it paints. Whatever battle you are in, you can run to Jesus, who will spread his protection over you. If you have trusted in Jesus, then you are sheltered behind the huge shield of God’s loving favor toward you. In his love, you can sing and dance for joy in the middle of your battle—under his wings—where you find refuge!
May you who take refuge in Jesus rejoice! May you ever sing for joy. May God spread his protection over you, so that you may exult in the God who loves you. God blesses those who have been made righteous in Jesus. He covers them with his favor, as with a shield.
Today, in light of these truths, may you sing to the Lord from the heart, and dance as the battle rages all around, knowing that you are safe in the shelter of the Almighty.