Psalm 91:13–16
13 You will tread on the lion and the cobra;
you will trample the great lion and the serpent.
14 “Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him;
I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
15 He will call on me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble,
I will deliver him and honor him.
16 With long life I will satisfy him
and show him my salvation.”
You will tread on lions.
The lions in your life are the bold attacks—the obstacles that require you to face them head-on. The great lion problems can be a diagnosis, the loss of a job, or a great hardship. When they come, you instantly know you are in a bigger battle, one that will require strength, resilience, and God to overcome.
The cobra and serpent attacks feel less obvious. They are sneaky, subtle even. When I think of these attacks, I think of anxiety, addiction, and depression—battles that may begin as a feeling or an action but can lead to devastating consequences. These create places of entry for Satan’s attacks. The Bible says the devil roams like a lion, seeking to kill, steal, and destroy.
Can I be honest? I used to feel sorry for him—truly sad that he chose a life of misery. When I first read the Bible, the scriptures that spoke about punishing the wicked and the harshness of hell troubled me. They made me sad.
But as my family has endured suffering, my heart has changed. I am still saddened for those who choose evil over good, yet the depth of pain our family has experienced because of evil in this world has made me understand the need for justice for those who have hurt others so deeply.
When I reflect on verses 13–14, I’m reminded of the truth that we will face troubles and hardships in this world. But I hold onto the good news: whether lions, cobras, great lions, or serpents—when we dwell in God, He has victory over them all.
He is our helper, defeating every lion, cobra, great lion, and serpent.
His Word says that because we love Him, He will rescue us.
He will protect us because we acknowledge His name.
When we call on Him, He will answer.
He will be with us in times of trouble.
He will deliver us and honor us.
He will satisfy us with a long life and show us His salvation.
But what about the ones we love who called on Him and were not given a long life?
They didn’t love Him less.
They didn’t pray less.
Why were their lives cut short here on earth?
While we may never fully know the answer, I do know this:
Even if their lives were short on earth, those who love the Lord are given eternal life in heaven—a truly long life because of His salvation.
That truth does not stop me from praying that God would honor my children with long lives here on earth and in heaven.
That He would allow them to grow old and gray, to be disciples for Him, and to raise families who follow Him too.
When I pray this Psalm, I speak His Word back to Him:
Lord, because she loves You, You said You would rescue her.
You will protect her because she calls on Your name.
You said You would answer her and be with us in times of trouble.
Please, God, honor Your Word—deliver her.
Give her a long life here on earth.
Let her grow old and gray, and show her Your salvation.
I ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen.
As we wrap up Psalm 91, my hope is that you feel encouraged—that you know you have a place to turn when the world feels too heavy, and that you truly understand you are not facing it alone.
Sometimes it feels hard to dive deep into faith. Doubt creeps in, the worries of the world take over, and we can even get in the way of ourselves. But when you sense those emotions rising, a simple one-line prayer can guide your heart right back on track:
Lord, I am struggling. Please guide me and give me strength to make it through this day. Amen