Let Your Light Shine Day 19

For he commands his angels with regard to you,

to guard you wherever you go. With their hands they shall support you, lest you strike your foot against a stone. Psalm 91: 11-12

Psalm 91 was set to a very popular Catholic Christian hymn, On Eagles Wings by Michael Jonas. This passage is the foundation of the fourth verse of the song.  I have had the privilege of sharing this encouraging song many times over the course of my career as a cantor. I have it memorized, so now if I am ever worried about a situation, particularly a physical health issue, I sing the fourth verse of On Eagles Wings to myself.  I always think to myself, “if God would send angels to keep me from hurting my foot on a simple rock, certainly he will send angels to support me now.” 

And that is the comforting thing about this psalm. God does care about every little thing that would effect our well-being. This psalm promises us that God “commands his angels with regard to you.” The image I see in this language is one of a general sending out his soldiers to protect his favorite kingdom or town. God sends the angels “to guard you wherever you go.” That is a powerful promise, and one that we should not gloss over. The people who wrote this survived some terrible situation, and so they wrote from their own personal experience. These verses come from an eye-witness account of other people’s encounter with miracles and angels.

How many times have you looked back on a situation, and thought to yourself, “I should not have made it through that!” It was a miracle. The angels’ “hands supported you,” so that nothing happened in a dangerous situation. You didn’t even hurt your little “foot” in a situation that was life-threatening. If we have faith, and if we call on the Lord, He will send angels to protect us in all things. But this level of heavenly protection starts with faith, and the humility to say to God, “I need help. I am scared.” 

This terrible virus has claimed the lives of so many innocent souls. Yet, God is still “Yeshua” or Jesus, “the God who saves.” As the psalm today reminds us, there are angels at God’s command to save us when we ask for help and healing. And so, today we pray the prayer to St. Michael the Archangel.

“St. Michael the Archangel, 

defend us in battle. 

Be our defense against the wickedness and snares of the Devil. 

May God rebuke him, we humbly pray, 

and do thou, 

O Prince of the heavenly hosts, 

by the power of God, 

thrust into hell Satan, 

and all the evil spirits, 

who prowl about the world 

seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.”