He will command his angels concerning you, to guard you in all your ways.

Psalm 91:11

Sonnet for Psalm 91

When above all the Lord is your refuge,
No evil shall ever overtake you.
God’s angels will save you from the deluge,
When it is God you turn to for rescue.
A thousand times you will question this truth –
When you see the storms and begin to sink,
When you think back to the sins of your youth,
When your doubt and fear grow as your faith shrinks.
When this happens, remember this psalm. Pray:
“My refuge and fortress; my God, in whom
I trust.” And let this prayer show the way
Back to faith that no harm will befall you.
The Almighty’s shadow, a place to hide,
Under whose wings we may always reside.

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There is a remarkable promise made in Psalm 91, that God’s angels will guard us in all our ways, they will bear us up so that we will not even dash our foot against a stone. But we have all dashed our foot against a stone, haven’t we? When we face challenges in life, and take our eyes off of our faith and trust in the Lord, we begin to sink, as Peter did before us. When that happens, we are invited to cry out to the Lord, who is always ready to save us and rescue us. Here, then, is a passage from Psalm 91, followed by the other scripture passages I had in mind when I wrote the sonnet, along with the sonnet again, followed by a closing prayer:

Psalm 91:1-2, 7-12

You who live in the shelter of the Most High,
    who abide in the shadow of the Almighty,
will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress;
    my God, in whom I trust.”
A thousand may fall at your side,
    ten thousand at your right hand,
    but it will not come near you.
You will only look with your eyes
    and see the punishment of the wicked.
Because you have made the Lord your refuge,
    the Most High your dwelling place,
no evil shall befall you,
    no scourge come near your tent.
For he will command his angels concerning you
    to guard you in all your ways.
On their hands they will bear you up,
    so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.

Scripture Passage: Matthew 14:28-31

Peter answered [Jesus], “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat, started walking on the water, and came toward Jesus. But when he noticed the strong wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?”

Sonnet for Psalm 91

When above all the Lord is your refuge,
No evil shall ever overtake you.
God’s angels will save you from the deluge,
When it is God you turn to for rescue.
A thousand times you will question this truth –
When you see the storms and begin to sink,
When you think back to the sins of your youth,
When your doubt and fear grow as your faith shrinks.
When this happens, remember this psalm. Pray:
“My refuge and fortress; my God, in whom
I trust.” And let this prayer show the way
Back to faith that no harm will befall you.
The Almighty’s shadow, a place to hide,
Under whose wings we may always reside.

Closing Prayer

We thank you, Lord, for being our refuge and fortress, and for sending your angels to protect us and guard us in all our ways. When the storms of life threaten to overtake us, and our faith begins to wither, remind us of this great promise, this most precious and timeless truth. In Jesus’ name. Amen