Psalm 91 - Pandemic Time

Elon Musk has a dream of colonizing Mars. On May 30, 2020, the first SpaceX ship delivered two astronauts to the International Space Station. His dream had taken its first step. Many who write about traveling to Mars suggest that it should be a one-way trip. At first, that sounds cruel, and perhaps inhuman, but then one compares these astronauts to the first settlers from Europe to the Americas. They did not set out on vacation, but as those who were choosing to develop a new home. 

Mars has a thin atmosphere that allows more harmful radiation to strike the planet's surface than on Earth. So the first settlers on Mars are going to need adequate shelter to protect them from those rays. Some have suggested that the natural lava tube caves on Mars might be a safe place for settlers to begin because of the natural protection that those caves would provide.

The unnamed writer of Psalm 91 compares the security of trusting in the Lord with residing in a protected area.

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High

Will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.

I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress,

My God, in whom I trust!” (Psalm 91: 1-2, NASB)

The Lord is the One who protects us.

For it is He who delivers you from the snare of the trapper

And from the deadly pestilence.

He will cover you with His pinions,

And under His wings you may seek refuge;

His faithfulness is a shield and bulwark.  (Psalm 91: 3-4, NASB)

At the time of this writing, the world is fighting a pandemic due to the coronavirus COVID-19. The virus originated in China at the end of 2019 in the City and Province of Wuhan. Research in variations of coronaviruses by Wuhan Institute of Virology may have leaked into the human population.

[see: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wuhan_Institute_of_Virology]

Although the Chinese government promotes that the virus emerged naturally from bats, many believe that the infection began as a new strain developed in the Institute and was transmitted accidentally into a wet food market about two miles away. Perhaps someone was simply not careful enough, and the virus began to spread. Or it might be that the virus did transmit naturally from bats. Regardless of how it started, it began to spread. Since it was a new virus, there was no natural human immunity, and 81,000 people in China became infected. As the virus spread across international borders, it became a global pandemic.

In 2020 the monitoring of infections had radically improved from previous epidemics such that the World Health Organization (WHO) was able to issue daily Situation Reports based upon the data gathered from all of the contributing sites around the world. Thus the world watched it spread as they daily viewed the WHO maps.

Based on that data, national and local governments began to impose social distancing policies and promote basic personal hygiene to slow the spread. Governments feared that the local hospitals would be overwhelmed in the face of those needing life-saving ventilators when the virus affected the lungs of those infected. Thus they promoted “leveling the curve” to avoid the peaks of infections, which would overwhelm the country’s facilities. Northern Italy experienced an excess need when the virus took hold with a vengeance.

So what immediately stands out to us today from Psalm 91 are the references to “deadly pestilence” (v. 3, NASB), and “the pestilence that stalks in darkness” (v. 6), and “any plague” (v. 9). 

You will not be afraid of the terror by night,

Or of the arrow that flies by day;

Of the pestilence that stalks in darkness,

Or of the destruction that lays waste at noon.

A thousand may fall at your side

And ten thousand at your right hand,

But it shall not approach you.

You will only look on with your eyes

And see the recompense of the wicked.

For you have made the Lord, my refuge,

Even the Most High, your dwelling place.

No evil will befall you,

Nor will any plague come near your tent. (Psalm 91: 5-10, NASB)

Is the psalm writer saying that those who trust in the Lord will not get sick? Are believers protected from getting infected by COVID-19? Are only unbelievers affected? Should believers then ignore the government imposed “safe at home” orders? Should churches continue to gather and worship together despite government sanctions against large group gatherings? Many countries around the world have shut churches, not allowing them to meet, because of the threat of spreading coronavirus. Should true believers ignore their governments?

Consider this - the approach to this psalm whereby a believer reading this believes that God automatically protects them was precisely the false message which Satan himself tried to promote with Jesus. 

The words of verses 11 and 12  from Psalm 91,

For He will give His angels charge concerning you,

To guard you in all your ways.

They will bear you up in their hands,

That you do not strike your foot against a stone.

You will tread upon the lion and cobra,

The young lion and the serpent you will trample down. (Psalm 91: 11-13, NASB)

Satan quoted these verses to Jesus during the temptations as recorded in Matthew 4:6 and also in Luke 4:10-11.

Then the devil *took Him into the holy city and had Him stand on the pinnacle of the temple, and *said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down; for it is written,

‘He will command His angels concerning You’;

and 

‘On their hands they will bear You up,

So that You will not strike Your foot against a stone.’” (Matt. 4:5-6, NASB)

And he led Him to Jerusalem and had Him stand on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down from here; for it is written,

‘He will command His angels concerning You to guard You,’

and,

‘On their hands they will bear You up,

So that You will not strike Your foot against a stone.’” (Luke 4:9-11, NASB)

Because the wording is nearly the same in these two New Testament passages, one likely copied the other. Or, perhaps, both copied a source document that they both used. While that might violate modern sensibilities regarding intellectual property rights, it is no different from copying a quote from an article, encyclopedia, or textbook. The difference is that our culture wants us to footnote where we obtained the quote. The New Testament writers were not obligated to do that in their culture. The two accounts are different in the order in which the three temptations of Jesus occurred, with Matthew putting it second and Luke putting it third. They simply recorded what they had received second hand as neither of them was present during the temptation. Perhaps Matthew’s account is more reliable because, as an apostle, he would have heard it firsthand, whereas Luke probably heard it from Peter or Paul since Luke doesn’t speak from the first person in Acts until chapter 16.

Satan quoted this psalm to Jesus in the same way that some do today - as though this psalm was a promise to believers such that they are impervious to such dangers.

How did Jesus respond? By rebuking Satan for his false teaching concerning this psalm.

Jesus said to him, “On the other hand, it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’” (Matthew 4: 7)

And Jesus answered and said to him, “It is said, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’”

When the devil had finished every temptation, he left Him until an opportune time. (Luke 4: 12-13)

Jesus rebuked Satan by exposing that the application of the psalm which Satan was quoting was false teaching and that to teach as Satan was doing was to test God. 

Today the temptation exists. Those claiming that we will not get sick and therefore do not have to follow governmental guidelines are putting God to the test, and thus, we are approaching the psalm in the same way that Satan did. We are testing God.

But if this view is correct, then how do we understand the words of the psalm? Does God not protect us?

Yes, God does protect us. However, the people of God do get sick. And in some cases, God allows the people of God to die from sickness. God allows sicknesses to continue to infect people over long periods. Cancers are not always treatable by chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Believing patients do not always go into remission. Some do, but others die from their diseases.

But God does protect us from many and probably most infections. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) of the US reported 78,000 people in the state of California had contracted COVID-19. The governor had predicted far more. In a letter to the president of the United States on March 18, he predicted that  25.5 million Californians would be infected within eight weeks.

https://www.gov.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/3.18.20-Letter-USNS-Mercy-Hospital-Ship.pdf

There are 40 million people who live in California. If even 100,000 became infected, from a statistical standpoint, that is a small percentage of the population - only about 0.25% - less than 1%. No one knows for sure why the number of infected was not higher. Perhaps it was the government policies of “social distancing” and “safe at home”. Perhaps it was the international campaign to practice safe personal hygiene with hand washing, masks, and hand sanitizers. Perhaps it was genetic. Perhaps it was weather-related. Perhaps the infection was introduced into the population much sooner than previously thought, as two newer studies suggested that Californians had more accumulated immunity. We don’t know yet why the number was not higher at that time, although the number continued to increase throughout the year.

So is it true that God protects? It is true. As Psalm 103 states, we are not to forget his benefits, and the second benefit (of the five) listed is that He heals our diseases.

Bless the Lord, O my soul,

And forget none of His benefits;

Who pardons all your iniquities,

Who heals all your diseases; (Psalm 103:2-3, NASB)

God works behind the scenes among all people, especially those who are part of His family of faith.

The writer of Psalm 91 understood that the love of God is the reason that He protects us. He protects us because He loves us. He writes as God speaking,

“Because he has loved Me, therefore I will deliver him;

I will set him securely on high, because he has known My name.

“He will call upon Me, and I will answer him;

I will be with him in trouble;

I will rescue him and honor him.

“With a long life I will satisfy him

And let him see My salvation.” (Psalm 91: 14-16, NASB)

So let us thank God for his protection and let us thank God for his healing. When it is in God's plan to allow difficult times in our lives, He promises to be with us through those difficult times. He does not leave us alone. He is not deaf to our cries for help. Generally speaking, God heals. The average lifespan on Earth is now 72.2 years. That means that most people live beyond the general retirement age of 65. The number is lower for some countries and higher for others. Even with all of the disease and tragedies around, God allows an average person to live past 70. 

But let us not presume upon God nor test Him, as Jesus said when rebuking Satan. Instead, let us be smart, follow the guidelines set for us, and then thank the Lord for protecting us while praying for healing for those who do become infected. Let us thank the Lord for such improved health facilities as are available to us today and for doctors and all health care workers. Let us support them and help them do what they have chosen to do in their work - that for which they have studied for many years to be able to do well. 

When we have come through this pandemic, I believe that we will recognize Psalm 91 - that, in fact, the Lord does protect us. Praise His holy name!