“Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.”
The fowler spreads his net among the trees where it is hidden from the birds. Before they know it, they are trapped in the net, and they cannot escape without help. There are many hidden dangers in this life, things that could have happened that we never know about, or things that happen to us that we never saw coming. Yet, the Lord is our salvation in the face of such. More significantly, there are many subtle temptations that Satan lays before the people of God, dangers to the soul that are hard to see because of our sin nature. Yet the Psalmist assures us, “Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare.” The Lord will save His people from all the hidden temptations that would entangle our souls.
“Deadly pestilence” is far more obvious. It is the very thing that we are now facing. Though its cause may remain hidden, its effects and progress are clearly seen. We need the treatments of the doctor and pharmacist when we are sick. Yet it is the Lord who is our Healer. Far more deadly are sin and its temptations. Sometimes Satan’s attacks are obvious, easily seen, but no more easily resisted. We need the Lord and His word if we are to resist the attacks of the enemy. We are to put on the full armor of God (Ephesians 6:1-18) and look in faith to Jesus Christ who resisted Satan for us (Luke 4:1-13). In all the dangers of this life, physical and spiritual, hidden or seen, the Lord is our salvation. Our ultimate safety is found in Jesus Christ, by grace through faith in Him.
Notice that it is God Himself who is the salvation of His people. There is no hope in any other. If the fowler releases the bird from the net, it is for captivity or worse. But if the Lord saves us from the hidden and seen trials of life and temptations of Satan, it is for our freedom.
The salvation that the Lord works for us is characterized by tender affection. “He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge.” The image is of the mother bird tenderly sheltering her young from every storm and danger, keeping them hidden under her out-spread wings. Is not our salvation inspired by the love God has for us? Are we not told, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life”? In Ephesians 1 we read, “In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ.” The Lord shows us in Romans 8:35-38 that nothing can separate believers from the love of God in Christ. Children of God can always be confident of His loving protection.
The Lord’s salvation is also powerfully effective. Wings and feathers may still be broken or blown away, but God’s “faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.” God is completely faithful to His promises. He has committed Himself to His people to save them and defend them, and that is what He will do. He is joyfully willing and completely able to defend His people, even as having a shield and surrounding barrier will defend a soldier. The Lord will certainly save to the uttermost those who are His.
This is not to say that we will not get sick, perhaps even with COVID-19. The testimony of Scripture is that the people of God do get sick. Timothy, for example, was subject to stomach ailments. What this does mean is that God will be glorified in you, you will grow in Christ-likeness, and you will be brought safely home to glory. Heidelberg Catechism Question 1 sums it up well when it says, “He preserves me in such a way that without the will of my heavenly Father not a hair can fall from my head. Indeed, all things must work together for my salvation.” Even social isolation and pandemics.
Love the blog and the many scripture references. Thanks so much for your efforts, they are encouraging and greatly appreciated.