“Because You have been my help, therefore in the shadow of Your wings will I rejoice” (Psalm 63:7).

There is in the intensities and rigors of life the need for a place of refuge. David found his place of refuge in the Lord:

“Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me; for my soul trusts in Thee; yea, in the shadow of Your wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast” (Psalm 57:1).

There is in the words of David a determined focus to make his refuge in his God. When the intensities and rigors of life become calamities and we find as David did, we are in a cave to find some relief and quietness, some protection from the storms, some place where we can stop and get our bearings, to make the determined focus on God and rejoice within our soul under the shadow of His wings.

In the wings of the Lord there is an overspreading, a covering for protection, a safe space from harm; we find shade from the burning sun, and a place of comfort and peace. This expresses the heart of God toward us, as well, just as Jesus wept for Jerusalem and cried, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets, and stone them who are sent to you, how often would I have gathered your children together, even as a hen gathers her chickens under her wings, and you would not” (Matthew 23:37). In these passionate words, one cannot help but sense the intense fervor in the heart of the Savior toward His people, to gather them under His wings and shelter them from the coming desolations.

We see also a depiction of the overspreading and covering of the Lord in the mighty wings of the Cherubim as they cover the Mercy Seat of the Ark of the Covenant in the Most Holy Place of the Sanctuary. Moses tells us, “And the Cherubim shall stretch forth their wings on high covering the Mercy Seat with their wings, and their faces shall look one to another toward the Mercy Seat shall the faces of the Cherubim be” (Exodus 25:20).

In the heart of the Lord there is a looking for mercy, there is a deep yearning to be merciful, to cover, to protect, to comfort, to bring peace to our souls. David knew this right well and so could make his cry, “Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me, for my soul trusts in Thee”. If we know God, as David did, we know we can put our trust in Him and find the mercy we long for and know we can find rest under the shadow of His wings.

David found his abiding place in the Most High. The Psalmist declares: “He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High, shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress; my God, in Him will I trust (Psalm 91:1-2).

Under the Shadow of His Wings we can find mercy, we can find protection, we can find peace; and as the Prophet Malachi declares, we can find healing for our souls:

“Unto you who fear My Name shall the Sun of Righteousness arise with healing in His wings. . .” (Malachi 4:2a).

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