“I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.””

— Psalm 91:2

Trusting God is a choice. You know He is trustworthy, and you know you’re supposed to trust Him, but do you? Do you believe at your core that God will protect you? Do you deeply and confidently believe that every time you go to God He will be there for you? You know the answer should be “yes.” But life’s circumstances can cause us to doubt at times.

There’s a way to persuade your heart of God’s character, so your confidence in Him remains strong. The simplest way to say it is, believe the Word of God. But there is a process to believing the Word of God. Not just agreeing with it, but allowing it to be your core truth, no matter what.

Decide that you will believe the Word of God, especially what it says about God, in spite of your circumstances. Choose to believe that it is true above all.
Personalize the Word. When applicable, see God’s Word as a personal promise to you. A good way to read the Word to accomplish this is to change it to the first person, as if it’s written about you or you are writing it yourself.
Confess the Word. “Say of the Lord He is your refuge and fortress.” Say it, or confess it because it is already true of you, not to make it true.

Psalm 91 is attributed to Moses. He most likely wrote this poem after experiencing God’s power in His personal life and after seeing God deliver the Israelites from Egypt. These phrases were facts for him from his experience with God.

You may currently be in a situation where you need these promises to be true. Rest assured, God is no respecter of persons. God is who He is, no matter the situation. You can always assume that God will be Himself in any circumstance. Experiencing specific facets of the character and nature of God is not a matter of convincing God to be God for you, it’s being persuaded in your heart that this is who God is.

Confessing the Word of God in the first person until it feels like your truth is a powerful exercise. I have reworded Psalm 91 below to read in the first person. Read the confession section aloud to anchor your heart in God’s promises and character. You don’t have to whip yourself up into an emotional frenzy, but say the words with conviction, acknowledging that God is who He is. He is the great I AM. He will not change.

The spiritual tipping point of experiencing these facets of God in your life happens as you believe. All things are possible for those who believe. Doubt keeps you from experiencing God’s influence in your life. As you get rid of doubt and make God’s Word your truth, something happens in your heart that allows you to let God be these things for you.

Try it now. As you read the first-person statements, tell your mind that God’s Word is true and that God’s character doesn’t change. He is a protector, no matter where your mind drifts. You may read statements that are hard to believe. Choose to believe the Word. Choose to believe the truth about God. This is who He is. I am not suggesting that my phrasing is THE Word of God. If you would prefer to personalize Psalm 91 in slightly different phrasing, do so, make this process your own.

Say of the Lord!!!

First Person Confession of Psalm 91

1 He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

I dwell in the secret place of the Most High. I am hidden with Christ, in God forever. I am so close to God that His shadow covers me. Nothing can harm me because I am seated with Christ in God.

2 I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.”

God is my refuge. God is my safe place. Being in God is like being in a strong tower that nothing can break into. I can trust God. I will trust God. I do trust God. I trust God because God can be trusted.

3 Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the perilous pestilence.

He will deliver me from the traps of the enemy. He has delivered me from the power of darkness and has translated me into the kingdom of his dear son. He will protect me and deliver me from disease in the land. No pandemic can harm me because God is my protector, and I am safe in Him.

4 He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler.

He holds a powerful shield in His hand, and he stretches His arm over me to protect me. I am safe from the enemy and disease because I rest in the strength and power of God, who actively protects me.

5 You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, nor of the arrow that flies by day, 6 Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, Nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday.

I have nothing to be afraid of, during the day or at night. God protects me when I sleep. God is with me when I sleep. I fall asleep aware of God’s presence. If I become fearful in the night, I can turn the eyes of my heart to God, and he is there to comfort me and give me strength. I can willingly turn to God at any moment and be strengthened by Him. He is already willing, and able to help me when I am afraid. I have nothing to fear because God is with me.

I am not afraid of any disease or pestilence. Sickness is not from God, health and protection are from God. He gave me a robust immune system, and His spirit is giving me abundant life. The same spirit that raised Jesus from the dead is giving life to my physical body. I am not afraid of any disease because God’s mighty arm protects me.

7 A thousand may fall at your side, And ten thousand at your right hand; But it shall not come near you. 8 Only with your eyes shall you look, And see the reward of the wicked.

Even if people get sick or lose all their money because of what is happening in the world, I can trust God and God will protect me. God is actively protecting me, even at this moment. I can feel His protection because God loves me and chooses to protect me. Because I am safe in the Lord, I will not be destroyed like the wicked. I am the righteousness of God in Christ.

9 Because you have made the Lord, who is my refuge, Even the Most High, your dwelling place, 10 No evil shall befall you, Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling

No evil will happen to my family or me, and no disease can come into my home because God is my refuge. God is a protector, God is a healer, and God is my redeemer. I am safe and protected in God because He is my protector.

11 For He shall give His angels charge over you, To keep you in all your ways. 12 In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone.

Not only is God protecting me, but He also sends angels to keep me healthy and safe. God’s angels are real, and they are active in my life. Everywhere I go, God’s angels go before me to clear a path of protection for me.

13 You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra, The young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot.

Even if I encounter an enemy of God, a difficult situation, a disease, or any other hardship, God is there to protect me and walk with me.

I acknowledge verses 14 through 16 as God’s answer directly to me. This is not just God’s answer to my confession, and this is a direct promise from God to me.

“Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him on high, because he has known My name. He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him, and show him My salvation.”

I love God because He first loved me. And because I love Him, He will ALWAYS deliver me and lift me up, far above the circumstances of my life, and far above the plague or destruction in the world. Because God loves me and I love Him, God will protect me. I know the authority of God, I know the character of God. God is a protector. God is MY protector.

I can call on God, and He WILL answer me. I can expect to experience every facet of the name of God because He loves me, and I love Him. If I am in trouble, I can reach out to God, and He will ALWAYS be there to help me, protect me, and show me the way out of my trouble. I WILL follow and obey Him because He loves me, and I love Him.

My God, my Heavenly Father loves me. He promises to satisfy me with long life. I do not have to be afraid of disease and destruction on earth because God actively protects me by giving me health and long life. I trust God because God can be trusted. I choose to believe the truth about what God says of Himself, and I choose to accept the promises He has made to me. God keeps His promises, and I will trust Him every moment of my life.

More first person confession resources:

Find more translations of Psalm 91 here: https://biblehub.com/kjv/psalms/91.htm