Psalm 91: A Secret Dwelling Place

“He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress; my God, in Him I will trust.” This passage from the 91st Psalm has long been a favorite of mine. It has been read and recited aloud at times of separation from loved ones, and has comforted many a troubled soldier or sailor on the eve of battle. And it played a part in the following happening.

Living alone as I have for the past 6-1/2 years I realize again for the first time how important it is to be with family and loved ones when Christmas rolls around. This year I packed up and drove from Forest City in Rutherford County, NC, over to son Jamie’s in Spring Hill, TN. His family has always welcomed me and a guest room was prepared, including a PC, just for Papa’s enjoyment. Jamie’s younger brother, Jon, and his family drove up from Birmingham the day after Christmas and we had a special time of getting together as a family to celebrate Jesus’ birthday and just hang out together.

Now Jamie, as many of you are aware, is a prolific writer of Christian songs, one of which, “Ancient of Days,” was co-written several years ago with his long-time friend, Gary Sadler. Recently, since they both now live near Nashville, they have begun to write songs together again. Gary and his wife, Debra, dropped by for dessert while we Harvills were together, and we reminisced on the years we all spent in Rutherford County, NC. I remembered Gary’s mom and dad, John and Edie, who have since died. My late wife, Betty, and I had dinner a few times with them and while recalling those days, Debra shared a happening with us. It seems the day of his death, in March of 1993, a bedridden John requested Psalm 91 be read to him. Shortly thereafter he slipped quietly away and went to be with Jesus. Later, in 1995, after Gary and Debra had moved to Jackson Hole, WY, they received word that Edie was very ill and not expected to live. Gary booked the first flight out and Debra and their daughters flew out the following day. It so happened that when Gary and his brother and sister were at his mother’s bedside she also requested Psalm 91 be read to her. After singing hymns, and shortly before Debra arrived, Edie passed away. Both Sadler services were held at First Baptist Church in Rutherfordton, the county seat of Rutherford County, where they were much-loved members.

After Edie’s funeral, Gary and his brother and sister had an auction and later put the house up for sale. It was a large house in an excellent neighborhood in Rutherford County and all went well. A mutual friend, Dale Gordon, bought the house and said she was going to make a few changes in the décor and invited the Sadlers to drop by sometime to see what she’d done.

Months later, Gary, Debra, and the girls, moved to Franklin, TN. While visiting friends in Rutherford County, and remembering Dale’s invitation, Debra stopped by one afternoon. Dale was so excited; she wanted to show the improvements she had made in the place. The rooms were bright and fresh, in excellent taste, and Debra was impressed. Dale said she particularly wanted her to see the master bedroom. It was newly painted and airy; a large double bed filled much of the room. On the wall above where the hospital bed Hospice had provided for both John and Edie once stood, a framed scripture in calligraphy was hanging. Ironically, it was the opening verses of the 91st Psalm that I had written out and given to Dale years before. Dale had no idea of the significance of the passage, nor that both senior Sadlers had requested it be read to them shortly before their deaths. Debra said her mouth fell open in disbelief, but she was very much aware of God’s hand in the event. When Debra shared this, talk about surprised…that I was. Frankly, I had forgotten I had given the piece to Dale Gordon, but as it turned out I was pleased to have had a small part in God’s peculiar plan. His ways are truly beyond finding out.

To add to the happening, another mutual friend, another Dale, Dale Austin, was hired back then to do the decorating of the Sadler house. He is currently the pastor of the Forest City Church of the Nazarene, where Betty and I had once spent ten years as members. Betty passed away in April of 1997 and I now attend Cornerstone Fellowship.

And so it goes in God’s marvelous scheme of things. The 91st Psalm, one of my all-time favorite scriptures, has taken on new, fresh meaning for me. From now on, whenever I read again for the first time that special passage, I’ll more readily reflect on the goodness and grace of a loving Lord, and how the Most High, the Almighty, has chosen to abide with those who dwell in His secret place.