DWELLING PLACE, REFUGE, SHIELD, FORTRESS, STRONG TOWER.

These descriptive names for God often appear in clusters in the Psalms as well as in other portions of the Scripture. When you pray to God your Refuge, Shield, Fortress, Dwelling Place, and Strong Tower, you are invoking the God who has promised to watch over you and keep you safe.

The Hebrew Scriptures reveal a God who dwells with his people-first in a tent in the wilderness and then in the Jerusalem temple. The New Testament takes this idea of God's dwelling place on earth a giant step further by revealing a God who wants to dwell not merely with his people but within his people. Occasionally, Scripture reverses this imagery in a wonderful way by picturing God himself as our Dwelling Place, or Maon (ma-OHN).

Closely allied to this image of Dwelling Place is the idea of God as our Refuge, or Machseh (mach-SEH). He is pictured as one to whom we can run for safety and security. The word refuge also appears in the Hebrew Scriptures in connection to Israel's "cities of refuge" (the Hebrew word in this instance is miqlat), where people could flee for safety if they had accidentally killed someone. These cities were strategically located so that anyone in Israel was within a day's journey of one.

A shield or Magen (ma-GAIN) is another image of God's protecting care. Ancient shields were often made of layered cowhide and were used in situations of close combat as well as to protect soldiers from rocks hurled from city walls.

In biblical times, some cities were enclosed by walls twentyfive feet high and fifteen to twentyfive feet thick. Farmers worked in the fields by day and then retreated within the city walls at night for protection. Large fortified cities also contained strongholds or strong towers that provided additional defense should the city's outer walls be breached. Like the other terms already mentioned, God is compared to a fortress or Metsuda (me-tsu-DAH) and to a strong tower or Migdal-Oz (mig-dal OHZ).

Praying to Maon, Machseh, Magen, Metsuda, Migdal-Oz In the spring of 1998 an F5 tornado roared through Birmingham, Alabama. Learning that a tornado warning had been issued, staff members at Open Door Church herded the kids who had gathered for youth group into the hallway.a Just thinking about tornadoes terrified twelve-year-old Amber Jones. As she huddled next to her twin sister, Ashley, everyone started singing "Jesus Loves Me."

Seconds later someone shouted, "Get your heads down!" That's when Amber and her sister began screaming for their daddy, the associate pastor. Tearing down the hallway toward them, he dropped to his knees, covering them with his body.

Then came a tremendous roar, like the sound of a thousand jets flying through the hallway. Out in the foyer, they could hear glass shattering and things flying around. The lights flickered and went out. Amber hid her face in her father's shirt as a powerful wind pushed them into the wall and then tried to suck them out as it changed direction.

After the storm subsided, everyone clambered out the nursery window. Paramedics and ambulances stood ready to attend to the victims. Remarkably, all seventy of those assembled in the church that night survived.

The next morning, Amber and her family returned to survey the damage. Everything for miles around had been flattened. The only part of the church still standing was the hallway-the exact place where Amber and other members of the church had taken refuge.

Amber's story creates a vivid picture of what it means to find refuge in God-there was first of all her father's protective gesture, shielding her body with his own, and then the protective walls of the hallway, the only structure to withstand the storm.

Remember Amber's story the next time you feel threatened by some danger or difficulty. Run to your Father and trust in his strong protective arms. Call on God, and he will be your refuge, your dwelling place, your strong tower, your fortress, and your shield.

Lord, you give me peace because of your strong, protective love. Shield me and be my refuge. Strengthen me in times of trouble.

Promises Associated with the Name MAON, MACHSEH, MAGEN, METSUDA, MIGDAL-OZ.

You bless righteous people, O Yahweh. Like a large shield, you surround them with your favor. (Psalm 5:12) A wicked person is thrown down by his own wrongdoing, but even in his death a righteous person has a refuge. (Proverbs 14:32) The name of Yahweh is Migdal-Oz. A righteous person runs to it and is safe. (Proverbs 18:10)

Psalm 93 1 Yahweh rules as king! He is clothed with majesty.

Yahweh has clothed himself; he has armed himself with power.

The world was set in place; it cannot be moved.

2 Your throne was set in place a long time ago.

You are eternal.

3 The ocean rises, O Yahweh.

The ocean rises with a roar.

The ocean rises with its pounding waves.

4 Yahweh above is mighty- mightier than the sound of raging water, mightier than the foaming waves of the sea.

5 Your written testimonies are completely reliable.

O Yahweh , holiness is what makes your house beautiful for days without end.

Psalm 94 1 O Yahweh, El of vengeance, O El of vengeance, appear!

2 Arise, O Shophet of the earth.

Give arrogant people what they deserve.

3 How long, O Yahweh, will wicked people triumph?

How long?

4 They ramble.

They speak arrogantly.

All troublemakers brag about themselves.

5 They crush your people, O Yahweh.

They make those who belong to you suffer.

6 They kill widows and foreigners, and they murder orphans.

7 They say, "Yah doesn't see it.

The Elohim of Jacob doesn't even pay attention to it."

8 Pay attention, you stupid people!

When will you become wise, you fools?

9 Elohim created ears.

Do you think he can't hear?

He formed eyes.

Do you think he can't see?

10 He disciplines nations.

Do you think he can't punish?

He teaches people.

Do you think he doesn't know anything?

11 Yahweh knows that people's thoughts are pointless.

12 O Yah, blessed is the person whom you discipline and instruct from your teachings.

13 You give him peace and quiet from times of trouble while a pit is dug to trap wicked people.

14 Yahweh will never desert his people or abandon those who belong to him.

15 The decisions of judges will again become fair, and everyone whose motives are decent will pursue justice.a 16 Who will stand up for me against evildoers?

Who will stand by my side against troublemakers?

17 If Yahweh had not come to help me, my soul would have quickly fallen silent in death.

18 When I said, "My feet are slipping,"

your mercy, O Yahweh, continued to hold me up.

19 When I worried about many things, your assuring words soothed my soul.

20 Are wicked rulers who use the law to do unlawful things able to be your partners?

21 They join forces to take the lives of righteous people.

They condemn innocent people to death.

22 Yahweh has become my stronghold.

My Elohim has become my rock of refuge.

23 He has turned their own wickedness against them.

He will destroy them because of their sins.

Yahweh our Elohim will destroy them.

Psalm 95 1 Come, let's sing joyfully to Yahweh.

Let's shout happily to the rock of our salvation.

2 Let's come into his presence with a song of thanksgiving.

Let's shout happily to him with psalms.

3 Yahweh is a great El and a great Melek above all gods.

4 In his hand are the deep places of the earth, and the mountain peaks are his.

5 The sea is his.

He made it, and his hands formed the dry land.

6 Come, let's worship and bow down.

Let's kneel in front of Yahweh , our maker, 7 because he is our Elohim and we are the people in his care, the flock that he leads.

If only you would listen to him today!

8 "Do not be stubborn like my people were at Meribah, like the time at Massah in the desert.

Your ancestors challenged me and tested me there, although they had seen what I had done.

10 For 40 years I was disgusted with those people.

So I said, 'They are a people whose hearts continue to stray.

They have not learned my ways.'

11 That is why I angrily took this solemn oath: 'They will never enter my place of rest!'"

Psalm 96 1 Sing to Yahweh a new song!

Sing to Yahweh, all the earth!

2 Sing to Yahweh! Praise his name!

Day after day announce that Yahweh saves his people.

3 Tell people about his glory.