The Shadow of His Wings

“Thy mercy, O LORD, is in the heavens; and thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds. Thy righteousness is like the great mountains; thy judgments are a great deep: O LORD, thou preservest man and beast. How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings.” Psalm 36:5-7

Nothing seems quite as helpless and defenseless as a baby bird. The baby bird cannot fly, it cannot leave the nest, it cannot feed itself, and it cannot protect itself. It is completely dependent upon the mother for shelter, protection, and sustenance. The psalmist uses this bond between the helpless baby bird and its mother to picture our relationship with God. He not only offers us protection; He meets our needs, He provides for us, He shelters us, He guides us, He teaches us, He corrects us, and uses us for His glory. As a baby bird grows, he eventually begins to flap his wings and wants to fly on his own. David, who wrote this psalm, was a king, but in the title above the psalm identifies himself as the servant of the Lord. In spite of his exalted rank, David wasn’t trying to exert his independence, but rather to increase his dependence upon God. The stronger we become and the more responsibility we have, the more we need to depend on the Lord. We need His guidance, protection, and care. The difference is in our mindset. How do you see yourself? Are you able to take care of yourself without outside help, or are you depending upon the Lord? We need to learn to trust in the shadow of His wings.