Charles Spurgeon · Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Volume 57, Sermon No. 3267

Under His Shadow: sermon notes

He that dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
Psalm 91:1

Summary

Those who dwell near God abide under His shadow, finding refuge in Christ, delight in His presence, trust beneath His wings, and power in His hand.

Sermon outline

Likely Title: Under His Shadow

Likely Text/Passage: Psalm 91:1

Main Theme: Those who continually dwell near God find refuge, delight, comfort, and power for service under His protecting presence.

Introduction

The preacher develops four pictures of being “under His shadow,” drawn from Miss Havergal: a rock, a tree, wings, and a hand.
God’s shadow is not merely an occasional refuge but the abiding home of those who dwell in fellowship with Him.

Main Points

Under the Shadow of the Rock: Refuge from Sin and Sorrow
Christ is the Rock of Ages and a covering from guilt, condemnation, and deserved wrath.
He provides complete, cooling comfort amid every kind of trouble; believers must remain in Him rather than answer accusations in their own strength.

Under the Shadow of the Tree: Rest and Delight in Christ
Like the beloved under the fruitful tree, believers may sit down in Christ with great delight and find spiritual nourishment.
The finished work of the Gospel provides contentment, rest, joy, assurance, and satisfaction without needing to seek a “higher” refuge.

Under the Shadow of His Wings: Trust in Depression and Trial
When God’s presence is not consciously felt, believers can still rejoice in the shadow of His wings because He remains their faithful help.
Like little birds sheltered beneath a mother’s wings, the afflicted should press closely to God’s loving heart for safety and comfort.

Under the Shadow of His Hand: Power and Concealment in Service
God hides and uses His servants as arrows in His hand, giving them power while concealing their own prominence.
Effective ministry depends on God’s strength, and the servant’s aim should be Christ’s glory rather than personal recognition.

Application

Dwell continually in the secret place of the Most High rather than treating God’s protection as an occasional resort.
Personally trust God as refuge, fortress, and “my God,” especially amid temptation, discouragement, and uncertainty.
Rest in Christ’s finished work, seek satisfaction in Him, and follow hard after God even when His face seems hidden.
Serve from dependence on God’s hand, allowing self to remain concealed so that Christ may be glorified.

Conclusion

The four shadows present a progression from refuge, to restful delight, to trusting comfort, and finally to empowered service.
The preacher urges believers to gain this experience through personal, continual abiding under God’s shadow.

Key quotes

Each quote below is copied from the printed sermon and checked word for word against it.

He that dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty

The shadow of God is not the occasional resort, but the constant abiding place of the saint

We ought never to be out of the shadow of God

The Lord Jesus was unto us a covering for sin and so a cover from wrath

Jesus is a complete shelter, and blessed are they who are "under His shadow

I sat down under His shadow with great delight, and His fruit was sweet to my taste

Oh, tried ones, press closely to the loving heart of your Lord

Our desire should be that Christ should be glorified, and that self should be concealed

Scripture references

Psalm 91:1
The preacher introduces the theme that those who dwell in God’s secret place abide continually under His protection.
Song of Solomon 2:3
The preacher presents sitting under the Beloved’s shadow with delight and enjoying His fruit as a picture of restful joy in Christ.
Psalm 63:7
The preacher uses rejoicing under the shadow of God’s wings to describe trusting Him during spiritual depression and diminished conscious comfort.
Psalm 91
The preacher identifies this Psalm as a passage of comfort for those who dwell near to God.
Song of Solomon
The preacher refers again to sitting under the Beloved’s shadow to emphasize the nearness required to receive God’s protection.
Psalm 91:2
The preacher quotes the believer’s personal confession that the Lord is refuge, fortress, and God, leading to trust in Him.
Psalm 91:3
The preacher quotes God’s deliverance from the fowler’s snare and the noisome pestilence to show protection from unseen spiritual dangers.
Psalm 91:4
The preacher quotes God’s covering under His feathers and wings to encourage believers to nestle securely in His love.
Psalm 91:5
The preacher quotes freedom from terror by night and arrows by day to describe confidence in God amid temporal and spiritual dangers.
Psalm 91:6
The preacher quotes protection from pestilence and destruction to continue describing God’s preserving care.
Psalm 91:7
The preacher quotes the promise that widespread destruction will not overcome the one protected by God.
Psalm 91:9
The preacher quotes making the Lord one’s refuge and the Most High one’s habitation as the basis for divine protection.
Psalm 91:10
The preacher quotes the promise that no evil or plague will befall the one who makes God his dwelling.
Psalm 91:11
The preacher quotes God’s command to angels to keep His people in all their ways.
Psalm 91:12
The preacher quotes the angels bearing believers up so they do not dash their feet against a stone.
Psalm 91:13
The preacher quotes victory over the lion, adder, young lion, and dragon as an image of triumph over evil.
Psalm 91:14
The preacher quotes God’s deliverance and exaltation of the person who sets love upon Him and knows His name.
Psalm 91:15
The preacher quotes God’s promise to answer prayer, remain with His people in trouble, deliver them, and honor them.
Psalm 91:16
The preacher quotes satisfaction with long life and the showing of God’s salvation, explaining that a full life is not measured merely by years.
Isaiah 49:2
The preacher uses the image of being hidden in the shadow of God’s hand and in His quiver to describe Christ and His servants as instruments prepared and empowered for divine service.
Isaiah 49
The preacher refers to the surrounding passage identifying the servant, his apparent labor in vain, his calling to restore Israel, and his mission as a light to the Gentiles.
Isaiah 49:3
The preacher quotes the declaration that the servant is Israel in whom God will be glorified.
Isaiah 49:4
The preacher quotes the servant’s lament over laboring in vain and his confidence that his judgment and work are with the Lord.
Isaiah 49:5
The preacher quotes the servant’s calling to bring Jacob back to God and the Lord’s promise to be his strength.
Isaiah 49:6
The preacher quotes the servant’s wider mission to be a light to the Gentiles and God’s salvation to the ends of the earth.
Isaiah 49:16
The preacher quotes God’s promise to cover His people in the shadow of His hand, applying it to those who serve Him.
Psalm 63
The preacher identifies this as David’s wilderness Psalm and uses it to show that believers can sing and seek God amid exile, dryness, and danger.
Psalm 63:1
The preacher quotes David’s declaration that God is his God and his urgent longing to seek Him.
Psalm 63:2
The preacher quotes the desire to see God’s power and glory as previously seen in the sanctuary.
Psalm 63:3
The preacher quotes that God’s lovingkindness is better than life and therefore deserves public praise.
Psalm 63:4
The preacher quotes blessing God while living and lifting up hands in His name as expressions of confession, worship, work, and encouragement.
Psalm 63:5
The preacher quotes satisfaction with God as with marrow and fatness and joyful praise flowing from that satisfaction.
Psalm 63:6
The preacher quotes remembering and meditating on God during the night watches to describe communion with Him.
Psalm 63:8
The preacher quotes following hard after God and being upheld by His right hand to show that perseverance in seeking God comes from divine grace.
Psalm 63:9
The preacher quotes the fate of those who seek David’s soul to destroy it.
Psalm 63:10
The preacher quotes their falling by the sword and becoming a portion for foxes or jackals.
Psalm 63:11
The preacher quotes the king’s rejoicing in God and the promise that lying mouths will be stopped, contrasting false speech with enduring praise.

Small-group discussion questions

Warm-Up (5 minutes)

When you picture a place where you feel safe and refreshed, what does it look like?
Which image of shelter from the sermon, rock, tree, wings, or hand, most resonates with your experience, and why?

Diving In (20 minutes)

The sermon described being “under His shadow” not as an occasional visit but as a permanent home. How would you summarize that main idea in your own words?
In Psalm 91:1, what does it mean to “dwell in the secret place of the Most High,” and how is that different from simply visiting God in times of trouble?
What might abiding under God’s shadow look like in an ordinary Tuesday morning when you are facing work pressures, family responsibilities, temptation, or discouragement?

Going Deeper (15 minutes)

The sermon presents God as both a massive rock that shelters us and a tender mother bird who covers us with her wings. What tensions or different needs do these pictures address, and which aspect of God’s care is harder for you to trust?
The sermon says that God’s servants should be hidden in His hand, used by Him without seeking recognition. Where do you struggle with wanting to be noticed, praised, or in control, and what might it look like to serve more quietly?

Prayer Prompt

Pray for a deeper, continual nearness to God, trusting His protection in trouble and His power to use you for His purposes.

Takeaways

Big idea

Those who dwell near God abide under His shadow, finding refuge in Christ, delight in His presence, trust beneath His wings, and power in His hand.

Live it out

Begin each day seeking God in prayer, consciously saying, “My God, in Him will I trust.”
When troubled, flee to Christ as the Rock of Ages instead of answering Satan’s accusations yourself.
Sit quietly under Christ’s shadow, delighting in His finished work and receiving His spiritual refreshment.
In seasons of depression, hide beneath God’s wings and rejoice that He remains your help.
Serve without seeking notice, asking God to conceal self and use you as an instrument in His hand.

Closing prayer

Our God, draw us into Your secret place and keep us abiding under Your shadow. When sin, sorrow, or trouble beats upon us, lead us to Christ, our Rock and refuge. Teach us to sit beneath His fruitful shade with delight, to hide beneath Your wings when we are depressed, and to trust Your hand in service. Let us follow hard after You, knowing Your right hand upholds us. May our lives glorify You, and may our mouths praise You with joyful lips.

Read the full sermon

Charles H. Spurgeon, “Under His Shadow,” Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Volume 57, Sermon No. 3267. The sermon is in the public domain; the text used here is the CC0 Markdown edition of Spurgeon's sermons.

Full text in the CC0 edition

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