“You who dwell in the shelter of the Most High, who abide in the shade of the Almighty...” (Psalm 91, 1.)
Saint Gregory of Nyssa (part 2 of the background of Saint Gregory of Nyssa is found here) offers the following insight on this verse from today’s Mass Psalm:
“When the great David heard and understood this, he [David] said to him “who dwells in the shelter of the most High; He will overshadow you with his shoulders,” which is the same as being behind God (for the shoulder is on the back of the body). Concerning himself David says, “My soul clings close to you, your right hand supports me.” You see how Psalms agree with the history. For as the one says that the right hand is a help to the person who has joined himself close behind God, so the other says that the hand touches the person who waits in the rock on the divine voice and prays that he might follow behind.” (Life of Moses, 250.)
Collect
O God,
Who in Your unfathomable providence
are pleased to send
Your holy Angels to guard us,
hear our supplication as we cry to You,
that we may always be defended
by their protection
and rejoice eternally in their company.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son,
who lives and reigns with You
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever.
Who in Your unfathomable providence
are pleased to send
Your holy Angels to guard us,
hear our supplication as we cry to You,
that we may always be defended
by their protection
and rejoice eternally in their company.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son,
who lives and reigns with You
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever.
Glory to the Father
and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and will be forever. Amen
and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and will be forever. Amen
