We continue in chapter 91 of tehilim, pasuk ד
בְּאֶבְרָתוֹ ׀ יָסֶךְ לָךְ וְתַחַת־כְּנָפָיו תֶּחְסֶה צִנָּה וְסֹחֵרָה אֲמִתּוֹ
With His pinion (a part of a wing) He will cover you
With His wings you’ll be protected
His truth is shield and armor
Malbim discusses the different terminology of pinion, and wing. He explains that in life there are two types of challenges- challenges from people that choose to do bad, and challenges of nature.
The Baal Bitachon is protected from both.
Whether it’s from an attack by a human being or a phenomenon from above, Hashem is there to protect him.
What is it that creates this shield of armor to protect a person?
David HaMelech uses a mashal once again. Previously, he spoke of a fortress of refuge. Now he envisions himself as a baby chick protected by its mother, and also that Hashem’s truth is shielding him in armor.
The commentaries says that Hashem’s truth, as mentioned here, refers to the Torah, which is called Torat Emet, the Torah of Truth. When a person learns Torah, the merit of the Torah creates shields and protection.
We can learn from these mashalim/imagery that David HaMelech uses, that a person needs to use these images as well. A person should feel as if he’s walking around with a shield of armor. When a person has a shield of armor, he feels protected.
In Israel, there is something called the Iron Dome, which we have to thank the United States of America for supplying. It’s basically a missile interception system. When it senses an incoming missile, it fires back with an even faster missile that destroys the incoming missile in mid-air.
Although it doesn’t always work, there is a certain level of security the people have when they realize the Iron Dome is protecting them.
David HaMelech is using similar imagery. When a person finds himself walking in a dangerous place, he is afraid, but if he was in an armored tank, he’d feel much more comfortable. Even in a bad neighborhood, if you’re totally protected in an armored tank, you aren’t that scared.
David HaMelech is telling us that he uses these different techniques in his own mind. He feels like a baby chick under his mother’s wings, and like he’s protected with a shied of armor (and, as we said yesterday, like he’s in a fortress of refuge).
We have to imagine these strong forces that Hashem has. The more we create these images of protection and serenity, the better our bitachon.
Just like when a person wants to do relaxation exercises, he closes his eyes and imagines that he is lying on a tranquil beach listening to the water, and all of those sounds bring him tranquility and calmness, David HaMelech is imagining these protective forces that Hashem will create for those that trust in Him and keep His Torah. Doing so enables us to calm ourselves and have Bitachon.
A person needs to use these images and pictures of serenity and security in order be calm, and this is what the Baal Bitachon has - the calmness that comes through the realization that he’s always walking with a bullet proof vest, surrounded by tanks, with an Iron Dome, or with whatever imagery you need.
These are the protective forces that Hashem can create for the individual that relies on Him.