What does it mean to "take refuge under his wings" (Psalm 91:4)?

from the old testament

• Psalm 91:4 describes God as a protector in times of distress, like a bird under whose wings its young find refuge: “He will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.” While the feathers suggest comfort, the “shield and buckler” emphasize the strength and security that those who rest in the Lord have.
• Other psalms use the same metaphor to describe God’s loving protection. In Psalm 17:8–9, David prays, “hide me in the shadow of your wings, from the wicked who do me violence, my deadly enemies who surround me.” In this psalm, David details the dangers that he faces. These seem insurmountable for those who do not have the Lord’s protection. But David trusts that God will protect him from “deadly enemies” all around him.
• The image of being under God's wings brings to mind the ark of the covenant described in Exodus 25. The ark of the covenant sat inside the Holy of Holies, where only the high priest was allowed to enter. Two cherubim with their wings outstretched towards each other were over the lid: “The cherubim shall spread out their wings above, overshadowing the mercy seat with their wings, their faces one to another; toward the mercy seat shall the faces of the cherubim be. . . . There I will meet with you, and from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim that are on the ark of the testimony, I will speak with you about all that I will give you in commandment for the people of Israel” (Exodus 25:20, 22). Underneath the wings was the mercy seat of God, where His presence symbolically rested. God met and communicated with His people there (Exodus 25:22). This was also where the high priests would sprinkle the blood of the sacrifice once a year on the Day of Atonement, symbolizing that the sins of the people were covered by the mercy of God. Finding refuge under the wings of God means resting in the place of His presence and mercy.
• The Song of Moses in Deuteronomy 32 uses the wing metaphor to recount God’s love and care for His people as they wandered the wilderness for a generation: “Like an eagle that stirs up its nest, that flutters over its young, spreading out its wings, catching them, bearing them on its pinions, the LORD alone guided him, no foreign god was with him” (Deuteronomy 32:11–12). God not only performed miracles to protect Israel, such as the parting of the Red Sea (Exodus 14:19–31), but He took care of even the seemingly mundane things: “Your clothes have not worn out on you, and your sandals have not worn off your feet” (Deuteronomy 29:5).

from the new testament

• In Matthew 23:37, Jesus laments over Jerusalem, using similar imagery to Psalm 91:4: “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!” This passage shows the Lord’s love and mercy through His longing to protect His people, despite the city's rejection of Him.
• Jesus also expresses His love and care in John 10:28: “I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.” Christ promises to protect those who are His. Though we will always experience difficulties in life (John 16:33), we ultimately will live in eternity with our Lord. No power on earth is great enough to remove us from the hand of our Lord.
• Jesus’ blood provides the ultimate protection by covering believers’ sins and ensuring eternal life. The word for "mercy seat" in Hebrews 9:5 is a derivative of a word that means "propitiation" or "an expiatory," and Jesus is the propitiation for our sins. Today the role of the mercy seat has been fulfilled by Christ. Hebrews 9:11 explains, “But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption.”
• In 2 Thessalonians 3, Paul asks for prayer to be protected from “evil men” (v. 2). In verse three, he recognizes that the ultimate protection comes from the Lord: “But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one.” Like the psalmist and Paul, believers can take refuge in the Lord and be guaranteed protection from demonic influence.

implications for today

Life is perilous. Many people try to stay safe by wearing seatbelts, using home security systems, taking self-defense classes, and more. But, while often wise, no amount of safety precaution is sufficient to protect us from all life’s uncertainties nor from death. Only God can provide us with true assurance of love and security as His children. Even when bad things happen in life—death of a loved one, job loss, broken relationship, illness, etc.—we know we have a Heavenly Father who will support us through those difficulties. Even greater than this, once we are His, we are eternally secure. Through Christ’s death on the cross, believers can be assured that our sins won’t condemn us, that we will spend eternity with Him. In this way, we take refuge under Christ’s wings. This is why believers have a different perspective on life than nonbelievers: We know that no matter what tragedy befalls us, we can say, like Job, “my Redeemer lives” (Job 19:25). And because He lives, we are assured of His protection and care over those who are His. We can turn to Christ for strength and help during our times of need. We have confidence that Christ has “overcome the world” and that we are in His loving care (John 16:33).