What veteran or active duty soldier wouldn’t benefit from this book? At the get-go, it carries a forward by the President’s current chaplain in 2010 at Camp David (Lieutenant Carey H. Cash, Chaplain, USN). Then, the following pages are filled with military and civilian accounts of God’s undeniable miracles, all documented.
The book is cleverly organized into four sections. The author has skillfully arranged a vast amount of material into these four logical segments.
Section I is a delightful teaching of twenty-two chapters on the sixteen verses of Psalm 91, followed by a summary and an appeal for acceptance of Christ so that the reader can qualify for the things promised in the chapters. The entirety of Psalms is lifted to a place of prominence by the endorsement of Jesus himself:
Now He said to them, “These are My words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things which are written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” (Luke 24:44, EMPHASIS ADDED)
When Jesus specifically equates the Psalms to the Law of Moses and the Prophets, we see that it is historically relevant, prophetically sound, and totally applicable and reliable. (pp. 109-110)
Section II is a collection of Psalm 91 testimonies by thirty-two military and civilian heroes, with accompanying photos. A wide spectrum of military conflicts show God’s faithfulness through succeeding generations from the Civil War, the World Wars, Vietnam, and Iraq. Some events were covered by the TV and media news, such as the 9/11 Pentagon attack and the Hudson River forced landing by an airplane. The authors also include eye witnesses of survivors of natural disasters and threats from bad people. God was able to handle it all. There is one group of testimonies here labeled “Stories from Men and Women in Uniform.” Thank you, Veterans!!
Section III offers a fill-in-the-blank version of Psalm 91. Here readers can fill in their own names in order to personalize the promises for themselves.
Then, the authors provide their notes to verify their sources. Very impressive. As proof of veracity, we are offered words of famous authors (such as C. S. Lewis) and actual survivors. Lewis tells us that an angel visitation helped some stranded soldiers during WWI in Belgium, p. 68.
What about the take aways, the lessons learned? There are too many to list all of them, but a quick summary is given on p. 51 when “every evil known to man” is categorized in four groupings: terror, arrows, pestilence, and destruction. Chapters six through nine cover each one with biblical and real life examples of escapes. The author points out that “for the most part, Jesus prayed at night and took authority all day.” (p. 72) Enemy tactics and fantasy fears are exposed in Chapter 13. Here’s a comforting thought: “God is indulgent with His promises to the one who loves Him.” (p. 77) Pages 82-83 tell of an incident of God’s protection against unknown danger. Good instruction for anyone is given: “But we have to trust Him to do it His way.” (p. 98)
Peggy Joyce Ruth’s website offers audio and visual teachings. (www.pjr.org) Recent entries show us a gray-haired Ruth still active in her faith, confident from years of experience. A friend shared with me a YouTube link with a playlist of about forty of her teachings:
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLcJnUuX9sX8h_8N-iBcxFkhn8YtbKa45D&si=_Wauj9PaYZ4oO5KP.
Peggy J. Ruth’s books are carried by Amazon and Thriftbooks. Her Psalm 91 words have been echoed by the Holy Spirit through its words set to music during various generations. For example, in my youth I remember a beautiful rendition of Psalm 91 by a young song writer named Charles Monroe in Waco, TX. Another friend of mine, a real psalmist, recorded her version in the days of cassette tapes. Even YouTube today has tunes available under “Psalm 91 songs.”
Ms. Ruth and her daughter have done a tremendous job in putting this book together. They have done what David said that we should do:
“Remember the wonders he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he pronounced.” (1 Chronicles 16:12)
Book data:
Psalm 91 by Peggy Joyce Ruth and Angelia Ruth Schum. Charisma House: Lake Mary, Florida. 2010. This is the military version, God’s Shield of Protection.