Father Bird, Mother Bird: A God Who Takes Us Under His Wing

Father Bird, Mother Bird: A God Who Takes Us Under His Wing.

“First this: God created the heavens and the earth – all you see, all you don’t see. Earth was a soup of nothingness, a bottomless emptiness, an inky blackness. God’s Spirit brooded like a bird above the watery abyss.”  (Genesis 1:1-2, MSG).

“How precious is Your faithful care, O God! Mankind shelters in the shadow of Your wings.” (Psalm 36:7, JPS).

“He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty… He will cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you will find refuge; His faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.” (Ps. 91:1,4, NIV).

“The LORD called to Moses from the mountain, saying, ‘Thus shall you say to the house of Jacob and declare to the children of Israel: You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to me…” (Exodus 19:4, JPS).

“Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings.” (Ps. 17:8, NIV).

“May the LORD repay you for what you have done. May you be richly rewarded by the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge.” (Ruth 2:12, NIV).

“Like the birds that fly, even so will the LORD of Hosts shield Jerusalem, shielding and saving, protecting and rescuing.” (Isaiah 31:5, JPS).

“Like an eagle who rouses his nestlings, gliding down to his young, so did He spread His wings and take him, and bear him along on his pinions.” / “God was like an eagle hovering over its nest, overshadowing its young, then spreading its wings, lifting them into the air, teaching them to fly.” (Deuteronomy 32:11, JPS and MSG).

“Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.” (Ps 63:7, NIV).

“For you who revere My name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings.” (Malachi 4:2, NIV).

“Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me, for I seek refuge in You, I seek refuge in the shadow of Your wings, until danger passes. I call to God Most High, to God who is good to me.”  (Ps. 57:1-2, JPS).

“Your glory always hovers over all who bow low to you.” (Ps. 85:9, TPT).

“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing.” (Luke 13:34, NIV).

NIV = New International Version; JPS = Jewish Publication Society, Tanakh; MSG – the Message; TPT = The Passion Translation.