We have been discussing a selection of pesukim that the Maharal refers to as Pesukei Hisayon/Pesukim of refuge. It seems that there's a certain mindset that the Maharal wants us to have, of refuge, as we will explain. אֹמַ֗ר לַ֭יהֹוָה מַחְסִ֣י וּמְצוּדָתִ֑י אֱ֝לֹהַ֗י אֶבְטַח־בּֽוֹ׃ You say to Hashem, you are my refuge. You are my fortress, my God that I rely on The Midrash Yalkut Shemoni says that in this chapter of Tehilim (91,2), David Hamelech says two things. -Number one, whenever a problem comes to me, I run to God's fortress , as it says, Nivla La B’Yad Hashem. It's ,like lo alenu , when there are bombs falling in Israel, and you run to a Miklat/shelter and that's your safe spot. David Hamelech uses this vivid example to teach us that for any problem that you have, there is a shelter. Another explanation of this pasuk is that there is this cell , or area , and whenever I have a problem or an enemy, I can put that problem or challenge in that cell and lock it up. Those are the two graphic explanations. The Rambam’s son, Rabbi Avraham, in his sefer Maspik L’Ovdei Hashem , in his chapter on bitachon, discusses two types of danger- one is health-related disease, and the other is what he calls Sakanot Mikreot/dangerous unexpected occurrences such as strong storms, mudslides, hurricanes, tornadoes earthquakes, war and all of what he calls Etaneh HaTeva / strong forces of nature. Those are the two basic categories of danger: sickness, and all kinds of natural disasters, floods and all the like. Where does bitachon come in? Rabi Avraham ben HaRambam says that you have to realize that everything is controlled by Hashem, of course. And he adds, Remember the guarantees of this pasuk. Remember the words of David Hamelech who says, אֹמַ֗ר לַ֭יהֹוָה מַחְסִ֣י וּמְצוּדָתִ֑י You are my refuge and You are my fortress. Rabbi Avraham says this is a pasuk to have on your mouth. When you're driving and there's a terrible storm and you can't see a foot ahead of you say, אֹמַ֗ר לַ֭יהֹוָה מַחְסִ֣י וּמְצוּדָתִ֑י אֱ֝לֹהַ֗י אֶבְטַח־בּֽוֹ׃ I say to God, You are my shelter. You are my fortress. My God that I rely on But it takes practice. Lehavdil , before the soldiers recently rescued the four hostages in their daring act in the middle of Rafah, they practiced, and went through many different dry runs until they were ready to do it. So too, we have to practice these lines. They aren’t that difficult: Omar L’Hashem/I say to God Machsi Umsudati/You are my refuge and my fortress, Elohai Evtach Bo/ my God that I rely on. The Shelah HaKadosh on Parashat Shekalim explains this chapter and makes a nuance. He says, it starts off saying אֹמַ֗ר לַ֭יהֹוָה מַחְסִ֣י / Omar L’Hashem Machsi using the name of Hashem that symbolizes mercy . So I tell Hashem, that in the name of mercy , Machsi Umsudati/You are my fortress and my refuge. But nothing has happened to me yet. I can still use Hashem's mercy to protect me, so that nothing should happen. That's the first level. But what happens when something does happen? We say Elohai (indicating Middat HaDin, God's judgment), Evtach Bo/ I'll rely on Him- even after the problem. I'm no longer at the level of refuge and protection. The problem is here, but I'll rely on Him to get me out of the problem. Even when it's justice , Elohai , He's my God , I know that He's doing it for me and that it’s what's best for me. And then I'll rely on Him to get me out of it. It might have been what I needed right now, but that doesn't mean it’s what I need in another minute from now. This is an important pasuk from the important chapter (91) of Yoshev B’Seter Elyon. . practice and practice. Practice makes perfect.