"Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night."-Psalm 91:5

What is this terror? It may be the cry of fire, or the noise of
thieves, or fancied appearances, or the shriek of sudden sickness or death. We
live in the world of death and sorrow, we may therefore look for ills
as well in the night-watches as beneath the glare of he broiling sun.
Nor should this alarm us, for be the terror what it may, the promise is
that the believer shall not be afraid. Why should he? Let us put it more
closely, why should we? God our Father is here, and will be here all
through the lonely hours; He is an almighty Watcher, a sleepless
Guardian, a faithful Friend. Nothing can happen without His direction, for even
hell itself is under His control. Darkness is not dark to Him. He has
promised to be a wall of fire around His people-and who can break
through such a barrier? Worldlings may well be afraid, for they have an angry
God above them, a guilty conscience within them, and a yawning hell
beneath them; but we who rest in Jesus are saved from all these t!
hrough rich mercy. If we give way to foolish fear we shall dishonour
our profession, and lead others to doubt the reality of godliness. We
ought to be afraid of being afraid, lest we should vex the Holy Spirit by
foolish distrust. Down, then, ye dismal forebodings and groundless
apprehensions, God has not forgotten to be gracious, nor shut up His tender
mercies, it may be night in the soul, but there need be no terror, for
the God of love changes not. Children of light may walk in darkness,
but they are not therefore cast away, nay, they are now enabled to prove
their adoption by trusting in their heavenly Father as hypocrites
cannot do.

"Though the night be dark and dreary,
Darkness cannot hide from Thee;
Thou art He, who, never weary,
Watchest where Thy people be."