How precious is your unfailing love, O God! All humanity finds shelter in the shadow of your wings. Psalms 36:7 (NLT)
Just as there are physical elements including cold, heat, wind, wetness and dryness, that we need to be sheltered from, there are also likewise unseen mental, emotional, and spiritual elements that we need to be sheltered from.
The Lord is our shelter, He’s our protective shade against all the elements that would wear, tear, erode, weaken, harm or waste us.
Psalms 121:5-6 (NLT) 5The Lord himself watches over you! The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade. 6The sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon at night.
In the parable of the sower Jesus explained that the sun that came up and scorched the plant of the seed that was sown on rocky ground is the troubles and persecution that arise on account of the Word.-See Matthew 13:5, 6, 20, 21.
Therefore the Lord as our shelter or protective shade, so that the sun doesn’t harm us by day nor the moon by night means no trouble or persecution will hurt or consume us at any time, whether we are awake or asleep, whether we are aware of it or unaware of it.
Psalms 121:7-8 (NLT) The Lord keeps you from all harm and watches over your life. The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go, both now and forever.
There are troubles or suffering and persecution in this world on account of siding with and following Jesus. There’s first the misunderstanding from those who reject the Lord, then the hatred and then the outright attack to inflict harm and destruction on believers. These are the elements from the evil one that the Lord Himself shelters us from.
The Lord Jesus Himself told us:
John 16:33 (AMPC) I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace and confidence. In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]! For I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you.] The Lord is our shelter right in the midst of and against the elements of being misunderstood, rejection from people, hatred, tribulation, trials, distress, and frustration. Thanks be to the Lord our shelter, our protective shade.