Psalm 91:1

Psalm 91 opens with a condition and a result. Dwelling is continuous, not occasional: the secret place is a habit of nearness, and abiding under the shadow follows from it.

The psalm goes on to describe protection in vivid terms — pestilence, arrows, snares — and ends with God speaking in the first person. The protection promised is tied throughout to relationship, which is why verse 1 sets the terms for everything after it.