Psalm 91
1He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. 2I will say of Yahweh, “He is my refuge and my fortress; my God, in whom I trust.” 3For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler, and from the deadly pestilence. 4He will cover you with his feathers. Under his wings you will take refuge. His faithfulness is your shield and rampart. 5You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, nor of the arrow that flies by day, 6nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, nor of the destruction that wastes at noonday. 7A thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand; but it will not come near you. 8You will only look with your eyes, and see the recompense of the wicked. 9Because you have made Yahweh your refuge, and the Most High your dwelling place, 10no evil shall happen to you, neither shall any plague come near your dwelling. 11For he will put his angels in charge of you, to guard you in all your ways. 12They will bear you up in their hands, so that you won’t dash your foot against a stone. 13You will tread on the lion and cobra. You will trample the young lion and the serpent underfoot. 14“Because he has set his love on me, therefore I will deliver him. I will set him on high, because he has known my name. 15He will call on me, and I will answer him. I will be with him in trouble. I will deliver him, and honor him. 16I will satisfy him with long life, and show him my salvation.”
Introduction
Psalms 91
Some of the ancients were of opinion that Moses was the penman, not only of the foregoing psalm, which is expressly said to be his, but also of the eight that next follow it; but that cannot be, for Psa 95:1-11 is expressly said to be penned by David, and long after Moses, Heb 4:7. It is probable that this psalm also was penned by David; it is a writ of protection for all true believers, not in the name of king David, or under his broad seal; he needed it himself, especially if the psalm was penned, as some conjecture it was, at the time of the pestilence which was sent for his numbering the people; but in the name of the King of kings, and under the broad seal of Heaven. Observe, I. The psalmist's own resolution to take God for his keeper (Psa 91:2), from which he gives both direction and encouragement to others (Psa 91:9). II. The promises which are here made, in God's name, to all those that do so in sincerity. 1. They shall be taken under the peculiar care of Heaven (Psa 91:1, Psa 91:4). 2. They shall be delivered from the malice of the powers of darkness (Psa 91:3, Psa 91:5, Psa 91:6), and that by a distinguishing preservation (Psa 91:7, Psa 91:8). 3. They shall be the charge of the holy angels (Psa 91:10-12). 4. They shall triumph over their enemies (Psa 91:13). 5. They shall be the special favourites of God himself (Psa 91:14-16). In singing this we must shelter ourselves under, and then solace ourselves in, the divine protection. Many think that to Christ, as Mediator, these promises do primarily belong (Isa 49:2), not because to him the devil applied one of these promises (Mat 4:6), but because to him they are very applicable, and, coming through him, they are more sweet and sure to all believers.
Cross-references: Ps 95:1 · Heb 4:7 · Ps 91:2 · Ps 91:9 · Ps 91:1 · Ps 91:4 · Ps 91:3 · Ps 91:5 · Ps 91:6 · Ps 91:7 · Ps 91:8 · Ps 91:10 · Ps 91:13 · Ps 91:14 · Isa 49:2 · Matt 4:6