91 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
2 I will say1 to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust.”
3 For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler
and from the deadly pestilence.
4 He will cover you with his pinions,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.
5 You will not fear the terror of the night,
nor the arrow that flies by day,
6 nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness,
nor the destruction that wastes at noonday.
7 A thousand may fall at your side,
ten thousand at your right hand,
but it will not come near you.
8 You will only look with your eyes
and see the recompense of the wicked.
9 Because you have made the Lord your dwelling place—
the Most High, who is my refuge2—
10 no evil shall be allowed to befall you,
no plague come near your tent.
11 For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways.
12 On their hands they will bear you up,
lest you strike your foot against a stone.
13 You will tread on the lion and the adder;
the young lion and the serpent you will trample underfoot.
14 “Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him;
I will protect him, because he knows my name.
15 When he calls to me, I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble;
I will rescue him and honor him.
16 With long life I will satisfy him
and show him my salvation.”
Section Overview
This tender and intimate psalm describes, and therefore nurtures, the confidence that the believer may have through all manner of dangers and challenges. The psalm speaks of the faithful person as “he” (vv. 1, 14–16), addresses him directly as “you” (singular; vv. 3–13), and gives him words to say as “I” (v. 2). Some have suggested that all of these are Israel’s speaking as a whole, but the situations in view in the psalm (e.g., pestilence, vv. 3, 6; terrors by night and arrows, v. 5; one’s fellows falling, v. 7) are those faced primarily by particular persons. On the other hand, some have supposed that the individual here is specifically the king. Of course, Israel as a whole, as well as its king, finds refuge in God and is covered by the divine wings, but the nation’s members see this in their own lives as well.
After an initial declaration of trust (vv. 1–2), the psalm comprises three sections introduced by the Hebrew word ki (“for” or “because,” according to context).
Section Outline
I. God Is My Refuge (91:1–2)
II. He Will Protect You from Danger (91:3–8)
III. His Angels Will Watch Over You (91:9–13)
IV. Because He Loves Me, I Will Deliver Him (91:14–16)
The psalm uses several similar terms to highlight its themes. For example, God provides a “shelter,” “shadow,” and “refuge and . . . fortress “(vv. 1–2; cf vv. 4, 9). Three common synonyms for “rescue”/“deliver” also appear (vv. 3, 14, 15). This repetition reinforces the confidence the faithful may claim.
Response
As a psalm of confidence this song has the purpose of strengthening the trust and endurance of the faithful. In particular, Psalm 91 is especially fitted for a time in which members of the worshiping congregation are under duress, such as persecution or the suffering that comes from divine judgment on an unfaithful community.
The words of the song minister to those who face such troubles, addressing them directly; they also serve all the members of the congregation, inviting them to reflect on their own experiences of trouble and deliverance.
For responsible appropriation of the psalms, those singing Psalm 91 should take to heart the observations made here (cf. comment on 91:3–8) of how the context in view is one of God’s judgment on the wicked, which will nonetheless spare the faithful.Psalm 91
Psalm 92