Psalms 91

Psalms 91AN amplification of the theme, that God is the dwelling-place and refuge of his people. This and other points of contact with the Prayer of Moses seem to mark it as an imitation of that psalm, and thereby account for its position in the Psalter. The most remarkable peculiarity of form in the psalm before us is the frequent change and alternation of the persons. The only division which can well be made is that into two stanzas or strophes, supposed to be marked by the recurrence in Psalms 91:9 to the theme propounded in Psalms 91:1.

1. (Psalms 91:1) Sitting (or dwelling) in the secret place of the Most High, in the shadow of the Almighty he is lodged. The common version seems to make this an identical proposition, amounting really to this, that he whom God protects is protected by him. To avoid this, some make the whole verse a mere description of the person speaking in the next verse, and as this seems to be forbidden by the use of the first person there, they either make an arbitrary change of pointing for , or suppose a sudden change of person, as in other parts of this same psalm. Better than either of these constructions is a third, which makes the parallel clauses of this first verse descriptive of an ideal person, with whom the speaker is then tacitly identified. As if he had said, “happy the man who dwells,” etc., and then added, “such is my condition; I can say,” &c. For the figure of a secret place or covert, see above, on Psalms 27:5; Psalms 31:20; Psalms 32:7; for that of a shadow, on Psalms 17:8; Psalms 36:7; Psalms 57:1.

The divine titles, Highest and Almighty, suggest the reason of this perfect safety. The latter is the patriarchal title mentioned in Exodus 6:3, where it is combined with a more familiar name denoting the same attribute. The last verb is strictly a reflective, and as such means to take up one’s lodgings, to domesticate one’s self, implying a voluntary choice more clearly than the primitive verb, as used above, in Psalms 25:13; Psalms 30:5; Psalms 49:12.

2. (Psalms 91:2) I will say to Jehovah, My refuge and my fortress, my God, I will trust in him. The first verb, while it expresses purpose or determination, includes both a present and potential meaning. I can say, I have reason and a right to say; and I do (habitually) say. In order to avoid another change of person, the common version and some others read of the Lord, which is admissible but needless. See above, on Psalms 3:2. Compare the other figures here used to denote divine protection with those in Psalms 18:2; Psalms 71:7. In the last clause, I will trust in him, there may seem to be another sudden change of person; but these words are really equivalent to a relative construction, in whom I trust, and may therefore be used even in a direct address.

3. (Psalms 91:3) For lo, he will free thee from the .fowler’s snare, from the plague of mischiefs. The confiding soul is now addressed directly in the tone of promise. The supposition of responsive choirs is a gratuitous refinement. The fowler’s snare is a figure for insidious and complicated dangers. See above, on Psalms 18:5, and below, on Psalms 124:7, and compare 2 Timothy 2:26. The parallelism requires plague or pestilence to be taken as a metaphor, no less than snare. Both probably denote dangers arising from the craft of wicked enemies, to which the word translated mischiefs is peculiarly appropriate. See above, on Psalms 5:9; Psalms 52:2; Psalms 52:7; Psalms 57:1.

4. (Psalms 91:4) With his pinion he will cover thee, and under his wings thou shalt find shelter; shield and buckler (is) his truth. Compare the figure of an eagle, Deuteronomy 32:11. For the meaning of the first noun, see above, on Psalms 68:13. Cover thee, literally cover (or provide a covering) for thee. Find shelter or take refuge, see above on Psalms 2:12. The word translated buckler is properly a participle, and means surrounding. See above, on Psalms 35:2.

5. (Psalms 91:5) Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night, for the arrow (that) flies by day. Shalt not fear, i.e. shalt have no reason for alarm. Terror by night, literally of night, i.e. nightly or nocturnal tenor. There is no need of restricting this expression to any particular form of danger or distress, since all are usually aggravated by their occurrence in the night. Should any specific sense be put upon the figure of an arrow, from analogy and usage, it would be that of human enmity. See above, on Psalms 58:7. The Hebrew preposition, in both clauses, properly means from, i.e. arising or proceeding from, occasioned by, in consequence of, something else.

6. (Psalms 91:6) For the plague (that) in darkness walks, for the pestilence (that) wastes at noon. Here the words are to be taken in their proper sense, and not as in Psalms 91:3, where they are figures for a different kind of danger, or for danger in the general.

7. (Psalms 91:7) There shall fall at thy side a thousand, and a myriad at thy right hand; to thee it shall not come nigh. This is equivalent to saying in our idiom, though a thousand fall, etc., which, however, would not be an exact translation, as it substitutes a hypothetical for an affirmative proposition, For the double sense and usage of the word translated myriad, see above, on Psalms 3:6, and compare the cognate form, Psalms 68:17. Myriad represents the original term better than ten thousand, because it is wholly different, in form and etymology, from that translated thousand.

8. (Psalms 91:8) Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold, and the recompence of wicked (men) see. The only puts mere sight in opposition to experience or participation. Compare Deuteronomy 32:35; Deuteronomy 32:41. As usual in such cases, it is implied that the destruction of the wicked and deliverance of the righteous, will be coincident and simultaneous. See below, on Psalms 92:11.

9. (Psalms 91:9) For thou, Jehovah, (art) my refuge. The Most High hast thou made thy home (or habitation). The construction adopted in the English Bible is a forced one, only assumed in order to avoid the enallage or sudden change of person, which, however, is characteristic of this psalm. Equally needless and objectionable is the supposition of responsive choirs.

10. (Psalms 91:10) There shall not happen to thee (any) evil, and a stroke shall not approach into thy tent. The first verb is a causative passive, and strictly means, shall not be suffered or allowed to happen. Evil, i.e. natural evil, suffering or distress. The word translated stroke is very commonly applied to God’s strokes or afflictive judgments. See above, on Psalms 38:11; Psalms 39:10. Into thy tent is an expression apparently intended to qualify the promise, which might otherwise have seemed too absolute and inconsistent with the context, from which we learn that danger was to draw nigh, even to the righteous, but not so as actually to enter his tent, and take up its abode with him.

11. (Psalms 91:11) For his angels he will charge concerning thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. The plural angels shews that there is no allusion to a guardian spirit attending the individual believer, but merely to the angels collectively, as ministering spirits, the instrumental agents of God’s providential care overhis people. See Hebrews 1:14. The promise here given does not extend to dangers rashly incurred or presumptuously sought, and was therefore no justification of the act to which our Lord was tempted by the devil, Matthew 4:6. That the mere omission of the phrase in all thy ways was a part of the temptation, seems to be a gratuitous refinement, as our Lord himself makes no such charge; as the first words of the sentence would of course suggest the rest; and as ways, in the usage of the Psalms, does not mean ways of duty, but the ways in which a man is led by providence. Neither the tempter’s argument nor our Lord’s reply to it would be at all affected by the introduction of the words suppressed.

12. (Psalms 91:15) Upon (their) hands shall they bear thee, lest thou strike against the stone thy foot. The dual form, denoting both hands, might be regarded as emphatic and suggestive of peculiar care; but the Hebrew noun has no other plural form in common use. A smooth path and unimpeded walk is a common figure for prosperity and safety. Compare Proverbs 3:23.

13. (Psalms 91:13) On lion and adder thou shalt tread; thou shalt trample young lion and dragon. These are commonly supposed to be strong figures for the two kinds of danger from which men need protection, open violence and secret treachery. The last word denotes a serpent, as in Exodus 7:9. The specific meaning of the parallel term is unimportant. The young lion (not the lion’s whelp) is mentioned as peculiarly fierce and greedy. See above, on Psalms 17:12; Psalms 34:11; Psalms 35:17. From this verse our Lord derived the terms in which he promised protection to his followers, Luke 10:19.

14. (Psalms 91:14) For he has set his love upon me, and I will rescue him; I will set him on high because he knows my name. The first verb is a very strong expression for the warmest and most violent attachment, corresponding in part with our idiomatic phrase to fall in love, and followed by a kindred preposition. It seems to be here used to describe God as an object of supreme devotion to the true believer. Rescue him, cause him to escape. Set him on high, i.e. beyond the reach of danger. See above, on Psalms 18:2; Psalms 18:48; Psalms 20:1; Psalms 59:1; Psalms 69:29. Knows my name, has already experienced my goodness and seen the evidence of my perfections. See above, on Psalms 5:11; Psalms 9:10.

15. (Psalms 91:15) He shall call me and I will answer him. With him (am) I in trouble. I will deliver him and honour him. The meaning of the first clause is essentially the same as if he had said, when he calls I will answer, but with much more directness and force in the expression. Calls me to his aid, invokes me, prays to me. Answer him by granting his request, the idea commonlyconveyed by the Hebrew verb here used.

See above, on Psalms 3:4. The futures have their proper sense, as this is a direct and formal promise. I will be with him would have been expressed in the same manner; but I am with him is still stronger, for it describes God as already present for the protection and deliverance of his people. Deliver him, extricate him from his embarrassments and dangers; and lest the promise should be thought to ensure mere safety, it is added, I will honour him, procure for him the respect of others by shelving that I favour him myself.

16. (Psalms 91:16) (With) length of days will I satisfy him, and will shew him my salvation. With the first clause compare Exodus 20:12, Deuteronomy 5:16, Psalms 23:6. Satisfy or satiate, i.e. abundantly supply and fully gratify his largest wishes. With the last clause compare Ps. 1. 23, where we have the same idiomatic construction of the verb to see with the preposition in, meaning to behold with strong emotion, and especially, emotion of a pleasurable kind. For a different application of the same phrase, see above, on Psalms 37:34. In the last three verses, God is himself the speaker, although not expressly so announced. See above, on Psalms 46:10; Psalms 75:2-3; Psalms 87:4.