Psalms 91:1-6

God’s Protection in Times of Crisis

1 [One who] lives in the secret place of the Most High will lodge in the shadow of Shaddai.
2 I will say to Yahweh, "[You are] my refuge and my fortress, my God [in whom] I trust."
3 For he will deliver you from [the] snare of [the] fowler, from [the] plague of destruction.
4 With his feathers he will cover you, and under his wings you can take refuge. His faithfulness [will be] a shield and a buckler.
5 You need not fear [the] terror of [the] night, [or the] arrow [that] flies by day,
6 [or the] plague [that] spreads in the darkness, [or the] destruction [that] devastates at noon.

Images for Psalms 91:1-6

Psalms 91:1-6 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 91

Jarchi and others think this psalm was written by Moses {m}, as was the preceding; but the Targum ascribes it to David; as do the Septuagint, Vulgate Latin, Syriac, Arabic, and Ethiopic versions; and very probably, as is generally thought, was penned by him on occasion of the pestilence which came upon the people, through his numbering of them, 2Sa 24:1. The person all along spoken of, and to, according to the Targum, is Solomon his son; and, according to the title in the Syriac version, King Hezekiah, so Theodoret, who is called the son of David; neither of which are probable. Some think the Messiah is meant; and that the psalm contains promises of protection and safety to him, as man, from diseases, beasts of prey, evil spirits, and wicked men, under the care of angels; and this not because that Satan has applied one of these promises to him, Mt 4:6, but because they seem better to agree with him than with any other: and one part of the title of the psalm, in the Syriac version, runs thus,

``and spiritually it is called the victory of the Messiah, and of everyone that is perfected by him.''

It seems best to understand it of every godly man, who is always safe under the divine protection. The Talmudisis {n} call it Myegp ryv, "a song of the occursions", or "meetings with evil spirits."

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Footnotes 4

  • [a]. Or "shelter"
  • [b]. Often translated "the Almighty," this is perhaps better understood as "[God of the] Mountain"
  • [c]. Hebrew "he, he will deliver" is perhaps emphatic, "He will certainly deliver"
  • [d]. That is, a small, round shield, or perhaps a surrounding bulwark
Scripture quotations marked (LEB) are from the Lexham English Bible. Copyright 2012 Logos Bible Software. Lexham is a registered trademark of Logos Bible Software.