Salmos 91

1 Salmo 91
Los que viven al amparo del Altísimo
encontrarán descanso a la sombra del Todopoderoso.

2 Declaro lo siguiente acerca del Señor
:
Solo él es mi refugio, mi lugar seguro;
él es mi Dios y en él confío.

3 Te rescatará de toda trampa
y te protegerá de enfermedades mortales.

4 Con sus plumas te cubrirá
y con sus alas te dará refugio.
Sus fieles promesas son tu armadura y tu protección.

5 No tengas miedo de los terrores de la noche
ni de la flecha que se lanza en el día.

6 No temas a la enfermedad que acecha en la oscuridad,
ni a la catástrofe que estalla al mediodía.

7 Aunque caigan mil a tu lado,
aunque mueran diez mil a tu alrededor,
esos males no te tocarán.

8 Simplemente abre tus ojos
y mira cómo los perversos reciben su merecido.

9 Si haces al Señor
tu refugio
y al Altísimo tu resguardo,

10 ningún mal te conquistará;
ninguna plaga se acercará a tu hogar.

11 Pues él ordenará a sus ángeles
que te protejan por donde vayas.

12 Te sostendrán con sus manos
para que ni siquiera te lastimes el pie con una piedra.

13 Pisotearás leones y cobras;
¡aplastarás feroces leones y serpientes bajo tus pies!

14 El Señor
dice: «Rescataré a los que me aman;
protegeré a los que confían en mi nombre.

15 Cuando me llamen, yo les responderé;
estaré con ellos en medio de las dificultades.
Los rescataré y los honraré.

16 Los recompensaré con una larga vida
y les daré mi salvación».

Salmos 91 Commentary

Chapter 91

The safety of those who have God for their refuge. (1-8) Their favour with Him. (9-16)

Verses 1-8 He that by faith chooses God for his protector, shall find all in him that he needs or can desire. And those who have found the comfort of making the Lord their refuge, cannot but desire that others may do so. The spiritual life is protected by Divine grace from the temptations of Satan, which are as the snares of the fowler, and from the contagion of sin, which is a noisome pestilence. Great security is promised to believers in the midst of danger. Wisdom shall keep them from being afraid without cause, and faith shall keep them from being unduly afraid. Whatever is done, our heavenly Father's will is done; and we have no reason to fear. God's people shall see, not only God's promises fulfilled, but his threatenings. Then let sinners come unto the Lord upon his mercy-seat, through the Redeemer's name; and encourage others to trust in him also.

Verses 9-16 Whatever happens, nothing shall hurt the believer; though trouble and affliction befal, it shall come, not for his hurt, but for good, though for the present it be not joyous but grievous. Those who rightly know God, will set their love upon him. They by prayer constantly call upon him. His promise is, that he will in due time deliver the believer out of trouble, and in the mean time be with him in trouble. The Lord will manage all his worldly concerns, and preserve his life on earth, so long as it shall be good for him. For encouragement in this he looks unto Jesus. He shall live long enough; till he has done the work he was sent into this world for, and is ready for heaven. Who would wish to live a day longer than God has some work to do, either by him or upon him? A man may die young, yet be satisfied with living. But a wicked man is not satisfied even with long life. At length the believer's conflict ends; he has done for ever with trouble, sin, and temptation.

Chapter Summary

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."