Psalms 91:1-11

1 Happy is he whose resting-place is in the secret of the Lord, and under the shade of the wings of the Most High;

2 Who says of the Lord, He is my safe place and my tower of strength: he is my God, in whom is my hope.

3 He will take you out of the bird-net, and keep you safe from wasting disease.

4 You will be covered by his feathers; under his wings you will be safe: his good faith will be your salvation.

5 You will have no fear of the evil things of the night, or of the arrow in flight by day,

6 Or of the disease which takes men in the dark, or of the destruction which makes waste when the sun is high.

7 You will see a thousand falling by your side, and ten thousand at your right hand; but it will not come near you.

8 Only with your eyes will you see the reward of the evil-doers.

9 Because you have said, I am in the hands of the Lord, the Most High is my safe resting-place;

10 No evil will come on you, and no disease will come near your tent.

11 For he will give you into the care of his angels to keep you wherever you go.

Psalms 91:1-11 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."