Psalms 91:10-16

10 Nothing bad will happen to you; no disaster will come to your home.

11 He has put his angels in charge of you to watch over you wherever you go.

12 They will catch you in their hands so that you will not hit your foot on a rock.

13 You will walk on lions and cobras; you will step on strong lions and snakes.

14 The Lord says, "Whoever loves me, I will save. I will protect those who know me.

15 They will call to me, and I will answer them. I will be with them in trouble; I will rescue them and honor them.

16 I will give them a long, full life, and they will see how I can save." A psalm. A song for the Sabbath day.

Psalms 91:10-16 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."