Psalms 91:1-10

1 Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.^[a]

2 I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”

3 Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence.

4 He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.

5 You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day,

6 nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday.

7 A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you.

8 You will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked.

9 If you say, “The LORD is my refuge,” and you make the Most High your dwelling,

10 no harm will overtake you, no disaster will come near your tent.

Psalms 91:1-10 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."

Cross References

• 1. S Exodus 33:22; Psalms 31:20
• 2. Psalms 63:7; Isaiah 49:2; Lamentations 4:20; Psalms 17:8
• 3. ver 9; S 2 Samuel 22:3; Psalms 9:9; Psalms 142:5
• 4. S 2 Samuel 22:2
• 5. Psalms 124:7; Proverbs 6:5
• 6. 1 Kings 8:37
• 7. S Ruth 2:12; Psalms 17:8
• 8. S Deuteronomy 32:10; Psalms 35:2; Isaiah 27:3; Isaiah 31:5; Zechariah 12:8
• 9. S Job 5:21
• 10. Psalms 37:34; S Psalms 58:10; Malachi 1:5
• 11. Proverbs 12:21

Footnotes

• [a]. Hebrew "Shaddai"