Psalms 91:1-9

1 He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

2 I will say of Yahweh, "He is 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 deadly pestilence.

4 He will cover you with his pinions. Under his wings you will take refuge. His truth is a shield and a buckler.

5 You will not be afraid of the terror by night, Nor of the arrow that flies by day;

6 Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, Nor of the destruction that wastes at noonday.

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

8 You will only look with your eyes, And see the reward of the wicked.

9 For you, Yahweh, are my refuge! You have made the Most High your habitation.

Psalms 91:1-9 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."