Psaume 91:3-13

3 Car c'est lui qui te délivre du filet de l'oiseleur, De la peste et de ses ravages.

4 Il te couvrira de ses plumes, Et tu trouveras un refuge sous ses ailes; Sa fidélité est un bouclier et une cuirasse.

5 Tu ne craindras ni les terreurs de la nuit, Ni la flèche qui vole de jour,

6 Ni la peste qui marche dans les ténèbres, Ni la contagion qui frappe en plein midi.

7 Que mille tombent à ton côté, Et dix mille à ta droite, Tu ne seras pas atteint;

8 De tes yeux seulement tu regarderas, Et tu verras la rétribution des méchants.

9 Car tu es mon refuge, ô Eternel! Tu fais du Très-Haut ta retraite.

10 Aucun malheur ne t'arrivera, Aucun fléau n'approchera de ta tente.

11 Car il ordonnera à ses anges De te garder dans toutes tes voies;

12 Ils te porteront sur les mains, De peur que ton pied ne heurte contre une pierre.

13 Tu marcheras sur le lion et sur l'aspic, Tu fouleras le lionceau et le dragon.

Psaume 91:3-13 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."