Psalms 91

1 psalmus cantici in die sabbati

2 bonum est confiteri Domino et psallere nomini tuo Altissime

3 ad adnuntiandum mane misericordiam tuam et veritatem tuam per noctem

4 in decacordo psalterio cum cantico in cithara

5 quia delectasti me Domine in factura tua et in operibus manuum tuarum exultabo

6 quam magnificata sunt opera tua Domine nimis profundae factae sunt cogitationes tuae

7 vir insipiens non cognoscet et stultus non intelleget haec

8 cum exorti fuerint peccatores sicut faenum et apparuerint omnes qui operantur iniquitatem ut intereant in saeculum %saeculi;

9 tu autem Altissimus in aeternum Domine

10 *quoniam ecce inimici tui Domine; quoniam ecce inimici tui peribunt et dispergentur omnes qui operantur iniquitatem

11 et exaltabitur sicut unicornis cornu meum et senectus mea in misericordia uberi

12 et despexit oculus meus inimicis meis et insurgentibus in me malignantibus audiet auris mea

13 iustus ut palma florebit ut cedrus Libani multiplicabitur

14 plantati in domo Domini in atriis Dei nostri florebunt

15 adhuc multiplicabuntur in senecta uberi et bene patientes erunt

16 ut adnuntient quoniam rectus Dominus Deus noster et non est iniquitas in eo

Psalms 91 Commentary

Chapter 91

The safety of those who have God for their refuge. (1-8) Their favour with Him. (9-16)

Verses 1-8 He that by faith chooses God for his protector, shall find all in him that he needs or can desire. And those who have found the comfort of making the Lord their refuge, cannot but desire that others may do so. The spiritual life is protected by Divine grace from the temptations of Satan, which are as the snares of the fowler, and from the contagion of sin, which is a noisome pestilence. Great security is promised to believers in the midst of danger. Wisdom shall keep them from being afraid without cause, and faith shall keep them from being unduly afraid. Whatever is done, our heavenly Father's will is done; and we have no reason to fear. God's people shall see, not only God's promises fulfilled, but his threatenings. Then let sinners come unto the Lord upon his mercy-seat, through the Redeemer's name; and encourage others to trust in him also.

Verses 9-16 Whatever happens, nothing shall hurt the believer; though trouble and affliction befal, it shall come, not for his hurt, but for good, though for the present it be not joyous but grievous. Those who rightly know God, will set their love upon him. They by prayer constantly call upon him. His promise is, that he will in due time deliver the believer out of trouble, and in the mean time be with him in trouble. The Lord will manage all his worldly concerns, and preserve his life on earth, so long as it shall be good for him. For encouragement in this he looks unto Jesus. He shall live long enough; till he has done the work he was sent into this world for, and is ready for heaven. Who would wish to live a day longer than God has some work to do, either by him or upon him? A man may die young, yet be satisfied with living. But a wicked man is not satisfied even with long life. At length the believer's conflict ends; he has done for ever with trouble, sin, and temptation.

Chapter Summary

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."