Psalm 91:11-16

11 ¹For he will command his ²angels concerning you to ³guard you in all your ways.

12 On their hands they will bear you up, lest you ⁴strike your foot against a stone.

13 You will tread on ⁵the lion and the ⁶adder; the young lion and ⁷the serpent you will ⁸trample underfoot.

14 “Because he ⁹holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him; I will protect him, because he ¹⁰knows my name.

15 When he ¹¹calls to me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and ¹²honor him.

16 With ¹³long life I will satisfy him and ¹⁴show him my salvation. ”

Psalm 91:11-16 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."

Cross References

• 1. 91:11 Cited Matt. 4:6; Luke 4:10, 11
• 2. 91:11 See Ps. 34:7
• 3. 91:11 Ex. 23:20
• 4. 91:12 Prov. 3:23; [Ps. 37:24]
• 5. 91:13 [Dan. 6:23]
• 6. 91:13 [Acts 28:5]
• 7. 91:13 See Ps. 74:13
• 8. 91:13 Luke 10:19; [Mark 16:18]
• 9. 91:14 Deut. 7:7; 10:15
• 10. 91:14 Ps. 9:10
• 11. 91:15 Job 12:4; See Ps. 50:15
• 12. 91:15 1 Sam. 2:30; John 12:26
• 13. 91:16 Ps. 21:4; Deut. 6:2; 1 Kgs. 3:14; Prov. 3:2, 16
• 14. 91:16 Ps. 50:23; [Ps. 118:14, 21]