Psalms 91:7-16

7 There fall at thy side a thousand, And a myriad at thy right hand, Unto thee it cometh not nigh.

8 But with thine eyes thou lookest, And the reward of the wicked thou seest,

9 (For Thou, O Jehovah, [art] my refuge,) The Most High thou madest thy habitation.

10 Evil happeneth not unto thee, And a plague cometh not near thy tent,

11 For His messengers He chargeth for thee, To keep thee in all thy ways,

12 On the hands they bear thee up, Lest thou smite against a stone thy foot.

13 On lion and asp thou treadest, Thou trampest young lion and dragon.

14 Because in Me he hath delighted, I also deliver him -- I set him on high, Because he hath known My name.

15 He doth call Me, and I answer him, I [am] with him in distress, I deliver him, and honour him.

16 With length of days I satisfy him, And I cause him to look on My salvation!

Psalms 91:7-16 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."