Psalm 91[a] Security Under God’s Protection
I
1 You who dwell in the shelter of the Most High, [b]
who abide in the
shade of the Almighty,
2 Say to the Lord, “My refuge and fortress,
my God in whom I
trust.”
3 He will rescue you from the fowler’s snare,
from the destroying
plague,
4 He will shelter you with his pinions,
and under his
wings you may take refuge;
his faithfulness
is a protecting shield.
5 You shall not fear the terror of the night
nor the arrow that
flies by day,
6 Nor the pestilence that roams in darkness,
nor the plague
that ravages at noon.
7 Though a thousand fall at your side,
ten thousand at
your right hand,
near you it shall
not come.
8 You need simply watch;
the punishment of
the wicked you will see.
9 Because you have the Lord for your refuge
and have made the
Most High your stronghold,
10 No evil shall befall you,
no affliction come
near your tent.
11 [c] For he commands his angels with regard to you,
to guard you
wherever you go.
12 With their hands they shall support you,
lest you strike
your foot against a stone.
13 You can tread upon the asp and the viper,
trample the lion
and the dragon.
II
14 Because he clings to me I will deliver him;
because he knows
my name I will set him on high.
15 He will call upon me and I will answer;
I will be with him
in distress;
I will deliver him
and give him honor.
16 With length of days I will satisfy him,
and fill him with
my saving power.
NOTES:
Psalm 91 A prayer of someone who has taken refuge in the
Lord, possibly within the Temple (Ps 91:1–2).
The psalmist is confident that
God’s presence will protect the people in every dangerous situation (Ps
91:3–13).
The final verses are an oracle of salvation promising salvation to
those who trust in God (Ps 91:14–16).
91:1 The shelter of the Most High: basically “hiding place”
but in the Psalms a designation for the protected Temple precincts, cf. Ps
27:5; 31:21; 61:5. The shade of the Almighty: lit., “the shadow of the wings of
the Almighty,” cf. Ps 17:8; 36:8; 57:2; 63:8. Ps 91:4 makes clear that the
shadow is an image of the safety afforded by the outstretched wings of the
cherubim in the holy of holies.
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