Psalms 91 - ESV - Bible Reading / Study Notes

Psalm 91

My Refuge and My Fortress

91:1   He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
    will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
2   I will say¹ to the LORD, “My refuge and my fortress,
    my God, in whom I trust.”
3   For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler
    and from the deadly pestilence.
4   He will cover you with his pinions,
    and under his wings you will find refuge;
    his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.
5   You will not fear the terror of the night,
    nor the arrow that flies by day,
6   nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness,
    nor the destruction that wastes at noonday.
7   A thousand may fall at your side,
    ten thousand at your right hand,
    but it will not come near you.
8   You will only look with your eyes
    and see the recompense of the wicked.
9   Because you have made the LORD your dwelling place—
    the Most High, who is my refuge²—
10   no evil shall be allowed to befall you,
    no plague come near your tent.
11   For he will command his angels concerning you
    to guard you in all your ways.
12   On their hands they will bear you up,
    lest you strike your foot against a stone.
13   You will tread on the lion and the adder;
    the young lion and the serpent you will trample underfoot.
14   “Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him;
    I will protect him, because he knows my name.
15   When he calls to me, I will answer him;
    I will be with him in trouble;
    I will rescue him and honor him.
16   With long life I will satisfy him
    and show him my salvation.”

Footnotes

[1] 91:2 Septuagint He will say
[2] 91:9 Or For you, O Lord, are my refuge! You have made the Most High your dwelling place

Commentary

Abiding in the secret place with God, and its effect upon our lives.

v1-2: The deliberate act of trusting in God, abiding in Him. The same word is used is Ps 1.1 "sist in the seat," meaning to dwell/settle/remain; this infers real and deep agreement. There is a reward in such an attitude, esp. as the difficult circumstances of life cease to have an effect upon us, for we are in God's place of safety.

Refuge means protection; fortress means castle/defence/stronghold; we are captured and detained by God, and this willingly and gladly.

Nothing in natural human experience can even come close to this experience.

v3-13: God's promises of care, because we make God our dwelling and refuge (v9). We are protected from:

the fowler's snare (v3);
the deadly pestilence (v3);
the terror of night (v5);
the arrow that flies by day (v5);
the pestilence that stalks in darkness (v6);
the plague that destroys at midday (v6).

Others may fall, but we will not (v6-7). There are promises of "no harm" and "no disaster" (v10). Further, we experience victory;

when others fall around us (v7);
whilst the wicked are judged (v8);
through the intervention of angels (v11-12);
and over the lion and the snake (v13), both images used of the devil, the enemy of God's people. The enemy misquoted v11-12 to Christ in the temptation (Luke 4); perhaps this verse prophecies His victory over the enemy.

Our God is the Most High (v1,9), He is greater than all.

His protection is described as His feathers and wings (v4), which are our shield and rampart.

These words are true and personal; v9 refers to "my refuge". These words are no pious hope, but real confidence in a faithful God.

v14-16: The Lord's blessing on those who trust in Him. These blessings are freely available, but not unconditionally, since they are for those in Christ.