Psalm 91

Psalm 91

91:1 As for you, the one who lives in the shelter of the sovereign One,
and resides in the protective shadow of the mighty king—
91:2 I say this about the LORD, my shelter and my stronghold,
my God in whom I trust—
91:3 he will certainly rescue you from the snare of the hunter
and from the destructive plague.
91:4 He will shelter you with his wings;
you will find safety under his wings.
His faithfulness is like a shield or a protective wall.
91:5 You need not fear the terrors of the night,
the arrow that flies by day,
91:6 the plague that comes in the darkness,
or the disease that comes at noon.
91:7 Though a thousand may fall beside you,
and a multitude on your right side,
it will not reach you.

Ellsworth remarks that some argue that the teachings of this psalm are simply untrue.  We all know people (some of them very godly people) who have not been protected from calamity.

In reply, Ellsworth says:

1. Most of the time God does keep us from calamity. John Calvin says, ‘When we look back on our life from the perspective of eternity, we are going to see that the power of Satan was so great, that the weakness of our flesh was feeble, and that the hostility of the world was so strong, that every day of our lives—if God had not intervened—we would never have made it through a day.’
2. Sometimes God allows calamities to come upon us for our good. Matthew Henry says: ‘Though trouble or affliction befall thee, yet there shall be no real evil in it, for it shall come from the love of God and shall be sanctified; and it shall come, not for thy hurt, but for thy good; and though, for the present, it be not joyous but grievous, yet, in the end, it shall yield so well that thou thyself shall own no evil befel thee.’
3. When God does allow something hurtful to come into our lives, he is there to strengthen us and to help us bear it.

Preacher, beware!

91:7 Though a thousand may fall beside you,
and a multitude on your right side,
it will not reach you.

The problem with this wonderful psalm is that it seems to promise too much.

What, in particular, are we to make of verse 7?

This verse has sometimes been taken as an absolute and unqualified promise of divine protection.

It is said that many soldiers in WWI recited this psalm daily.  Indeed, there is a story (probably apocryphal) that a Brigade commander gave a little card with this psalm printed on it to his men of the (you guessed it) 91st Brigade.  As the story goes, these men were involved in three of the bloodiest battles of the war, yet the brigade suffered no casualites.

My own father understood it that way when he was army soldier during WWII (and he did indeed return home safely).

More recently, I heard a (fine) preacher give an account of how she sent a card with this text on it to a mother whose son was leaving for missionary work in China.  Neither the mother nor the son knew that the SARS outbreak was about to happen.  But, when it did happen, the mother to it as a promise that her son would return home safely, even though thousands would die in the SARS outbreak.

I think that it is rather perilous to appropriate such Bible promises in this way.  Consider:

  • Scripture was written for us, but not to us.
  • How do people arrive at the impression that such as verse applies directly to themselves?  One venerable method is, of course, ‘opening the Bible at random’ and seeing what they come up with.  But I am afraid that this is mere superstition.
  • This present life is precious, but is not to be valued above all else.  God is more concerned with our holiness than our health.
  • What about those who believed this verse, but whose lives were not spared?  Did they lack faith?  Or will their faith now be weakened, or even destroyed?
  • What about John the Baptist, whose life was not spared?  Or James, the first Christian martyr?  Or Jesus himself?

John Piper (Taste and See) notes three promises of this psalm:

A thousand may fall at your side and ten thousand at your right hand, but it shall not approach you. (verse 7)

No evil will befall you, nor will any plague come near your tent. (verse 10)

With a long life I will satisfy him. (verse 16)

Piper suggests that we may respond in one of three ways:

(a) Simply deny the truth of these promises;

(b) Say that those who die in battle, suffer plague, or die at an early age haven’t trusted the Lord as their refuge; they lack faith;

(c) Agree that God does indeed rule the flight arrows, the progress of disease, and the length of life, and that he can, accordingly give protection, health and life to whom he pleases.  But scriptural promises such as these come with an unspoke qualification: ‘No harm will come to you without my permission and design’.

Even the Psalms themselves declare that ‘many are the afflictions of the righteous’ (Psa 34:19).  The Lord does bring us out of them, but this may not be until the life to come.  In Rom 8:36 Paul quotes Psa 44:22 (‘For Your sake we are killed all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered’) and then says, ‘But in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us’.  Satan himself used this psalm to Jesus (Psa 91:11f; Lk 4:10f), but Jesus refused.  Satan quoted it as if it had no qualifications, but Jesus proved in his own life that it does have qualifications: he dies a cruel and painful at a young age ‘for the joy set before him’ beyond death.

Note Jesus’ paradoxical teaching: ‘They will put some of you to death.… Yet not a hair of your head will perish’ (Lk 21:16-18).  Paul concurs: ‘My God will supply all your needs’ sits alongside the testimony: ‘I have learned the secret of … going hungry … and suffering need. I can do all things [including hungering and suffering need] through Him who strengthens me’ (Phil 4:12f, 19).

Kidner comments:

‘This is, of course, a statement of exact, minute providence, not a charm against adversity. The no less sweeping promise of Romans 8:28 (‘… everything … for good with those who love him’) does not exclude ‘nakedness, or peril, or sword’ (8:35); cf. again the paradox of Luke 21:16, 18. What it does assure us is that nothing can touch God’s servant but by God’s leave; equally (8) that no rebel can escape his retribution.’

Boice interprets the death of thousands as punishment for their sin, a punishment from which the faithful will be protected:

‘In other words, it is not a promise that those who trust God will never die of disease or even in some military conflict, but that they will not suffer those or any other calamities as God’s judgment against them for their sin. Their sin has been atoned for by the blood of Jesus Christ.’

See also this, by Wyatt Graham

91:8 Certainly you will see it with your very own eyes—
you will see the wicked paid back.

Eveson:

‘There were occasions in Israel’s history when they just stood still and watched as the wicked received the recompense (‘reward’, verse 8) they deserved. One notable occasion was at the Red Sea and another was under Joshua’s leadership when Jericho fell (Exodus 14:13–14; Joshua 6:2). God will punish ‘the wicked’ (verse 8; see Psalm 1:4–6) and the righteous will ‘see’ justice done (see Psalm 54:7).’

91:9 For you have taken refuge in the LORD,
my shelter, the sovereign One.
91:10 No harm will overtake you;
no illness will come near your home.

v10 ‘It is impossible that any ill should happen to any man who is beloved of the Lord.  Ill to him is no ill, but only good in a mysterious form.  Losses enrich him, sickness is his medicine, reproach is his honour, death is his gain.’ (Spurgeon)

Commenting on vv7-10, Kidner remarks:

‘This is, of course, a statement of exact, minute providence, not a charm against adversity. The no less sweeping promise of Romans 8:28 (‘… everything … for good with those who love him’) does not exclude ‘nakedness, or peril, or sword’ (8:35); cf. again the paradox of Luke 21:16, 18. What it does assure us is that nothing can touch God’s servant but by God’s leave; equally (8) that no rebel can escape his retribution.’

91:11 For he will order his angels
to protect you in all you do.

Verse 11 is quoted in part by the devil in Mt 4:6 –

“If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down. For it is written, ‘He will command his angels concerning you’ and ‘with their hands they will lift you up, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’

Jesus’ reply was, of course:

“Once again it is written: ‘You are not to put the Lord your God to the test.’”

In what sense can we say that this divine protection applies supremely to Christ? After all, he suffered and died at the hands of wicked men. The answer is, of course, that God’s protection meant that no harm could be inflicted on Jesus that was outside God’s will. Thus, an angel protected him from early death, Mt 2:13,19, and he survived a number of threats on his life during his adult ministry, Lk 4:28-30 Jn 5:18 8:59 10:31,39. In a subordinate sense, David himself was protected from many hazards, and a Whitefield could claim that he was ‘immortal till his work was done.’

His angels – ‘The plural “angels” shows that there is no allusion to a guardian spirit attending the individual believer, but merely to the angels collectively, as ministering spirits, the instrumental agents of God’s providential care over his people.’ (Alexander)

‘The angels are

[1] a numerous guard. ‘The mountain was full of horses of fire round about Elisha.’ 2 Kings 6:17. ‘The horses and chariots of fire’ were the angels of God to defend the prophet Elisha.

[2] a strong guard. One angel, in a night, slew a hundred and fourscore and five thousand. 2 Kings 19:35. If one angel slew so many, what would an army of angels have done?

[3] a swift guard; they are ready in an instant to help God’s children. They are described with wings to show their swiftness: they fly to our help. ‘At the beginning of thy supplications the commandment came forth, and I am come.’ Dan 9:23. Here was swift motion for the angel, to come from heaven to earth between the beginning and ending of Daniel’s prayer.

[4] a watchful guard; not like Saul’s guard, asleep when their lord was in danger. 1 Sam 26:12. The angels are a vigilant guard; they watch over God’s children to defend them. ‘The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him.’ Ps 34:7. There is an invisible guardianship of angels about God’s children.’

(Thomas Watson)

91:12 They will lift you up in their hands,
so you will not slip and fall on a stone.
91:13 You will subdue a lion and a snake;
you will trample underfoot a young lion and a serpent.
‘Preach hope coloured by lament’

Ken Langley writes:

‘A few weeks ago, my devotional reading plan brought me to Psalm 91: “If you make the Most High your dwelling, no harm will befall you.” Four days later a 23-year-old mother was shot dead a few blocks from my house. A bullet from a street rumble went through the window and into her head as she sat reading Bible stories to her seven-month-old. Our town is no stranger to crime, but this one shook the community. If I preach Psalm 91 as if bad things never happen to God’s people, my congregants will conclude that I’m out of touch with reality.’

91:14 The LORD says,
“Because he is devoted to me, I will deliver him;
I will protect him because he is loyal to me.
91:15 When he calls out to me, I will answer him.
I will be with him when he is in trouble;
I will rescue him and bring him honor.
91:16 I will satisfy him with long life,
and will let him see my salvation.
Praying this psalm today

Longman comments:

‘Christians can pray Psalm 91, knowing that God is with them in the spiritual battle of this life and that, in Christ, God will give them eternal life.’