I am continuing a chronological Bible study put forth by Skip Andrews who wrote that "Although we may not be able to precisely date these Psalms at this time, their general themes fit the topics we have just read in Deuteronomy." My last post ended the book of Deuteronomy with Moses's death. Some commentators indeed believe that Moses may have written this psalm at the same time as the Prayer of Moses, Psalm 90. Continuing my chronological Bible study:
(Psalm 91:1) He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
The one who makes God his habitation and refuge, who dwells in an intimate communion with Him, will live under God's protection, as if under His wings, in their shadow.
(2) I will say of the Lord, "My refuge and my fortress; my God, in Him I will trust."
The psalmist indeed spoke of the Lord as his refuge and more than a habitation, a fortress. Thus he would always trust in his Lord God.
(3) Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler, from the noisome pestilence.
God would surely deliver His people from the traps of the wicked and from the spiritual plagues that are meant to destroy men's souls.
(4) He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall trust, His truth your shield and buckler.
Again with a picture of wings, God will shield His own with the feathers of His wings. You can trust Him to always be your shield and protective armor.
(5) You shall not be afraid for the terror by night, nor for the arrow that flies by day.
Because the Lord is your protection, you will not be afraid of any terrible things that might happen in the night, or any arrows that fly by day, which could mean any sort of troubles that might strike quickly.
(6) For the pestilence walking in darkness, for the destruction laying waste at noonday.
Under the Lord's protection, you will not fear the invisible pestilence, nor any destruction that lays waste visibly.
(7) A thousand shall fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand; it shall not come near you.
Although thousands and tens of thousands may fall all around you, you will be safe and have nothing to fear. This doesn't mean that every single person trusting in the Lord will never die on account of any sort of pestilence or destruction. But we have faith that He can protect us, and He is our only real protection, and even if He chooses to have us leave this earth to be with Him, that is a joyful thing and nothing to fear.
(8) Only with your eyes shall you behold and see the reward of the wicked.
The one under God's protection will see the destruction of the wicked but will not have to experience it.
(9) Because you have made the Lord, my refuge, the Most High, your habitation.
Because you have made the Most High Lord God your habitation and your refuge, you will be protected and safe from destruction. This can certainly be the general rule, but again, I don't think it can be said for 100% of the people who trust wholly in God for their protection against destruction on earth. However, their souls are 100% protected and no one or no thing can destroy them and take them out of God's hand (John 10:28-29).
(10) There shall no evil befall you, neither shall any plague come near your dwelling.
When you trust God and make Him your refuge, no evil can harm you nor any plague come near your habitation that is in God. Again, this is a general promise as it pertains to the world, but a rock-solid promise as it pertains to our souls.
(11) For He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways. (12) They shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone.
God instructs His angels to watch over us! How wonderful is that?! There are angels protecting and preserving us wherever we go. However, they aren't meant to protect us when we are doing evil against God's will. Satan used this very verse when he tempted Jesus in Matthew 4:6. He taunted Him by saying if He really was the Son of God He should throw Himself off the cliff because God's angels would lift Him up from hitting the stones. However, Jesus told Satan that scripture also said in Deuteronomy 6:16 that you are not to tempt God. The angels are there to protect us in our normal coming and going, but not when we test the Lord in foolish ways against His will. We must remember that while we have angels watching over us, there are also Satan's demons trying to tempt us into evil. That's why it is important to stay in God's word and follow Him to stay in His will.
(13) You shall tread upon the lion and adder; the young lion and the dragon you shall trample underfoot.
Because God has commanded His angels to watch over us, we are able to tread in dangerous places and be unhurt, but once again that means in our daily normal coming and going, or when directed by God's Holy Spirit, but never testing the Lord like so-called Christian snake handlers who do risky things for show to prove God will protect them.
(14) "Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him on high because he has known My name."
The words in verse 14 and those following are meant to be the words of the Lord. The reason He sends His angels to protect His own is because His own loves the Lord. The Lord vows to deliver him from danger and to set him on high, which just by His acknowledging him as His own and treating him accordingly, puts him on high above those who do not enjoy God's favor and protection. He does this because he knows God and loves him.
(15) "He shall call upon Me and I will answer him; I am with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him."
God's own will call upon Him in prayer and He will answer him. What a beautiful promise in that He will be with us in trouble! Not only is He with us, but He will deliver us and honor us if we are His, those who know and love Him.
(16) "With long life I will satisfy him and show him My salvation."
God will satisfy His own with long life. Perhaps this is meant as a general rule for those who love and follow God, as we know there are times when good Christian men die too soon. However, I like the interpretation of Albert Barnes in his Notes on the Bible. He puts emphasis on man's satisfaction with his living and when he no longer has a strong desire for living on earth but looks forward to a peaceful and joyful rest from this life in heaven. And of course, the most important thing is God's salvation! Through Jesus Christ, He has provided a way for one to have that eternal rest in Him. Thinking of this verse in that way, when one is satisfied with his life on earth, together with Isaiah 57:1 which says, "The righteous perishes and no man lays it to heart, and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come," brings me peace about the circumstances that brought both my dad and my husband to relatively early deaths at 56 and 59, respectively. I can see that both being good Christian men dealing with many afflictions in life on this earth, could be satisfied with their lives in this world and ready to see their Lord whenever that time would come. And God, in His love and mercy, would take them away from the evil still to come in their lives.
