The theme of this Psalm is God’s protection.
There is a sense that Psalm 91 stands alone from all other passages of the Bible. It contains the only passage of the Bible quoted by the devil. Scripture teaches us that God protects those who love him and will help them in their trouble. The devil tempted Jesus in the wilderness by taking this Psalm with the theme of God’s protection and he misused it.
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. (Psalm 91:11-12)
The devil took this passage to entice Jesus to jump off the pinnacle. Come on Jesus jump, you will be covered by God’s protection. The devil used or misused this text as though it provides unconditional security in any and every circumstance. It is the original prosperity gospel, which is really no gospel at all. Jesus own experience shows that even faithful ones suffer, have emotional anguish and physical pain. It is often in our suffering that we turn to God.
God gives His protection of His faithful believers.
He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. (Psalm 91:1)
When I read verse 1 and come to the phrase Shadow of the Almighty I think of the book by Elizabeth Elliott. The book tells of the commitment of this couple to each other and to God. They saw as a sign God speaking this verse to them. Even with this promise we should look what they went through as Jim Elliott being killed and Elizabeth left as a single parent. It is fitting because God’s shadow of protection was there, even in troubling times.
As believers our faith must be grounded in who God is. He is Most High. He is Almighty. There is no greater protection we can imagine, but God’s own shadow. Those who dwell in his shelter are protected by him. C. H. Spurgeon said, “Promises are not for all believers, but for those who maintain a closeness with God. Those who make it a habit to preside in the presence of God.” That is when God is my refuge, my fortress.
What is it that most people rely on for protection and security. Is it bank accounts; alarm systems are some other devices. There is no real security except for those who dwell steadfastly in the Lord. I left a high paying job of a fortune 500 company to follow a path of trusting the Lord.
2 I will say 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. (Psalm 91:2-3)
We have some great word pictures of following God’s protection. There are perils described and how the faithful are rescued. Like a bird from a trap snatched from the snare. Saved from deadly pestilence and unexpected illness.
He will cover you with his pinions,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness is a shield and buckler. (Psalm 91:4)
The picture of protection is a mother hen covering her chicks under her wings. Don’t be the one to reach your hand and take one of those chicks from the mother. You will find out how powerful those claws and beak can be.
This protection is for those who trust God. “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! (Matthew 23:37) God himself spreads his wings over his faithful children. For the faithful God is a shield.
You will not fear the terror of the night,
nor the arrow that flies by day,
nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness,
nor the destruction that wastes at noonday. (Psalm 91:5-6)
You have no need to fear the terrors of the night. Like a child afraid of the dark whose parents come and offer comforting assurance God is there for you. You are protected from the arrows that fly at you in the day.
A thousand may fall at your side,
ten thousand at your right hand,
but it will not come near you. (Psalm 91:7)
The faithful will be the last man standing. Others may fall around us by the thousands or the ten thousand, but this will not even come near the one who is trusting God. When people experience trouble all around the man of faith experiences protection because God is there for them.
You will only look with your eyes
and see the recompense of the wicked. (Psalm 91:8)
The faithful will see the punishment of the wicked.
Because you have made the LORD your dwelling place—
the Most High, who is my refuge—
10 no evil shall be allowed to befall you,
no plague come near your tent. (Psalm 91:9-10)
There is an if, then aspect. If you trust in God, then you have this protection. If you make the Lord your dwelling place, then no harm befalls you. The key is to trust God.
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. (Psalm 91:11-12)
We are back to the verses quoted by the devil in the wilderness. (See Matthew 4:6) The angels keep a close watch on the faithful. Even with the shadow of the Almighty his wings protect, we still, (as faithful) still have angels guarding and protecting us.
Our Lord Jesus Christ responded to the devil in the wilderness to not put the Lord to the test. As believers our faith must be grounded in who God is. He is Most High. He is Almighty. There is no greater protection we can imagine, but God’s own shadow. Those who dwell in his shadow are protected by him.
You trust God to protect you, but you also teach your children to look both ways before they cross the street. God never promised Jesus there would never be trouble. He knew ultimately, he had to face the cross.
Verse 15 is the perspective for the devil’s prosperity gospel.
When he calls to me, I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble;
I will rescue him and honor him. (Psalm 91:15)
God will be the faithful in trouble. It is wrong to say God will never allow any trouble to come. Now in verse 13 it says the triumphant believer will trample on the head of the serpent and the lion.
You will tread on the lion and the adder;
the young lion and the serpent you will trample underfoot. (Psalm 91:13)
Both of those, serpent and lion are used to describe Satan.
Serpent: Revelation 12:9 and 20:1
Lion: 1 Peter 5:8
And Jesus said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19 Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you. (Luke 10:18-19)
The faithful believer will become more than a conqueror. God gives the victory in the spiritual battle.
Do you see our response to God’s love in these next verses? Now God is speaking in a prophetic voice.
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. (Psalm 91:14-15)
Our protection is a result of our showing love to God. He promises deliverance, protection honor, His presence, long life, and salvation. To whom? The faithful who love him. Sometimes finding God’s protection means he is with you in times of trouble. This is the balance.
Having trouble does not mean you are sub-standard as a Christian. When the devil tempted Jesus in the wilderness, he ignored Psalm 91:15, I will be with him in trouble. The devil tried to make this Psalm into a prosperity gospel text.
Only children of God who are living in the will of God can expect protection from God. Even then there is not guarantee that we will be free of troubles. But there is a guarantee that ultimately in whatever circumstance the faithful are secure in God’s love. It is through faith in Jesus Christ.
Do you have this security? Are you a believer in Jesus Christ? Jesus died on the cross for you the just for the unjust to bring you back to God.
16 With long life I will satisfy him
and show him my salvation.” (Psalm 91:6)
Here is the promise of long life. It is prophetic because when Moses wrote this and when King David put in his collection of Psalms Jesus has not yet died on the cross to give us eternal life. What a great comfort to put our faith in Jesus Christ and be secure in the Shadow of the Almighty.
