I have read of some soldiers who were in a literal valley of death that read this chapter to feel a little more peace of mind. The Hebrew word seter means a secret place or hiding place. Note the contrast between dash your feet against a stone (v. 12b) and tread on the lion and cobra and trample the young lion and serpent (v. 13). Of course He did. Click to enable/disable essential site cookies. You who know the Lord, pray that you may attain to this high condition of dwelling in the inner shrine, always near to God, always overshadowed by those cherubic wings which indicate the presence of God. He is a refuge that will not fail me; for he is my fortress and strong-hold." Christ has broken the serpent's head, spoiled our spiritual enemies (Col 2 15), and through him we are more than conquerors; for Christ calls us, as Joshua called the captains of Israel, to come and set our feet on the necks of vanquished enemies. The Hebrew word sel means shadow of shade. What Is The Evidence For/Against The Existence Of God? Hell Under Fire - CIANZ Annual Conference Address, Jesus' Teaching on Hell - Samuel G. Dawson, The Nature of Hell - Evangelical Alliance, The Origin of Hell-Fire in Christian Teaching, The Bible Verses the Traditional View of Hell - Babu G. Ranganathan, Applying the Resurrection The Nature of Man - Dualistic or Holistic? But the psalmist wrote these verses to reassure the faithful that Yahweh will send his angels to guard themto bear them upto protect them from dangers large and small (dashing ones foot against a stone sounds small compared to some dangers). There is even the unseen threat of pestilence that seeks their victims under the cover of darkness. They shall triumph over their enemies, ver 13. There are some who come to God's house; but the man mentioned here dwells with the God of the house. In this verse, resting in the shadow of the Almighty is the blessing that the faithful person experiences for dwelling in Yahwehs presence. The Almighty (Hebrew: sadday). What does the phrase "gnashing of teeth" mean? I will set him on high (Hebrew: sagab), because he has known (Hebrew: yada) my name (Hebrew: sem) (v. 14b). Our church recently experienced a norovirus that sickened 54 of the 60 people present for worship that Sunday. The psalmist can feel secure, because he is confident that Yahweh will deliver him from the snare (pah) of the fowler (a person who sets traps to catch birds, usually for eating). It is probable that this psalm also was penned by David; it is a writ of protection for all true believers, not in the name of king David, or under his broad seal; he needed it himself, especially if the psalm was penned, as some conjecture it was, at the time of the pestilence which was sent for his numbering the people; but in the name of the King of kings, and under the broad seal of Heaven. II. Old Testament Prophecy Fulfilled in Christ. And the great majority of evangelicals accept that without question. 4 He will cover you with his feathers. Great danger supposed; the mention of it is enough to frighten us; night and day we lie exposed, and those that are apt to be timorous will in neither period think themselves safe. 91:10 There shall no [nothing comes our way God has either not decreed or not allowed] evil [that which is the opposite of good; any misfortune] befall thee, neither shall any plague [refers to some physical blow; general term for plague] come nigh thy dwelling. II. Be worshipful : glorifying God for who he is : OT commentary, Psalms 1 - 89 by Warren Wiersbe. God Bless. Most of us have never seen a fowler or a fowlers trap. Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: Does God take notice of our poor love? Nay, not thy person only, but thy dwelling, shall be taken under the divine protection: There shall no plague come nigh that, nothing to do thee or thine any damage." A. The imagery here is that of God being a protective parent bird like the eagle which covers His young under their wings and shades them from the elements and any prey that might attack them. There may be unseen influences that would ruin us, or cause us dishonour, or distress; but when we dwell with God, we shall not be afraid of them. Nor for the arrow that flieth by day; Both night and day thou shalt be safe. They shall be enabled, by the grace of God, to look down upon the things of this world with a holy contempt and indifference, to look up to the things of the other world with a holy ambition and concern; and then they are set on high. . His nature we cannot fully know; but by his name he has made himself known, and with that we must acquaint ourselves. As is customary with poetry, the psalmist doesnt amplify on the meaning of seter, but instead leaves it up to us to tease out the possibilities. What is Psalm 91 all about? 13 Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet. We provide you with a list of stored cookies on your computer in our domain so you can check what we stored. Those of us who live in first world countries have almost forgotten the dangers of deadly diseases that spread rapidly and kill large numbers of people. There shall be but the appearance of evil, not the reality of it: There shall no evil befall thee.. Chicks taking refuge under their mothers wings serve as a metaphor for people finding refuge in Gods presence. Children and the Rod of Correction - Dave Miller, Ph.D. Christian Practice - Evidence of Grace - Edwards, Meditating On The Future Life - John Calvin w/ audio, Others May, You Cannot - by G. D. Watson w/audio, The Bible Doctrine of the Separated Life - by Johannes G. Vos, The Christian and Entertainment - Rev. 1. These cookies collect information that is used either in aggregate form to help us understand how our website is being used or how effective our marketing campaigns are, or to help us customize our website and application for you in order to enhance your experience. A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee. Lions serve as a metaphor for powerful forces that can take us apart with one swipe of their claws. Why is the church losing its young people? It goes beyond head-knowledge to heart-knowledge. Since the UK is now no longer a member of the EU, you may be charged an import tax on this item by the customs authorities in your country of residence, which is beyond our control. SCRIPTURE QUOTATIONS are from the World English Bible (WEB), a public domain (no copyright) modern English translation of the Holy Bible. Copyright 2010-2023 Telling Ministries LLC. Click to enable/disable _ga - Google Analytics Cookie. Take a look at another study and commentary: 6 Important Reasons To Bring Hidden Hurts To God For Healing, 7 Sample Prayers Before Surgery or a Medical Procedure, 25 Encouraging Bible Verses About Strength, Words of Encouragement: 30 Uplifting Quotes, Forgiveness and Reconciliation in Relationships: The Role of Gods Grace and Mercy, The Trinitarian Nature of Effectual Calling, Why So Many Are Called But Few Are Chosen, Christian Dating: A Guide to Navigating Relationships with Faith, Ice Dragon: Legend of the Blue Daisies Movie Review, Phoenix Wilder And The Great Elephant Adventure Movie Review, The Boxcar Children: Surprise Island Movie Review. They shall be the charge of the holy angels, ver 10-12. The ending of all of this is the most powerful of all as God says He will show him [or her], His salvation. If you have salvation, all of these other serious circumstances of plagues, night terrors, thousands dropping at your sides or any other threat are only temporary because ultimately, God is our refuge, our fortress, our shield, our buckler, and His love overshadows us and will bring us safely into the kingdom someday. In this verse, pestilence is portrayed as walking at nightan unseen and deadly threat. Log In The natural life, and is often fulfilled in our preservation from those dangers which are very threatening and very near, while yet we ourselves are not apprehensive of them, any more than the bird is of the snare of the fowler. Psalm 91 God's Protection 911: Christians are under attack! The promises that are sure to all those who have thus made the Most High their habitation. El means god (note the small g), and can be used for any god. Their Worm Does Not Die: Annihilation and Mark 9:48, Evidence for the Resurrection - William Lane Craig -Text and Audio, The Evidence for Jesus - William Lane Craig - Text and Video. In our experience, most hunting is done with guns instead of traps. When the child is in perfect health she can leave it in the hands of the nurse; but when it is sick she will attend it herself; she will say to the nurse, You may attend a while to some other business, I will watch over the child myself. (Dawson, cited in Spurgeon), (c) 2020 The Enduring Word Bible Commentary by David Guzik ewm@enduringword.com. Nederlandstalige Bijbelstudies door Stan Marinussen, Copyright - Enduring Word       |      . Note that blocking some types of cookies may impact your experience on our websites and the services we are able to offer. Who would wish to live a day longer than God has some work to do, either by him or upon him? Gender Revolution - What are they teaching your kids? The MacArthur Bible Commentary treats every passage of the Old and New Testaments phrase by phrase, with hundreds of word studies as sidebars throughout. For he will deliver you from the snare (Hebrew: pah) of the fowler (v. 3a). They shall be delivered from the malice of the powers of darkness (ver 3, 5, 6), and that by a distinguishing preservation, ver 7, 8. The Immortality of the Soul: For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence." Counterfeit Cross updated- Sanctification and Growing in Righteousness, Errors of the Invitation System or Alter Call, Counterfeit Cross - The Lordship of Christ in Salvation - Part II, A Historical Overview of The Lord's Supper, Set Your Mind on Things Above - Matthew Henry, Prophecies of the Destruction of Jerusalem which have remarkably been fulfilled - Thomas Newton. Now here it is promised. Wisdom shall keep thee from being causelessly afraid, and faith shall keep thee from being inordinately afraid. They shall live long enough: they shall be continued in this world till they have done the work they were sent into this world for and are ready for heaven, and that is long enough. "Here, after the carefree delight of Psalm 98, we recollect how exalted and holy he is, and how profound is the reverence we owe him." (Derek Kidner) A. Is Hell eternal torment or eternal death. The character of those who shall have the benefit and comfort of these promises; it is much the same with that, v. 1. ), which the WEB has updated. The Immortality of the Soul: There is also a pestilence that walketh in darkness, as that was which slew the first-born of the Egyptians, and the army of the Assyrians. It would have served them well during the Babylonian Exile, when only the eyes of faith could see the possibility that they would ever again see Jerusalem. The other is that God often wills for his children to suffer, but forbids that the suffering hurts them in the end. God by his grace will keep thee from disquieting distrustful fear (that fear which hath torment) in the midst of the greatest dangers. God loved us yesterday, and will love us tomorrow. But those promises are conditional on making Yahweh your refuge and the Most High your dwelling place. Verse 9 assumes that the reader has complied with these conditions, so the promises apply. 9 Because thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation; 10 There shall no evil befal thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. That the angels of light shall be serviceable to them, v. 11, 12. We may request cookies to be set on your device. Quantity: Cart +. Home. How could any arrows, how could any pestilence, ever be able to reach that secure abode of God? 2023 Grace to You. Champions of Conditional Immortality in History, Conditional Immortality - Its Relation to Final Retribution, Conditional Immortality - Samuel M. Ohmart, Fallacies In The Annihilationism Debate: A Critique Of Robert Peterson, Important Forgotten History - Roots of Opposition to Conditionalism, Life in Christ - A Summary of Conditional Immortality, Summing Up the Case for Biblical Conditionalism - Froom, The Hypothesis of Conditional Immortality - William R. Huntington - 1878, Why I Believe In Conditional Immortality - by Sidney A. Hatch, Death and the Afterlife by Robert A. Morey - A Review by Edward Fudge, Martin Luther & William Tyndale On the State of the Dead, Near Death Experiences - Samuele Bacchiocchi. They sicken millions of people every year, and often kill them. 15 He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him. A believer needs not fear, and therefore should not fear, any arrow, because the point is off, the poison is out. He will cover you with his feathers. Am I really moving today and acting today as divine providence leads me, and as duty calls me? He who travels on the kings business, by daylight, along the kings highway, may be sure of the kings protection. He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: Notice, that it is, He shall, and I will. The mighty grace of God shall make us pray, and the Almighty God of grace will answer our prayer: He shall call upon me, and I will answer him. How I love these glorious shalls and wills! We read of fear in the night, Cant 3 8. It means delivering from danger, which is how this translation sees it. Thanks for stopping by! In Vietnam, our soldiers had to watch for punji sticks and trip wires. Click on the different category headings to find out more. Salem Media Group. John MacArthur is the pastor-teacher of Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California, as well as an author, conference speaker, president of The Master's University and Seminary, and featured teacher with the Grace to You media ministry. By natural instinct she not only protects them, but calls them under that protection when she sees them in danger, not only keeps them safe, but cherishes them and keeps them warm. Assuring glimpses of a future "God's day" bolsters the call for perseverance to the end. neither shall any plague come near your dwelling. To whom these promises do belong; they are described by three characters:(1.) What Does It Really Mean That Your Body Is a Temple? Jack has written 1285 articles on What Christians Want To Know! He did his graduate work at Moody Theological Seminary. The Hebrew word qeteb means destruction, but can also mean sting (Hosea 13:14). The Septuagint (LXX: Greek version of the Old Testament) attributes this psalm to David, but that remains in question. It is our duty to be at home in God, to make our choice of him, and then to live our life in him as our habitation, to converse with him, and delight in him, and depend upon him; and then it shall be our privilege to be at home in God; we shall be welcome to him as a man to his own habitation, without any let, hindrance, or molestation, from the arrests of the law or the clamours of conscience; then too we shall be safe in him, shall be kept in perfect peace, Isa 26 3. As the little chicks bury their tiny heads in the feathers of the hen, and seem happy, and warm, and comfortable under their mothers wings, so shall it be with thee if thou dwellest with thy God: He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust.. If the face of such a harsh reality as this, God is placed in the position of being the protecting parent of His young as their fortress, shield, and protector. His truth shall be thy shield and buckler. I will say of Yahweh, He is my refuge (Hebrew: manseh) and my fortress (Hebrew: mesudah); my God, in whom I trust' (Hebrew: batah) (v. 2). Psalms 91:8-10. Nay, it is promised to God's people that they shall have the satisfaction of seeing, not only God's promises fulfilled to them, but his threatenings fulfilled upon those that hate them (v. 8): Only with thy eyes shalt thou behold and see the just reward of the wicked, which perhaps refers to the destruction of the first-born of Egypt by the pestilence, which was both the punishment of the oppressors and the enlargement of the oppressed; this Israel saw when they saw themselves unhurt, untouched. [2.] They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone. By far the most common name for God in the Old Testament is Yahweh, which means I am who I am (Exodus 3:14)but elohim is the next most common. In that culture, as today, a persons name referred to the essential character of the personin this case, Yahweh. They who fear God are delivered from the vices which would deprive them of the vigor of life; and the joy and contentment they have in God help them to live longer than others. Click to enable/disable Google reCaptcha. Psalms 91:4. Thy God will not leave thee in the glare of the sun, nor will he forsake thee when the damps of night-dews would put thee in peril. That God himself will be their protector; those must needs be safe who have him for their keeper, and successful for whom he undertakes (v. 4): He shall cover thee, shall keep thee secret (Ps 31 20), and so keep thee safe, Ps 27 5. The Hebrew word lin (rest) means to lodge or dwell or tarry or rest, and can designate either a temporary or permanent lodging. 75 Bible Commentaries - Matthew Henry, Adam Clarke, Pulpit Commentary, etc. If I am in my way, then God will keep me. All the Prayers in the Bible - Old and New Testaments. 3 Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. With his wing shall fence thy head; And his truth around thee wield, Strong as targe or bossy shield! 12 They will bear you up in their hands, Scriptural Evidence for the Necessity of Obedience in Salvation, The Doctrine of Immortality in the Early Church - John H. Roller, Luther's views on soul sleep and the after life, Make Good Use of Your Servitude - Observations on Biblical Slavery, The Consensus of Current Scholarship: The Soul is Not Immortal, Killing the Canaanites - A Response to the New Atheism's "Divine Genocide" Claims. Psalms 91:13. 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,and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness is a shield and buckler. Psalms 91:2. Psalms 91:4. Psalms 91:5. A soherah (more often translated buckler) is a small round shield. Hebrews 6:4-8 on Apostasy - Historically, more soldiers have died from disease than from swords, spears, and bullets. Viewing things from God's vantage point--that is true comfort. Wishlist +. As it will aggravate the damnation of sinners that with their eyes they shall behold and see the reward of the righteous (Luke 13 28), so it will magnify the salvation of the saints that with their eyes they shall behold and see the destruction of the wicked, Isa 66 24; Ps 58 10. - Oscar Cullmann, Immortality or Resurrection? Neither night nor daydarkness nor the bright light of noondayshall give the faithful cause for fear. 15 He will call on me, and I will answer him. 45MBC. O death! Talk of St. George and the dragon! . Does God value such feeble and imperfect knowledge of his name as we possess? I conclude that Psalm 91 means two things about the suffering of the saints. It is not an evil, an only evil, but there is a mixture of good in it and a product of good by it. If you do not want that we track your visit to our site you can disable tracking in your browser here: We also use different external services like Google Webfonts, Google Maps, and external Video providers. Does The Bible Provide an Adequate Answer to Suffering? 6 nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, (2.) (3.) And those who have found the comfort of making the Lord their refuge, cannot but desire that others may do so. Please respond to confirm your registration. Seeking the Gospel in Malachi, the Last Book of the Old Testament. However, as noted in these verses, daylight often ushers in daily battles, whether with spear and sword or pen and PowerPointso we feel vulnerable by night or by day. Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; Nervous as you are, and naturally timid, when you dwell near to God, your fears shall all go to sleep. We use cookies to let us know when you visit our websites, how you interact with us, to enrich your user experience, and to customize your relationship with our website. I will be with him in trouble: Again God speaks and acts like a tender-hearted mother towards a sickly child. Help Grace to You bring important resources like this to people in your community and beyond, free of charge. Psalms 91:3. Jan. 1, 2023. All these promises, some think, point primarily at Christ, and had their accomplishment in his resurrection and exaltation. and the Most High your dwelling place, Bible commentary, The important thing is not the place but that we meet the Most High there. Psalms 91:14. Because you have made the Lord your dwelling placethe Most High, who is my refuge no evil shall be allowed to befall you, no plague come near your tent.. Dec. 18, 2022. Observe, 1. Commentary on Psalm 91:1-8 (Read Psalm 91:1-8) He that by faith chooses God for his protector, shall find all in him that he needs or can desire. It is he that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High, who, by Gods help, treads upon the lion and adder, and of whom it is written, The young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet.. Try it free for 30 days. We havent had to watch carefully for fowlers traps as we walk along sidewalks or drive along roadsor even when we hike through woods. Take a look at another study and commentary: Psalm 27. The Believer's Covenant Psalm 91 can also be referred to as the constitution of the Kingdom. Hardcover. The promises are that no evil shall happen to you and neither shall any plague come near your dwelling.. You will trample the young lion and the serpent underfoot. It is also under divine direction, and will hit where God appoints and not otherwise. 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