4 He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou find refuge: his truth is a shield and buckler.
Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings,
{To the chief Musician. 'Destroy not.' Of David. Michtam; when he fled from Saul in the cave.} Be gracious unto me, O God, be gracious unto me; for my soul taketh refuge in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings do I take refuge, until the calamities be overpast.
Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for my help;
After these things the word of Jehovah came to Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram; I am thy shield, thy exceeding great reward.
But now thus saith Jehovah, that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel: Fear not, for I have redeemed thee, I have called [thee] by thy name; thou art mine. When thou passest through the waters, I [will be] with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee; when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned, neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.
Jerusalem, Jerusalem, [the city] that kills the prophets and stones those that are sent unto her, how often would I have gathered thy children as a hen gathers her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!
Wherein God, willing to shew more abundantly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeableness of his purpose, intervened by an oath, that by two unchangeable things, in which [it was] impossible that God should lie, we might have a strong encouragement, who have fled for refuge to lay hold on the hope set before us,
The heaven and the earth shall pass away, but my words shall in no wise pass away.
But I will beat down his adversaries before his face, and will smite them that hate him. And my faithfulness and my loving-kindness shall be with him, and by my name shall his horn be exalted.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Psalms 91
Commentary on Psalms 91 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
PSALM 91
Ps 91:1-16. David is the most probable author; and the pestilence, mentioned in 2Sa 24:13-15, the most probable of any special occasion to which the Psalm may refer. The changes of person allowable in poetry are here frequently made.
1. dwelleth in the secret place—(Ps 27:5; 31:20) denotes nearness to God. Such as do so abide or lodge secure from assaults, and can well use the terms of trust in Ps 91:2.
3. snares … [and] … noisome pestilence—literally, "plagues of mischiefs" (Ps 5:9; 52:7), are expressive figures for various evils.
4. For the first figure compare De 32:11; Mt 23:37.
buckler—literally, "surrounding"—that is, a kind of shield covering all over.
5. terror—or, what causes it (Pr 20:2).
by night—then aggravated.
arrow—that is, of enemies.
7, 8. The security is more valuable, as being special, and, therefore, evidently of God; and while ten thousands of the wicked fall, the righteous are in such safety that they only see the calamity.
9-12. This exemption from evil is the result of trust in God, who employs angels as ministering spirits (Heb 1:14).
13. Even the fiercest, strongest, and most insidious animals may be trampled on with impunity.
14-16. God Himself speaks (compare Ps 46:10; 75:2, 3). All the terms to express safety and peace indicate the most undoubting confidence (compare Ps 18:2; 20:1; 22:5).
set his love—that of the most ardent kind.
16. show him—literally, "make him see" (Ps 50:23; Lu 2:30).