Psalm 91 is about God watching over his people and keeping them safe during times of danger. “This is a psalm for times of exposure and encirclement or challenging the power of evil” (Kidner, 1973, p. 363). God does not guarantee harm or evil will not come our way, but if and when it does, God will take us under his wings for protection and safety from danger. Kidner gives an interesting example of dangers, “Most of these dangers are of a kind which strike unseen, against which the strong are helpless as the weak” (Kidner, 1973, p. 364).
Psalm 91 tells us God will stand in front of us, between us and with us no matter what the danger. “In the whole collection there is not a more cheering Psalm, its tone is elevated and sustained throughout, faith is at it’s best, and speaks nobly” (Sprugeon). This paper will discuss how God will be our refuge in times of trouble, the various ways of His protection and His pledge to keep us safe all in the context of Psalm 91. HISTORICAL CONTEXT The history and author of Psalm 91 is difficult to determine. This psalm does not have a title, so there is not a way to be sure of the author.
There are ways of determining who may be the author by “following a Jewish tradition that says if the writer of a particular psalm is not identified in the title of the psalm then you can go back to the nearest psalm that is titled and safely assume it is the same author” (Lohman, 2001). If referring back to Psalm 90, the author of that particular Psalm is Moses, so Psalm 91 could also be linked to Moses, who was the man of God. “This psalm is sufficiently similar to Psalm 90, a psalm of Moses that it might also be written by him.
As a Christian, we know that the person who God chose to hold the pen is not as important as who guides the pen. Timothy 3:16 tell us “All Scripture is God-breathed” and in Hebrews we learn that “the Word of God is alive and active. Sharper than a two-edged sword. ” God-breathed, alive and active, these are powerful descriptors that give us great confidence and encouragement. It is always important and interesting to understand who held the pen, the circumstances they were in, and how the particular scripture connects with other versus but the greater confidence comes from knowing who breathed the words. This poem has a very strong messianic thrust, and God Himself speaks in w. 14-16” (Buckner, 2012).
In these verses, God tells us if we call on Him, he will protect us and be with us in times of trouble. If we have our salvation in Him, He will be our refuge. Both David and Moses had life experiences where God was their shelter, their solid rock foundation, and their comforter. We benefit from their struggles in the Psalms. The genre of Psalm 91 is an “Individual Psalm of Lament: Songs of the Sick and Anguished” (Bullock, 2001, pp. 141-142). Although this psalm is categorized as a Lament, many see this psalm in a quite different light, a song of trust, refuge and protection.
Some see this psalm as a “bold public profession of confidence” due to the shift from first person to third person in verses 3 and 4 (Bosma). Bullock gives the following reasons why this psalm is placed within the genre of Lament, “Psalm 91 laments in regards to pestilence within verses 3-7. The complaint against the psalmist’s enemies is found in verse 8, in which it is written that the wicked will be punished” (Bullock, 2001). “There is a deadly pestilence of error, and a fatal pestilence of sin, but we are safe from that if we dwell in communion with the God of truth” (Sprugeon).
Man is surrounded by sin and the opportunity to make poor choices, which go against God. What can be found in this psalm is refuge in God’s grace and mercy when we confess our sin and turn away from temptation. Verse 8 has the psalmist assuring us “that no rebel can escape His retribution” (Kidner, 1973, p. 365). This could imply, no deed, good or bad will go unnoticed by God. The reason some may view this psalm in the light of trust, refuge and protection is in verses 1-13 where ultimate trust is place in God due to His unfailing character.
The vow to praise reveals the psalmist confidence in the lord’s unfailing love” expressed in verse 2 stating that He is the fortress and hope (Kidner, 1973, p. 363). A fortress is a stronghold, which ensures God will always be holding us in times of trouble. By trusting in God, we can feel His embrace on us to protect us from harm’s way. LITERARY FEATURES The theme of trust, refuge and confidence are literary features throughout Psalm 91. Verse 2 states the adage of the speaker, “I will say to the Lord, ‘My refuge and my fortress, My God, in whom I Trust! ” (Leafe).
Faith and trust in God is found in our salvation. When we place our trust in Him, He will provide protection, as stated in verse 1 “Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty” (BibleGateway, 1993). The term Most High minimalizes the threats we may experience. No threat is too large for God, even the ones we cannot see. The unseen dangers in our lives seem to strike when we are at our weakest, like stated in verse 3, “Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence” (BibleGateway, 1993).
The psalmist uses this verse as a metaphor “for the plot which would entangle our affairs” (Kidner, 1973, p. 364). This metaphor can also be used to describe attacks on our mind, our thoughts and our loyalty to God. The protection of God comes into clear view in verse 4, “He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge” (BibleGateway, 1993). The metaphor of a mother bird’s wings protecting her young from harm is the same protection we receive when we have our lives placed into the hands of God. In this verse, the psalmist engages the reader’s senses of the feeling of warmth and shelter of God’s love.
Later in the verse, God is described as a shield. He will stand between our adversary and us. God is actively working in our defense and shielding us when we are besieged. The flow of love and the shelter, which comes from this love, radiates through the rest of the psalm. The psalm comes to an exacting close of His protection in verses 14-16. “God assures believers that He does deliver the faithful, that He truly hears and answers their prayers and that He will be with them in times of trouble” (Leafe). We are not saved and delivered because we deserve it, but because of God’s grace and mercy.
CONTEMPORARY EXPRESSIONS When we place our lives in the shelter of God, harm may come our way, but it will not destroy our faith. The pledge of God’s protection, to all who accept Him, is the theme throughout this psalm. One of the ways God shelters us from harm or temptations is in verse 11, “For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways” (BibleGateway, 1993). These angels from God could be used to keep us from temptations, which come about in our daily lives, such as inappropriate relationships, internet pornography and even gossip.
Once His Word is poured into our minds, it is there forever. His angels can thwart these current day harms and distractions. Although this psalm is “not to be interpreted in isolation as a blanket against harm”, we can have peace in knowing God will be with us during our journeys of pain (Buckner, 2012). His pledge of safety to us is emphasized in several verses, such as verse 7 and verses 14-16. Verse 7 demonstrates to the believer that times of hurt, despair, and fear will be a part of our experiences here on earth, but these experiences will not crush our spirit or our faith.
Our bond with God is a bond between “the helper and the helpless and a matter of grace” (Kidner, 1973, p. 366). Although He does allow these troubling times to strike our lives, He will not let us sink, except into His arms of love and shelter. Verses 14-16 give us assurance in God’s faithfulness and promise to protect us from harm, “despite the trouble, this psalm points to a solution to the problem, which is basically trust in the unfailing character of Yahweh”“. (Bullock, 2001, p. 142). If we accept God into our lives and give Him the power to help us in our times of need, He will nswer our cries of help.
When we log onto websites where we know we should not be or are tempted to say disparaging comments about another person, or flirt with a person who is off limits, all we have to do is stop and talk to God. He will always give us a way out, which is a way of keeping us safe, but it is up to us to take that exit. CONCLUSION Psalm 91 is often referred to as the Psalm of Protection. The psalmist does not give the sense of a life that will not have trials, troubles or harm, but what the psalmist is saying is, in these difficult times in our lives, God will protect us.
At times God will be the in the middle of us and our enemy protecting us physically, but other times He will hold us close to Him and our faith by His spirit or His angels. God wants His sheep to feel love and shelter from the world, even when terrifying experiences happen. This psalm should bring comfort, refuge and safety in times of trouble. “This psalm does not promise the believer that they will not encounter problems, but promises that God will bring them through it” (Buckner, 2012). This psalm assures us God is faithful in all of His promises.
