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Some of the ancients were of opinion that Moses was the penman, not only of the foregoing psalm, which is expressly said to be his, but also of the eight that next follow it; but that cannot be, for Ps 95:1-11 is expressly said to be penned by David, and long after Moses, Heb 4:7. 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. Observe, I. The psalmist's own resolution to take God for his keeper (Ps 91:2), from which he gives both direction and encouragement to others, Ps 91:9. II. The promises which are here made, in God's name, to all those that do so in sincerity. 1. They shall be taken under the peculiar care of Heaven, Ps 91:1,4. 2. They shall be delivered from the malice of the powers of darkness (Ps 91:3,5,6), and that by a distinguishing preservation, Ps 91:7,8. 3. They shall be the charge of the holy angels, Ps 91:10-12. 4. They shall triumph over their enemies, Ps 91:13. 5. They shall be the special favourites of God himself, Ps 91:14-16. In singing this we must shelter ourselves under, and then solace ourselves in, the divine protection. Many think that to Christ, as Mediator, these promises do primarily belong (Isa 49:2), not because to him the devil applied one of these promises (Mt 4:6), but because to him they are very applicable, and, coming through him, they are more sweet and sure to all believers.

The author of this psalm, and the occasion on which it was composed, are alike unknown. The psalm has no title; and there are no internal marks by which we can ascertain when, or by whom, it was written. It is very general in its application, and may have been composed with no particular reference to any event occurring at the time, as it is evident that it had no special reference to the circumstances of the writer. Though it follows a psalm composed by Moses, yet there is no reason to suppose that it was written by him, nor is there any particular resemblance to that psalm.

From some things in the psalm, as Psalm 91:3-5, Psalm 91:9,Psalm 91:11; it would appear to be not improbable that the psalm was composed with reference to some individual who was exposed to temptation, or to danger, either from secret enemies or from pestilence, and that it was intended to assure such an one that there was nothing to be feared if he put his trust in God. There is no evidence that it was designed to refer particularly to the Saviour. It is, indeed, applied to him by Satan in the temptation in the wilderness Matthew 4:6; but there is, in that case, no such recognition of its applicability to himself on the part of the Saviour as to justify us in the conclusion that it originally referred to him. Its quotation by the tempter is no proof that this was the original reference of the psalm, and the quotation made is one which could be applied to him in the same way as amy general premise in the Old Testament made to those who trusted in God might have been.

The most remarkable thing in the structure of the psalm is the frequent change of persons, leading some to suppose that it may have been composed with a view to its being sung by choirs in alternate responses, and Michaelis has suggested that there were probably two such choirs; the one - as in Psalm 91:1-2 - celebrating the praises of those who trusted in God; the other - as in Psalm 91:3-8 - exciting and encouraging the people to put their trust in God, and suggesting reasons why they should do it. Such a thing is, undoubtedly, possible; but the evidence that this was the intention of the author of the psalm is not clear.

Tholuck has divided the psalm, on the supposition that it was thus intended to be sung by alternate choirs, into portions arranged with that view: Psalm 91:1, the choir; Psalm 91:2, the response; Psalm 91:3-8, the choir; Psalm 91:9, the response; Psalm 91:10-13, the choir; Psalm 91:14-16, the response. This, however, is quite arbitrary, as it cannot be demonstrated to have been the original design.

This arrangement, however, suggests a good division of the psalm:

I. The general statement of the safety of those who put their trust in God, Psalm 91:1.

II. A responsive declaration of the author of the psalm, that he would make the Lord his refuge, and the Most High his habitation, Psalm 91:2.

III. A statement of the security or benefit of doing this, Psalm 91:3-8.

IV. A responsive declaration - repeated - by the author of the psalm that he would do this; that God "was" his refuge, Psalm 91:9 (part first).

V. A further statement of the benefit of this, Psalm 91:10-13.

VI. A general declaration embracing the sum of all that is said in the psalm, as coming from God himself, containing assurances of his protection to those who thus put their trust in him, and confide in him, Psalm 91:14-16.

This mode of division meets substantially all the changes of "persons" in the psalm, or arranges the different portions of it into parts belonging to the different speakers in the psalm. There is reason to believe that this was the line of thought in the mind of the psalmist, though it is not clear that this was designed to be so used in public responses in singing.

The safety of the godly man, and his confidence, Psalm 91:1, Psalm 91:2. How he is defended and preserved, Psalm 91:3-10. The angels of God are his servants, Psalm 91:11, Psalm 91:12; and he shall tread on the necks of his adversaries, Psalm 91:13. What God says of, and promises to, such a person, Psalm 91:14-16.

This Psalm has no title in the Hebrew; nor can it be determined on what occasion or by whom it was composed. It is most likely by the author of the preceding; and is written as a part of it, by fifteen of Kennicott's and De Rossi's MSS., commencing before the repetition of the four last words of the ninetieth. It is allowed to be one of the finest Psalms in the whole collection. Of it Simon de Muis has said: "It is one of the most excellent works of this kind which has ever appeared. It is impossible to imagine any thing more solid, more beautiful, more profound, or more ornamented. Could the Latin or any modern languages express thoroughly all the beauties and elegancies as well of the words as of the sentences, it would not be difficult to persuade the reader that we have no poem, either in Greek or Latin, comparable to this Hebrew ode."

INTRODUCTION TO Psalm 91

Jarchi and others think this psalm was written by Moses (m), as was the preceding; but the Targum ascribes it to David; as do the Septuagint, Vulgate Latin, Syriac, Arabic, and Ethiopic versions; and very probably, as is generally thought, was penned by him on occasion of the pestilence which came upon the people, through his numbering of them, 2 Samuel 24:1. The person all along spoken of, and to, according to the Targum, is Solomon his son; and, according to the title in the Syriac version, King Hezekiah, so Theodoret, who is called the son of David; neither of which are probable. Some think the Messiah is meant; and that the psalm contains promises of protection and safety to him, as man, from diseases, beasts of prey, evil spirits, and wicked men, under the care of angels; and this not because that Satan has applied one of these promises to him, Matthew 4:6, but because they seem better to agree with him than with any other: and one part of the title of the psalm, in the Syriac version, runs thus,

"and spiritually it is called the victory of the Messiah, and of everyone that is perfected by him.''

It seems best to understand it of every godly man, who is always safe under the divine protection. The Talmudisis (n) call it , "a song of the occursions", or "meetings with evil spirits.".

XCI.

There are no data for ascertaining either the author or the date of this psalm. The variety of the figures employed seems to indicate a general view of life and its possible perils. It may have been a time when both war and pestilence were raging, but we cannot recover it. Whoever first breathed these words of trust, thousands have found them a source of strength and faith in the hour of trial and danger. Stier mentions that some years ago an eminent physician in St. Petersburg recommended this psalm as the best preservative against the cholera. It will also occur to every one that the psalm is the Hebrew, or, perhaps, rather the religious, expression of Horace’s ode,

“Integer vitæ seelerisque purus.”

The parallelism is fine and sustained.

This exquisite Psalm may no doubt simply describe the security of the godly man under Jehovah’s protection amid the perils of his journey through life. But it gains in point and force if it is regarded as addressed to Israel[50] in a crisis of its history. Psalms 90, 91, 92 are connected by several links of thought and language. Cp. Psalm 90:1, Psalm 91:9, ‘dwelling-place’; Psalm 90:6, Psalm 92:7, ‘flourish’; Psalm 90:15-16, Psalm 92:4, ‘make glad,’ ‘thy work’; Psalm 91:1; Psalm 91:9, Psalm 92:1, ‘Most High’; Psalm 91:8, Psalm 92:11, the judgement of the wicked. It is natural to consider them as a group. If now Psalms 90 is the plea of Israel in exile, and Psalms 92 its thanksgiving for deliverance, may not Psalms 91 be the voice of faith assuring Israel that it will be safe in the midst of the calamities which are about to fall upon Babylon? As Israel was untouched by the judgements upon the Egyptians which were the prelude to its deliverance, so it will be now before the exodus from Babylon. Jehovah’s Presence will defend His people in a day of distress. The promises of Exodus 23:20 ff. and Jeremiah’s prophecies of Israel’s deliverance from Babylon seem to have been in the Psalmist’s mind. With Psalm 91:11 cp. Exodus 23:20; with Psalm 91:16 cp. Exodus 23:26; Exodus 23:3; Exodus 23:5-7 are an expansion of Exodus 23:25 b; with Psalm 91:15 cp. Jeremiah 30:7, “a time of distress for Jacob”; Jeremiah 30:11, “I am with thee to save thee”; Jeremiah 30:19, “I will glorify them”; with Psalm 90:15, Psalm 92:4 cp. Jeremiah 31:13, “I will make them glad.”

[50] For the address to Israel in the singular cp. Exodus 23:20 ff.; Deuteronomy 32:6; and many other passages. See Introd. pp. li f.

The use of the first person in Psalm 91:2; Psalm 91:9 a, followed by the second person in Psalm 91:3 ff., Psalm 91:9 b ff., is somewhat perplexing. Many commentators suppose that the text is corrupt and emend it in various ways (see notes on Psalm 91:1; Psalm 91:9). But the two occurrences of the first person mutually support one another. If the interpretation suggested above is adopted, Psalm 91:1-2; Psalm 91:9 a will be the profession of the Psalmist’s faith, on the strength of which he addresses to Israel the comforting words of Psalm 91:3 ff., Psalm 91:9 b ff. If the reference of the Psalm is not national but individual, these verses will be addressed, in accordance with the usual practice of the didactic style, to any godly Israelite. Cp. e.g. Psalms 37. Another possible explanation is that the Psalmist, after addressing God in words of confident faith, addresses himself, and reminds himself in detail of all that is meant by that Divine guardianship. For a parallel comp. Psalms 121. It has also been suggested that the Psalm was intended to be sung antiphonally; one voice or choir chanting Psalm 91:1-2, and another answering in Psalm 91:3-8; the first striking in again with Psalm 91:9 a, and the second again responding in Psalm 91:9 b – Psalm 91:13, while a third recited the Divine speech in Psalm 91:14-16[51].

[51] The Targum recognises the idea of a plurality of speakers, explaining the Ps. as a dialogue between David and Solomon. Psalm 91:2-3, “David said, ‘I will say to Jehovah,’ &c. ‘For He shall deliver thee, Solomon my son,’ &c.” Psalm 91:9, “Solomon answered and said thus, ‘For thou Jehovah art my refuge, in a lofty dwelling hast Thou placed the abode of Thy Majesty’ (Shechinah).” Psalm 91:10, “The Lord of the world answered and said thus, ‘There shall no evil befall thee,’ &c.”

The Psalm falls into two equal divisions. (i) The Psalmist’s profession of trust in Jehovah, the Most High, the Almighty, gives the theme of the Psalm (Psalm 91:1-2), which is developed in detail (Psalm 91:3-8): (ii) the repetition of this profession in the briefest form (Psalm 91:9 a) introduces a further development of it (Psalm 91:9 b – Psalm 91:13), and the Psalm closes with a Divine assurance answering to the Psalmist’s opening profession, and authoritatively confirming his confidence (Psalm 91:14-16).

This Psalm expands the thought of Psalm 90:1, and furnishes a corrective to the somewhat desponding tone of that Psalm.

Like Psalms 90 it shews familiarity with the language of Deuteronomy 32. Cp. Psalm 91:2 with Deuteronomy 32:37; Deuteronomy 32:4; Deuteronomy 32:12 with Deuteronomy 32:11; Psalm 91:6 with Deuteronomy 32:24; Psalm 91:8 with Deuteronomy 32:35; Deuteronomy 32:41; Psalm 91:13 with Deuteronomy 32:33.

Compare also Psalms 121; Job 5:19-26; Proverbs 3:23-26.

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.

He that dwelleth - Everyone that so dwells. The proposition is universal, and is designed to embrace all who are in this condition. It is true of one; it is true of all. The word rendered "dwelleth" here is a participle from the verb to "sit," and here means "sitting:" literally, "sitting in the secret place," etc. The idea is that of calm repose; of resting; of sitting down - as one does in his dwelling.

In the secret place - On the meaning of this see the notes at Psalm 27:5. Compare Psalm 31:20; Psalm 32:7. Abiding where God abides. The idea is that of having one's home or residence in the most holy place in the tabernacle or the temple, and of sitting with him in that sacred place.

Of the Most High - Of God, represented as exalted above all; over all the universe.

Shall abide - Margin, as in Hebrew, "lodge." That is his home - his resting place - where he lodges, or passes the night. He takes up his lodging there; he makes it his home.

Under the shadow of the Almighty - Under his protection, as if under his wings. Compare the notes at Psalm 17:8. This is a general statement, and is designed as an introduction to the whole psalm, or as expressing what the psalm is intended to illustrate, "the blessedness" of the man who thus dwells with God; who makes him his friend; who makes the home of God his home.