Psalm 91
Commentary
Reference: Charles Spurgeon, "The Treasury of
David"
The Lord had given me this Psalm at
a time when I was experiencing indecisiveness and uncertainty nearly a decade ago. It was then He began preparing
me for The Secret Place; the teaching I impart to women through mentoring.
Verse 1
1He who dwells in the secret
place of the Most High,
Shall abide under the shadow
of the Almighty.
He who dwells in the secret place
of the Most High.
These promised blessings are not for every believer,
but only for those who live in close fellowship with God. Every child of God looks toward the inner sanctuary and the
mercy seat, yet all do not dwell in the secret place of the Most High. They
run to it at times, and enjoy occasional approaches, but they do not habitually reside in the mysterious presence. Those
who through rich grace obtain unusual and continuous fellowship with God abide in Christ and Christ abides in them.
They become possessors of rare and special benefits that are missed by those who follow at a distance and grieve the Holy
Spirit.
Those who know the love of God in Christ Jesus come
into the secret place, and only those who dwell there can say, "For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain." (Phil.
1:21). To them, the veil is torn, the mercy seat is revealed, the covering cherubs are manifest, and the awful glory
of the Most High is apparent. These, like Simeon, have the Holy Spirit on them (Luke 2:25), and like Anna, they do not
depart from the temple (Luke 2:37). They are the courtiers of the Great King, the valiant who watch around the bed of
Solomon, the virgin souls who follow the Lamb wherever He goes.
Elect out of the elect, they have "attained unto the
first three" (1 Chr. 11:25) and will walk with the Lord in white, for they are worthy (Rev. 3:4). Sitting down in the
august presence, where the mystic light of the Sheckinah shines, they know what it is to be raised up in the heavenly places
in Christ Jesus (Eph. 2:6), and of them it is truly said that their conversion is in heaven.
Special grace like theirs brings special immunity.
Outer court worshipers know little about what belongs in the inner sanctuary, or surely they would press on until the place
of nearness and divine familiarity became theirs. Those who are the Lord's constant guests will find that He will never
permit any to be injured within His gates. He has eaten the covenant salt with them, and is pledged to their protection
(Num. 18:19).
Shall abide under the shadow of
the Almighty.
The Omnipotent Lord shall shield all who dwell with
Him. They will remain under this care as guests under the protection of their host. In the most holy place,
the wings of the cherubim were conspicuous objects, and they probably suggested to the psalmist the expression used here.
Those who commune with God are safe with Him, for no evil can reach them; the outstretched wings of His power and love cover
them from all harm. This protection is constant - they abide under it. It is all-sufficient, for it is the shadow
of the Almighty, whose omnipotence will surely screen them from all attack. No shelter can be imagined that is comparable
to the protection of Jehovah's shadow. The Almighty is where His shadow is, and those who dwell in His secret place
are shielded by Him. What a shade in the day of noxious heat! What a refuge in the hour of a deadly storm!
Fellowship with God is safety. The closer we cling to our Almighty Father, the more confident we are.
Verse 2
2I will say of the Lord, "He
is my refuge and my fortress.
To take a general truth and make it ours
by personal faith is the highest wisdom. It is little comfort to say, "The Lord is a refuge," but to say, He is my refuge, is the essence of consolation. Those who believe this should also
state, I will say, for such bold vows honor God and lead others to seek the same
confidence. People are quick enough to proclaim their doubts, and even boast about them. They glory in casting
suspicion on everything. Thus, it is the duty of true believers to testify with calm courage to their well-grounded
reliance on God. Let others say what they will, we proclaim, "He is our refuge and our fortress."
What we say, we must prove by our actions;
we must fly to the Lord for shelter, and not to the arm of the flesh. The bird flies to the thicket, and the fox hastens
to its hole; every creature uses its refuge in danger. In all peril or fear, let us flee to Jehovah, the Eternal Protector
of His own. Let us rejoice when we are secure in the Lord, for our position is unassailable. He is our fortress
as well as our refuge. No moat, barricade, drawbridge, wall, battlement, and dungeon can make us so secure as when the
Lord of Hosts surrounds us. Today, the Lord is our walls and our bulwarks! Our ramparts defy the hosts of hell.
Foes in flesh, and foes in ghastly guise, are denied their prey. When the Lord of Hosts stands between us and their
fury, all evil forces are turned aside. Walls cannot keep out the pestilence, but the Lord can.
As if it were not enough to
call the Lord his refuge and fortress, the psalmist adds, My God, in Him I will trust.
He can say no more, for my God means all and more that can be
conceived by way of security. It was proper that he should say, In Him I will trust,
for to deny this faith would be a willful wickedness and wanton insult. Those who dwell in an impregnable fortress trust
in it. Will not we who dwell in God feel equally at ease and rest our souls in safety? To trust in man is natural
to a fallen nature; to trust in God should be just as natural to a regenerated nature. Where there is every reason and
warrant for faith, we ought to place our confidence in God without hesitancy or wavering. Dear reader, pray for grace
to say, In Him I will trust.
3Surely he shall deliver you
from the snare of the fowler
And from the perilous pestilence.
4He shall cover you with His
feathers,
And under His wings you shall
take refuge;
His truth shall be your shield
and buckler.
5You shall not be afraid of the
terror by night,
Nor of the arrow that flies by
day.
6Nor of the pestilence that walks
in darkness,
Nor of the destruction that lays
waste at noonday.
7A thousand may fall at your
side,
And ten thousand at your right
hand;
But it shall not come near you.
8Only with your eyes shall you
lool, And see the reward of the wicked.
Verse 3
Surely He shall deliver you from
the snare of the fowler.
No subtle plot will succeed against those
who have God's eyes watching their defense. We are as foolish and weak as poor little birds and are likely to be lured
to destruction by cunning foes. But if we dwell near God, He will see that even the most skillful deceiver cannot snare
us.
Satan the fowler who betrays
Unguarded souls a thousand ways,
shall be foiled in the case of those whose
high and honorable condition reside in the holy place of the Most High.
And from the
perilous pestilence.
He who is a Spirit can protect us from
evil spirits. He who is mysterious can rescue us from mysterious dangers. He who is mortal can redeem us from
mortal sickness. There is a deadly pestilence of error, but we are safe if we dwell in communion with the God of truth.
There is a fatal pestilence of sin, but
we will not be infected if we abide with the trice Holy One. There is a pestilence of disease, but even from our calamity
our faith will win immunity if it abides in God, walks in calm serenity, and ventures all things for the sake of duty.
Faith, by cheering the heart, keeps it
free from the fear that kills more than the plague. It will not in all cases ward off disease and death, but where one
"dwells in the secret place," it makes that person immortal when others die. If all the saints are not sheltered, it
is because they are not close to God and consequently lack confidence in the promise. Such a special faith is not given
to all, for there are diversities in the measure of faith. It is not of all believers that the psalmist sings, but only
of those who dwell "in the secret place of the Most High."
Too many are weak in faith and place their
reliance in a bottle of medicine than in the Lord and giver of life. If we die of pestilence, it is because we acted
like others and did not in patience possess our souls (Luke 21:19). Yet the great mercy is, that in such a case, our
deaths are blessed, and it is well with us, for we are forever with the Lord. Pestilence to the saints will not be perilous
but will be heaven's messenger.
Verse 4
He shall cover you with His feathers,
and under His wings you shall take refuge.
What a wonderful expression! Had
it been invented by an uninspired person it would have verged on blasphemy, for who would dare to apply such words to the
Infinite Jehovah? But as He Himself authorized, yes, dictated the language, we have a transcendent condescension that
causes us to admire and adore. Does the Lord speak of feathers as though He likened HImself to a bird? Who cannot
see matchless love and divine tenderness that woos and wins our confidence? As a hen covers her chickens, the Lord protects
the souls, that dwell in Him. Let us cower under Him for comfort and safety. Hawks in the sky and snares in the
field are equally harmless when we nestle close to the Lord.
His
truth. His promise, and His faithfulness to His promise, shall be your shield
and buckler. Double armor have we who rely on the Lord. He carries a shield and wears an all-surrounding
coat of mail; this is the effect of the word buckler. The truth is a most
effective shield to quench fiery darts (Eph. 6:16) and blunt all swords; it is an equally effective coat of mail. When
we go to battle dressed for war like this, we will be safe on the thickest part of the fight. It has been so, and will
be, until we reach the land of peace. There among the cherubim and seraphim, we will wear no ther ornament; His truth
will still be our shield and buckler.
Verse 5
You shall not be afraid of the
terror by night.
We are such frail creatures that both day
and night we are in danger. We are so sinful that in any season we can be readily carried away by fear. This promise,
however, secures the favor of heaven from both danger and fear. Night is the hour of horrors when terror walks about
like beasts, or like ghouls from the tombs. Our fears turn the sweet season of rest into dread, and though angels fill
our bedrooms, we dream of demons and dire visitors from hell. Blessed is the fellowship with God that makes us impervious
to midnight fears and horrors born of darkness. To be unafraid is an unspeakable blessing, since, for every suffering
that we endure from real injury, we are tormented by a thousand griefs that arise from fear alone. The Almighty's shadow
removes all gloom from night. Once covered by the divine wing, we do not care what terrors fly in the earth.
Nor of the arrow that flies by
day.
Cunning foes lie in ambush; they aim deadly
shafts at our hearts, but we have no cause to fear. There has not been a weapon made that can destroy the righteous,
for the Lord has said, "No weapon formed against you shall prosper" (Is. 54:17). In times of great danger, those who
have made the Lord their refuge, and refused to use carnal weapons, have been singularly preserved. The Quakers' annals
bear good evidence to this. Yet probably, the main thought is that those who walk by faith will be protected from the
cowardly attacks of crafty malice; from cunning heresies, they will be preserved; in sudden trials, they will be secured from
harm. The day also has perils, for arrows more deadly than any poisoned by Indians fly noiselessly through the air,
and we will be their victims, unless we find both shield and buckler in God. Believer, dwell under the Lord's shadow
and none of the archers can destroy you. They may shoot at and severly wound, but your bow will abide in strength.
When Satan's quiver is empty, you will not be injured by his craft and cruelty. Satan's broken darts will be trophies
of the truth and power of the Lord your God.
Verse 6
Nor of the pestilence that walks
in darkness.
Its cause and cure are shrouded
in mystery. It marches unseen, killing with hidden weapons, like an enemy stabbing in the dark. But those who
dwell in God are not afraid. Nothing is more alarming than the assassin's plot, for he may strike at any moment.
This is the pestilence in its power, and no human can promise freedom from the plague, in any place in the infected city.
We do not know how it enters houses, although its very breath is mortal. Yet those choice souls who dwell in God live
above fear even in the most plague-stricken places. They are not afraid of the pestilence
that walks in the darkness.
Nor of the destruction that lays
waste at noonday.
Famine may stare, or bloody war devour,
earthquakes may overturn, or tempests strike, but amid it all, the one who has sought the mercy seat is sheltered under the
wings that overshadow it. And that one will abide in perfect peace. Days of honor and nights of terror are for
others, but the one sheltered spends days and nights with God in sacred quiet. God's peace is not a thing of time and
season, it does not rise and set with the sun, nor does it depend on a healthy atmosphere or the nation's security.
Pestilence has no destroying power, and
calamity has no wasting influence, on the Lord's child. Pestilence walks in darkness, but the believer dwells in light.
Destruction lays waste at noonday, but on the believer another sun has risen, whom beams bring restoration. "You shall
not be afraid" is God's voice. He pledges His word for the safety of those who abide under His shadow. And not
just their safety, but also their serenity. They will be so far from being injured that they will not even fear the
ills around them:
He, His shadowy plumes outspread,
With His wing shall fence thy head;
And His truth around thee wield,
Strong as target or bossy shield!
Naught shall strike thee with dismay,
Fear by night, nor shaft by day.
Verse 7
A thousand may fall at your side,
and ten thousand at your right hand.
So terrible is the plague that
the bills of mortality become heavy and grow ten times heavier. Yet this psalm speaks of surviving the scythe of death.
But it shall not come near you.
It will be at your side, and yet not close
enough to touch you. Like a fire, it will burn all around, but not even the smell of smoke will be on you (Dan. 3:27).
How true this is of the plague of moral evil, heresy, and backsliding. Nations are infected, but the ones who commune
with God are not affected. They hold the truth when falsehoods are the fashion. Around them, professors of Christianity
are smitten with the plague, the church is wasted, and the life of religion decays. But in the same place and time,
in fellowship with God, believers renew their youth, and their souls know no sickness. In a measure, this is also true
of physical evil. In the day of His plagues, the Lord makes a clear distinction between Israel and Egypt. Sennacherib's
army is blasted, but Jerusalem is healthy (2Kings 19:36).
Verse 8
Only with your eyes ahll you look,
and see the reward of the wicked.
This look will reveal both God's justice
and mercy. Those that perish will manifest God's severity, and in the believer's escape, the richness of divine goodness
will be apparent. Joshua and Caleb verified this promise. During the London plague, the Puritan preachers must
have been impressed with this v., for they came out of hiding to proclaim mercy and judgment to the dishonest age, which was
terribly visited by the plague. The sight of God's judgments softens the heart, develops solemn awe, creates gratitude,
and stirs deep adoration. It is a sight that none would want to see, but if we did see His judgments, it might lift
us to the noblest lifestyle. Let us watch Providence, and we will find ourselves living in a school where examples of
the ultimate reward of sin are plentiful. One case should not be judged alone, but instances of divine visitations will
be plentiful in the memory of any attentive observer of people and things. From all these, we may fairly draw conclusions,
and unless we shut our eyes to the self-evident, we will soon perceive that there is a moral ruler who sooner or later rewards
the ungodly with due punishment.
Verse 9, 10
9Because you have made the Lord,
who is my refuge,
Even the Most High, your dwelling
place,
10No evil shall befall you,
Nor shall any plague come near
your dwelling.
The Psalmist in these verses assures those
who dwell in God that they will be secure. Though faith claims no merit, yet the Lord rewards it wherever he sees
it. Those who make God their refuge will find Him a refuge. Those who dwell in God will find their dwelling protected.
We must make the Lord our habitation, by choosing Him for our trust and rest. Then we will receive immunity from harm;
no evil will personally touch us, and no blow of judgment will assail our homes. The dwelling
in the original was just a tent, yet even that frail covering would prove sufficient shelter from all sorts of harm.
It matters little if our dwelling is a hut or a monarch's palace, as long as the soul has made the Most High its dwelling
place. Get into God, and you dwell in all good, and all ill is banished. It is not because we are perfect or highly
esteemed that we can hope for shelter in the evil day, but because our refuge is the Eternal God, and our faith has learned
to hide under His sheltered wing.
For this no ill thy cause shall
daunt,
No scourge thy tabernacle haunt.
It is impossible for any ill to happen
to those who are the Lord's beloved. The most crushing calamities can only shorten the journey and hasten their reward.
To them, ill is no ill, but only good in a mysterious form. Loss enriches them, sickness is thier medicine, reproach
is their honor, and death is their gain. No evil, in the strict sense of the word, can happen to them, for everything
is overruled for good. They are secure where others are in peril, they live where others die.
11For He shall give His angels
charge over you,
To keep you in all your ways.
12In their hands they shall bear
you up,
Lest you dash your foot against
a stone.
13You shall tread upon the lion
and the cobra,
The young lion and the serpent
you shall trample underfoot.
Verse 11
For He shall give His angels charge
over you.
Not one guardian angel as some would imagine,
but all the angels. Angels are the bodyguard of the princes of the blood imperial of heaven.
They have a commission from their Lord
and they are ours to watch carefully over all the interests of the faithful. When people have a charge, they become
doubly careful, and the angels are charged by God to see that the elect are secured. It is in the marching orders of
heaven's hosts that they are to take special note of the people who dwell in God. It is not surprising that the
servants are ordered to care for the comfort of their Master's guests. We may be certain that, when they are thus
charged by the Lord, they will carefully dischrage their duty.
To
keep you in all your ways.
To be a bodyguard, a garrison to the saint's
body, soul, and spirit. The limit of this protection, in all your ways;
has no limit to the heart that is right with God. It is not the way of the believer to go out of the way; believers
stay in the way and the angels keep them. This promised protection is exceedingly broad as to place, for it refers to
all our ways. What more do we want? We do not know how angels keep us. Whether they repel
demons, counteract spiritual plots, or ward off the subtler physical forces of disease, we do not know. Perhaps we will
one day stand amazed at the multiplied services that the unseen hands have provided.
Verse 12
In their hands they
shall bear you up.
God's angels will cheerfully become our
servants. These glorious spirits lift each believer as nurses carry babies, lest you dash
your foot against a stone. Even minor ills, they ward off. It is desirable that we not stumble,
for the way is rough, so our most gracious Lord sends His servants to bear us above the loose peebles. If we cannot
have the way smoothed, it answers every purpose to have angels bear us up. Since great ills may arise out of little
accidents, it shows the Lord's wisdom that protects us from the smaller evils.
Verse 13
You shall tread upon the lion and
the cobra.
You will march victoriously over force
and fraud; bold opponents and treaherous adversaries will be walked on. When our shoes are iron and bronze (Deut. 33:25),
lions and cobra are easily crushed under our heel.
The young lion and the serpent
you shall trample underfoot.
The strongest and craftiest foes will be
conquered by God's saints. We will be safe, not only from stones in the way, but also from serpents. The most
evil forces become harmless to those who dwell in God. They wear a charmed life and defy the deadliest ills. Their
feet come into contact with the worst of foes, and even Satan nibbles at their heels, but in Christ Jesus they have the assured
hope of soon bruising Satan under their feet. God's people are the real "George and the dragon," the true lion kings
and serpent tamers. Their dominion over the powers of darkness makes them cry, "Lord even the demons are subject to
us in Your name" (Luke 10:17)
14Because He has set His love
upon Me,
Therefore, I will deliver Hhim;
I will set him on high, because
he has known My name.
15He shall call upon Me, and
I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble;
I will deliver him and honor
him.
16With long life I will satisfy
him,
And show him My salvation.
Verse 14
Here, the Lord speaks to His chosen, Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore, I will deliver him. Not because he deserves
deliverance, but despite all his imperfections, he loves his God. Thus, not only the angels of God, but the God
of the angels will come to his rescue in perilous times. When the heart is enamored with the Lord, all taken up with
Him and intensely attached to Him, the Lord will recognize the sacred flame and preserve the one who carries it in his heart.
It is love, love set on God, that is the distinguishing mark of those whom the Lord secures from ill.
I will set him on high, because
he has known My name.
This man knew God's attributes so as to
trust in Him, and by experience; he arrived at a deeper knowledge. This is regarded by the Lord as a pledge of His grace,
and He wil set the owner of it above danger or fear, to dwell in peace and joy. No one has intimate fellowship
with God unless they possess a warm affection and intelligent trust in God. These gifts of grace are precious in Jehovah's
eyes, and wherever He sees them, He smiles on them. The standing that the Lord gives the believer is elevated, and we
ought to earnestly covet it. If we climb on high, it might be dangerous, but if God sets us there, it is glorious.
Verse 15
He shall call upon
Me, and I will answer him.
He will need to pray, he will be lead to
pray, and the answer will surely come. Saints are first called by God, and then they call on God. These calls
are always answered. The blessing will not come to the most favored without prayer, but by means of prayer, they will
receive all good things.
I will be with him in trouble.
... or, "I am with him in trouble."
Heaven's heirs are conscious of a special divine presence in times of severe trial. God is always near in sympathy and
in power to help His tested ones.
I will deliver him and honor him.
The man honors God, and God honors him.
Believers are not delivered or persevered in a way that makes them feel degraded. Far from it. The Lord's salvation
bestows honor on those it delivers. God first gives us conquering grace and then rewards us for it.
Verse 16
With long life I will satisfy him.
The man described in the Psalm fills out
the measure of his days. Whether he dies young or old, he is quite satisfied with life and is content to leave it.
He will rise from life's banquet with enough, and he would not have more if he could.
And show him My salvation.
The full sight of divine grace will be
his closing vision. He will enter his rest, not with destruction before him as black as night, but with salvation as
bright as a smiling noon.
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