Promises of Psalm 91

This post draws its inspiration from a meme a friend posted earlier today outlining several promises of God found in Psalm 91. 

This Psalm is often pointed to when the topic of God’s protection comes up, and, indeed, it provides amazing promises that remind us we can trust in the Lord for our protection!

But a closer look at Psalm 91 reveals promises extending far beyond protection. Before we dive in, let’s read through the entire chapter. I’ve highlighted some words that we’ll return to afterwards.

Psalm 91 (NJKV)

1. He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High
   Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
2. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress;
   My God, in Him I will trust.”
3. Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler
   And from the perilous pestilence.
4. He shall cover you with His feathers,
   And under His wings you shall take refuge;
   His truth shall be your shield and buckler.
5. You shall not be afraid of the terror by night,
   Nor of the arrow that flies by day,
6. Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness,
   Nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday.
7. A thousand may fall at your side,
   And ten thousand at your right hand;
   But it shall not come near you.
8. Only with your eyes shall you look,
   And see the reward of the wicked.
9. Because you have made the Lord, who is my refuge,
   Even the Most High, your dwelling place,
10. No evil shall befall you,
    Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling;
11. For He shall give His angels charge over you,
    To keep you in all your ways.
12. In their hands they shall bear you up,
    Lest you dash your foot against a stone.
13. You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra,
    The young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot.
14. “Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him;
    I will set him on high, because he has known My name.
15. He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him;
    I will be with him in trouble;
    I will deliver him and honor him.
16. With long life I will satisfy him,
    And show him My salvation.”

Verse 3 says the Lord delivers us. The context here is that He rescues us from the traps of one who is laying bait to ensnare us.  

In verse 4, we read that the Lord covers us, akin to how a bird covers its young with its wings to protect it. Not only do we have deliverance but we also have a covering. 

Verse 11 says God gives his angels charge over us. To give charge means to command. What does He command His angels to do? To “keep us” and “bear us up” in their hands. When we dwell in Christ, God issues a command to His angels on our behalf. 

In verse 14, we read again God’s promise of deliverance, but we also see that God positions us — He “sets” us “on high.” The implication here is that we are placed in a place of security. The word translated “set on high” is śāḡaḇ, which means “to be (causatively, make) lofty, especially inaccessible; by implication, safe, strong.”God positions us in a place of safety. 

In verse 15, we see that God answers us. He responds to us. He never turns a deaf ear when we call on Him. 

The same verse says God is with us. Many times throughout Scripture we see God’s promise to be with us. In the closing words of Matthew 28, we read that Jesus said to His disciples, “I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.”

And through the promised Holy Spirit, God’s presence is not only with us but in us who are born again (John 3).

Verse 16 reiterates God’s promise of deliverance and adds to it a promise that God honors us. The word translated “honor” here is kāḇaḏ. The meaning of this word includes ‘to make rich’ but also ‘to make honorable’. Maybe we’ve done things that are not honorable. (Actually, there’s no “maybe” about it – we’ve all done things that aren’t honorable.) But God can make us honorable based on His righteousness and great mercy and love.  

Finally, in verse 16, we see two promises. First, God satisfies us. He “fills us to satisfaction.” We can look to many things to satisfy, but we will never be satisfied until we meet the only One Who can satisfy.  

And lastly, God reveals Himself to us. The verse says He “shows” us “his salvation.” But what—or, rather, Who—is salvation other than Jesus? Jesus is the revelation of God’s salvation. 

How rich are the promises of God!