Psalms
Chapter 91
Trust in God
You, who dwell in the shelter of the Most High,who rest in the shadow of the Almighty,
say to the Lord, “My stronghold, my refuge, my God in whom I trust!”
He will rescue you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence.
He will cover you with his pinions and give you refuge under his wings.
You shall not fear the terror of the night nor the arrows that fly by day,
nor the pestilence that stalks by night, and the plague that destroys at noonday.
A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but nothing shall befall you, his faithfulness is your shield.
Open your eyes: you will see how the wicked are repaid.
If you have made the Lord your refuge, the Most High your stronghold,
no harm will come upon you; no disaster will draw near your home.
For he will command his angels to guard you in all your ways.
They will lift you up with their hands, so that your foot will not hit a stone.
You will tread on wildcats and snakes, and trample the lion and the dragon.
“Because they cling to me, I will rescue them,” says the Lord. “I will protect those who know my name.
When they call to me, I will answer; in time of trouble, I will be with them; I will deliver and honor them.
I will satisfy them with long life; and show them my salvation.”
Commentaries
91
The devil can quote Scripture (Mt 4:6). He was clever enough to recognize quality and to try to exploit its flaws. However, this is inaccurate because the assumption is not a fault related to trust in God. The child who lets go of his mother’s hand and tries to walk on his own does not distrust her but instead trusts himself. In any case, we must not let the devil ruin this psalm for us. For many, it is the most comforting psalm in the Psalter, and it’s no wonder. It assures us, in several oddly matched expressions of emotion, of a God waiting—and longing—to be asked!
This is a powerful psalm prayed daily for protection against the powers of the Evil One. It is so powerful that even the devil tried to use it (see vv. 11 and 12) in his sneaky way to tempt Jesus in the desert (Mt 4:6). Of course, he was not successful, and therefore, we can be confident that he won’t succeed in tempting us either. It will be beneficial to pray with this psalm, reaffirming and strengthening our trust in God, especially when danger surrounds us.