Commentaries and Other Bible Study Helps - Prayer Tents - Prayer Tents

Psalm 91. This tender and intimate psalm describes the confidence that the believer may have through all manner of dangers and challenges. The psalm speaks about the faithful person as "he" (vv. 1, 14-16), addresses him directly as "you" (singular; vv. 3-13), and gives him words to say as "I" (v. 2). Some have suggested that all of these are Israel speaking as a whole, but the situations in view in the psalm (e.g., pestilence, vv. 3, 6; terrors by night and arrows, v. 5; one's fellows falling, v. 7) are those primarily faced by particular persons. Of course, Israel as a whole finds refuge in God and is covered by his divine wings, but the nation's members see this in their individual lives as well.

91:1-2 God Is My Refuge. The opening section sets out the basic theme of the whole psalm: the Lord is a secure defense for those who take refuge in him. Several terms for security appear: shelter (that hides one from danger), shadow (e.g., of the wings, v. 4; cf. 17:8; 36:7; 57:1; 63:7), refuge (a place of security), and fortress (protecting one from attack). The titles of God support this idea: Most High (Hb. ‘elyon, high above every other power) and Almighty (Hb. Shadday; see note on Gen. 17:1-2). The term my God, in whom I trust displays the utter reliance that is the ideal of biblical faith. The purpose of this psalm is to instill greater faith in God's people, and the first section helps the singers to feel that God is trustworthy.