Christianity

Psalms 91Under the Shadow of the Almighty

Summary

Psalm 91 is a psalm of trust that promises protection to whoever dwells in the secret place of the most High and abides under the shadow of the Almighty. It names dangers, the snare of the fowler, the pestilence, the terror by night and the arrow by day, and promises that angels will guard the faithful. It ends with God's own voice pledging deliverance, honor and long life to the one who loves him. It has no Hebrew heading; some rabbinic tradition credits it to Moses.

Key verse

“He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.”

Psalms 91:1

Themes

Divine Protection
Trust
Angels
Freedom from Fear

He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.

Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.

He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.

Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;

Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.

A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.

Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.

Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation;

There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.

For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.

They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.

Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet.

Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name.

He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him.

With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.

Text: King James Version (1611/1769), public domain.

Across traditions

Christianity
Matthew 4: The Temptation in the Wilderness
The devil quotes Psalm 91:11 to 12 to urge Jesus to throw himself from the temple, and Jesus answers with Deuteronomy 6:16 that one must not tempt God. Christians often cite the scene as a warning against misusing the psalm's promises.
Islam
Surah Al-Falaq (113): Refuge from the Dark
Al-Falaq teaches the believer to seek refuge in the Lord of the Daybreak from the evil of darkness and of the envious. Like Psalm 91 it is recited for protection, though it is phrased as a personal plea rather than a list of promises.
Judaism
Psalm 91 in the JPS 1917 Tanakh
Psalm 91 is part of Jewish prayers for protection, including the Saturday night service at the close of the Sabbath, and many communities recite it at burials.

Questions about Psalms 91

Does Psalm 91 promise that believers will never be harmed?

Read literally, verses 5 to 10 promise safety from plague and violence, but Jewish and Christian interpreters have generally understood it as assurance of God's ultimate care rather than a guarantee against all suffering. The temptation account in Matthew 4 is often cited against treating it as a formula.

What is the 'snare of the fowler' in Psalm 91?

A fowler was a bird-catcher who used nets and traps. Psalm 91:3 uses the image for hidden dangers laid by enemies, from which God delivers the one who trusts him.