The author of Psalm 91 is not known. This psalm shares with us God's protection in the midst of danger, anytime, anyplace, anywhere. God does not provide a world free from danger but he does promise his help whenever we face it.
Psalm 91:1-6 - "He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. 1-I will say of the LORD, 'He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.' 3-Surely he will save you from the fowler's snare and from the deadly pestilence. 4-He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. 5-You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, 6-nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday"
God is a shelter, a refuge when we are afraid. The writer's faith in the Almighty God as Protector would carry him through all the dangers and fears of life. This should be a picture of our trust - trading all our fears for faith in him, no matter how intense our fears. To do this we must "dwell" and "rest" with him. By entrusting ourselves to his protection and pledging our daily devotion to him we will be kept safe.
Psalm 91:11 - "My eyes have seen the defeat of my adversaries; my ears have heard the rout of my wicked foes"
One of the functions of angels is to watch over believers. There are examples of guardian angels in Scripture (1 Kings 19:5, Daniel 6:22, Matthew 18:10, Luke 16:22 and Acts 12:7) although there is no indication that one angel is assigned to each believer. Angels can also be God's messengers (Matthew 2:13, Acts 27:23, 24). Angels are not visible, except on special occasions (Numbers 22:31 and Luke 2:9). With all this being said, just know that it is comforting to know that God watches over us even in times of great stress and fear.
Examples of Guardian Angels in Scripture:
1 Kings 19:5 - "...Then he (Elijah) lay down under the tree and fell asleep. All at once an angel touched him and said, 'Get up and eat'".
Daniel 6:22 - "My God has sent his angel, and he s hut the mouths of lions. They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in his sight. Nor have I ever done any wrong before you, O king"
Matthew 18:10 - Jesus said, "See that you do not look down on one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven"
Luke 16:22 - Jesus said, "...The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried"
Acts 12:7 - "Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up. "Quick, get up" he said, and the chains fell off Peter's wrists.
God's Messengers:
Matthew 2:13 - "When they had gone, an angel of the LORD appeared to Joseph in a dream.
'Get up,' he said, 'take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him."
Acts 27:23, 24 - "Last night an angel of the God whose I am and whom I serve stood beside me 24-and said, 'Do not be afraid, Paul. You must stand trial before Ceasar, and God has graciously given you the lives of all who sail with you."
Special Occasion Angels:
Numbers 22:31 - "Then the LORD opened Balaam's eyes, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road with his sword drawn. So he bowed low and fell face down"
Luke 2:9 - "An angel of the LORD appeared to them, and the glory of the LORD shown all around them, and they were terrified"
Psalm 91 / New International Version
ReplyDelete1 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
2 I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust.”
3 Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare
and from the deadly pestilence.
4 He will cover you with his feathers,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
5 You will not fear the terror of night,
nor the arrow that flies by day,
6 nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,
nor the plague that destroys at midday.
7 A thousand may fall at your side,
ten thousand at your right hand,
but it will not come near you.
8 You will only observe with your eyes
and see the punishment of the wicked.
9 If you make the Most High your dwelling --
even the LORD, who is my refuge --
10 then no harm will befall you,
no disaster will come near your tent.
11 For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways;
12 they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
13 You will tread on the lion and the cobra;
you will trample the great lion and the serpent.
14 “Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him;
I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
15 He will 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."