15 He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him. The first of those meanings (deliver) has God pulling the person out of the troubled situation, a scenario where the troubled person plays only a passive role. Under his wings you will take refuge. 1. I believe in God and depend on him for deliverance, but I nevertheless find myself afraid. Hardcover. Pastor John MacArthur interview in Servant 991 tells about being on a Christian talk show where he said to the host Dont you believe that the Holy Spirit the Word of God and . Therefore the psalmist is probably saying more than he understooddeliverance from trouble and salvation to eternal life. A commonly misunderstood phenomenon in Psalms is the association that often develops between the "one" (the psalmist) and the "many" (the theocratic people). That God himself will be their protector; those must needs be safe who have him for their keeper, and successful for whom he undertakes (v. 4): He shall cover thee, shall keep thee secret (Ps 31 20), and so keep thee safe, Ps 27 5. The psalmist's own resolution to take God for his keeper (ver 2), from which he gives both direction and encouragement to others, ver 9. Please respond to confirm your registration. Psalms 91:4. Ought the Church to Pray for Revival? That the powers of darkness shall be triumphed over by them (v. 13): Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder. I will be with him in trouble (v. 15ab). The World English Bible is based on the American Standard Version (ASV) of the Bible, the Biblia Hebraica Stutgartensa Old Testament, and the Greek Majority Text New Testament. quotation, for he left out the words in all thy ways. God will help us in our ways if we keep in his ways. However, the conditional nature of the promises serve as a warning that the promises will no longer apply if we disassociate ourselves from Yahweh. Oh, labour to get to that blessed position! The word sagab (set him on high) means to raise, exalt, or defend. Jan. 1, 2023. I am old, and expect to die within a few years. 2 I will say of Yahweh, "He is my refuge and my fortress; 4 He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings He assures us that we can enjoy the same confidence if we dwell in he secret place of the Most High (v. 1). Click to enable/disable Google Analytics tracking. Angels are Gods messengers (Hebrews 1:14; Revelation 1:1)part of the created order and therefore wholly subordinate to God. - Oscar Cullmann, Immortality of the Soul - by Kaufmann Kohler, Technical Terms and Usages Preclude Innate Immortality - Froom, The Development of the Doctrine of Immortality from the Apostolic Fathers to Augustine, The Doctrine of Immortality in the Early Church. Can any thought be more profound? This crowns the blessedness: I will show him my salvation, show him the Messiah (so some); good old Simeon was then satisfied with long life when he could say, My eyes have seen thy salvation, nor was there any greater joy to the Old-Testament saints than to see Christ's day, though at a distance. - James P. Shelly, Genesis Week - Refuting Evolution - 100 Videos, The Enormity of the Error of Perverting the Gospel. The Lord's Supper - A Historical Overview, Ten Indictments Against the Modern Church - Paul Washer - Video, The Bible Without Comment - William E. Cox, Amusing Ourselves to Death - Neil Postman, Everybody Loves Jesus: The Culture Cherishes a Counterfeit Christ, Historian David Barton on Jon Stewart Show, Hollywood's War on Traditional Values - Video, Homosexuals Brainwashing Our Children in Elementary Schools, The Homosexual Propaganda Campaign in America, The Motion Picture Production Code of 1930 (Hays Code), The New England Primer - First Elementary School Textbook - 1777, What same-sex "marriage" has done to Massachusetts, Why Does Socialism Always Fail? You will tread on the lion and the adder; the young lion and the serpent you will trample underfoot.. That he will, in due time, deliver them out of trouble: I will deliver him (v. 14 and again v. 15), denoting a double deliverance, living and dying, a deliverance in trouble and a deliverance out of trouble. John MacArthur) BRAIN GAMES. The word For connects this verse with verse 2. Cobras and serpents serve as a metaphor for smaller but equally deadly forces that appear suddenly, seemingly from nowhere. The word deber means plague or pestilence. Does God value such feeble and imperfect knowledge of his name as we possess? I'm reading this passage twice a day as a prescription instruction from a Bishop. The Immortality of the Soul: A Protest - Joseph Agar Beet D.D. 14 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. By natural instinct she not only protects them, but calls them under that protection when she sees them in danger, not only keeps them safe, but cherishes them and keeps them warm. His wings and his feathers suggest both power and softness. Psalms 91:4. II. Their Worm Does Not Die: Annihilation and Mark 9:48, Evidence for the Resurrection - William Lane Craig -Text and Audio, The Evidence for Jesus - William Lane Craig - Text and Video. 3. One old divine calls a man a worm six feet long; and it is rather a flattering description of him. The MacArthur Bible Studies provide intriguing examinations of the whole of Scripture. I will deliver him, and honour him. Some of the most powerful evidence that proves Jesus to be Whom he claimed to be is found in the historical fulfillment of the prophsies He foretold in the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 a.d. All the Prayers in the Bible - Old and New Testaments. 7 A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee. The imagery here is that of God being a protective parent bird like the eagle which covers His young under their wings and shades them from the elements and any prey that might attack them. It is also under divine direction, and will hit where God appoints and not otherwise. Life is filled with problems both small and big. Thank you. John MacArthur is the pastor-teacher of Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California, as well as an author, conference speaker, president of The Master's University and Seminary, and featured teacher with the Grace to You media ministry. (5.) That the angels of light shall be serviceable to them, v. 11, 12. 4 He will cover you with his feathers. The Unholy Trinity: The World, The Flesh, The Devil Psalms--BASICS Psalm 91 OUTLINE vs. 1-2: Assurance of God's Protection vs. 3-8, 11-13: The Ways God Protects vs. 9-10: An Invitation to Receive God's Protection vs. 14-16: Promises from the Lord for His Protection You who know the Lord, pray that you may attain to this high condition of dwelling in the inner shrine, always near to God, always overshadowed by those cherubic wings which indicate the presence of God. When we are retired into our chambers, our beds, and have made all as safe as we can about us, yet there is terror by night, from thieves and robbers, winds and storms, besides those things that are the creatures of fancy and imagination, which are often most frightful of all. As you may be aware, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) comes into full effect on 25th May 2018. Click to enable/disable _ga - Google Analytics Cookie. will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. He will deliver those people. and ten thousand at your right hand; By far the most common name for God in the Old Testament is Yahweh, which means I am who I am (Exodus 3:14)but elohim is the next most common. 3 Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. Click to enable/disable _gat_* - Google Analytics Cookie. If Jehovah be our God, our refuge, and our fortress, what can we desire which we may not be sure to find in him? They shall be enabled, by the grace of God, to look down upon the things of this world with a holy contempt and indifference, to look up to the things of the other world with a holy ambition and concern; and then they are set on high. It is not every professing Christian, nor every believer who attains this height of experience; but only such as believe the promise, and fulfill the heavenly condition of dwelling in the secret place of the most High. His faithfulness (emettruth) is your shield (Hebrew: sinnah) and rampart (Hebrew: soherahbuckler) (v. 4c). He brings in God himself speaking words of comfort to the saints, and declaring the mercy he had in store for them, v. 14-16. For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. Can any language be loftier? God hides not his people in a casing of iron; their shelter is stronger than iron, yet it is soft as the downy wings of a bird for ease and comfort. The promises that are sure to all those who have thus made the Most High their habitation. I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. Purgatory: Purifying Fire or Fatal Fable? But he is confident that Yahweh will deliver him from plagues and pestilence, because he dwells in the secret place of the Most High.. It is to know relationally or by experience, and is therefore an intimate kind of knowledge. The Hebrew word sel means shadow of shade. It also means preparing, to include equipping for war. Popular media today portray angels as lovely, delicate, and feminine, but Biblical writers either cite masculine names for angels or give no clue to their gender. We know whom we have trusted. 13 You will tread on the lion and cobra. God is willing to guard his people as the hen is to guard the chickens, and as able as a man of war in armour. HELL: ', All Rights Reserved | 1997-2023 Richard Niell Donovan. If you dwell there, you are invincible, invulnerable, infinitely secure. The Hebrew word sadday means almighty or the Almighty. Anderson, A.A., The New Century Bible Commentary: Psalms 73-150 (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1972), Broyles, Craig C., New International Biblical Commentary: Psalms (Peabody, Massachusetts: Hendrickson Publishers, 1999, Brueggemann, Walter, The Message of the Psalms A Theological Commentary (Minneapolis: Augsburg Press, 1984), Clifford, Richard J., Abingdon Old Testament Commentaries: Psalms 73-150 (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2003), DeClaisse-Walford, Nancy; Jacobson, Rolf A.; Tanner, Beth Laneel, The New International Commentary on the Old Testament: The Book of Psalms (Grand Rapids: Wm. Here at Grace to You Europe we take our data protection responsibilities very seriously and, as you would expect, have undertaken a significant programme of work to ensure that we are ready for this important legislative change. The character of those who shall have the benefit and comfort of these promises; it is much the same with that, v. 1. He that has given grace to be the glory of the soul will create a defence upon all that glory. I will be with him in trouble: Again God speaks and acts like a tender-hearted mother towards a sickly child. We can put down our foot on truth, and it will prove solidwont collapse under our weight. They will bear you up in their hands, so that you wont dash your foot against a stone (vv. 5 You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, These verses include conditional promises. where is thy sting? 16 With long life will I satisfy him, and show him my salvation. El sadday, then, means Almighty God. 6 nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, It is not an evil, an only evil, but there is a mixture of good in it and a product of good by it. What does it mean to take the Lord's name in vain? For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence.. They shall triumph over their enemies, ver 13. 2023 Grace to You. Psalms 91:6-7. Seneca De Providentia. - Herman Hanko, Problems and Limitations of the Traditional "Sermon" Concept, Quitting Church: Why the Faithful Are Fleeing - Ingrid Schlueter, Should One Man Be The Dominant, Focal-Point Of A Church Service. When we talk about trusting God to deliver us, thats the bottom lineconfidence that God is with us both in life and in death. (General Editor), New International Dictionary of Old Testament Theology & Exegesis, 5 vol., (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1997), Again, it is written, You shall not test the Lord, your God. Examine Yourselves as to Whether You Are in the Faith - updated, The Christian's Craving for God's Word - MacArthur, Sproul, Piper, Washer, Chan. What are things that we can learn from it for today? 5 Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; 6 Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday. They are mighty (Psalm 78:25), and serve by doing Gods will (Psalm 103:1). (6.) That they shall have a sufficiency of life in this world (v. 16): With length of days will I satisfy him; that is, [1.] SCRIPTURE QUOTATIONS are from the World English Bible (WEB), a public domain (no copyright) modern English translation of the Holy Bible. I have read of some soldiers who were in a literal valley of death that read this chapter to feel a little more peace of mind. With long life I will satisfy himand show him my salvation.. Life and Immortality - Basil Atkinson, M.A., PhD. Psalms 91:15. He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone. The word elyon is usually translated Most High, and is usually used for God. 2. The charge given to the angels concerning the saints. I will satisfy him with long life, and show him my salvation (v. 16). That they shall have an eternal life in the other world. Why I Don't Have a Television - John Piper, Why People Find the Bible Difficult - A. W. Tozer, Your Life is Like the Morning Fog - James P. Shelly, A Challenge to Unscriptural Traditions and Practice - Video, Are Seminaries Legitimate? Long life is usually a blessing (unless it involves prolonged suffering, dementia, or something else that inhibits the quality of life). The Septuagint (LXX: Greek version of the Old Testament) attributes this psalm to David, but that remains in question. But we must also acknowledge that not all prayers for healing are answered. Idolaters called their idols Mahuzzim, their most strong-hold (Dan 11 39), but therein they deceived themselves; those only secure themselves that make the Lord their God, their fortress. The promises are that no evil shall happen to you and neither shall any plague come near your dwelling.. Nay, it is promised to God's people that they shall have the satisfaction of seeing, not only God's promises fulfilled to them, but his threatenings fulfilled upon those that hate them (v. 8): Only with thy eyes shalt thou behold and see the just reward of the wicked, which perhaps refers to the destruction of the first-born of Egypt by the pestilence, which was both the punishment of the oppressors and the enlargement of the oppressed; this Israel saw when they saw themselves unhurt, untouched. Yahwehs truth is large and sturdy enough to absorb violent blows. God Himself becomes like a mighty refuge and fortress for the believer. 8 You will only look with your eyes, 3 Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. Those that preserve their purity in times of general corruption may trust God with their safety in times of general desolation. 4 (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1996), Ross, Allen P., A Commentary on the Psalms, 90-150, Vol. Jesus ChristUnique Savior or Average Fraud? But the psalmist assures us that, with God at our side, we have nothing to fear. That is worth noting. It would have served Israel well during Davids reign, when Israel was beset by many enemies. He did his graduate work at Moody Theological Seminary. A soherah (more often translated buckler) is a small round shield. neither shall any plague come near your dwelling. Fifteen Words of Hope 2 Corinthians 5:21 Be Part of the Family If I am in my way, then God will keep me. They who fear God are delivered from the vices which would deprive them of the vigor of life; and the joy and contentment they have in God help them to live longer than others. Please contact the publisher to obtain copies of this resource. But it also means one more thing. 1 Chronicles 16:11 Seek the LORD and his strength; seek his presence continually! Watch over him today. It denotes the great care God takes of the saints, in that the angels themselves shall be charged with them, and employed for them. I saw newspaper pictures of children confined to iron lungs that helped them to breath. 91:2 ), from which he gives both direction and encouragement to others, Ps. And now, as before, we must observe. The other is that God often wills for his children to suffer, but forbids that the suffering hurts them in the end. The Almighty (Hebrew: sadday). The word emet is usually translated truth. ", You must enable JavaScript to view all available content on this page, Counterfeit Cross updated - We Walk by Faith Pt II - Taking Up Our Cross. A soldier would be equipped with one shield or the other, but the psalmist perceives Yahwehs truth as embodying the advantages of both. In singing this we must shelter ourselves under, and then solace ourselves in, the divine protection. The New Testament Documents: Are they Reliable? Psalm 91:1. We need both kinds of protection, because Satan sometimes attacks us in a frontal assault, but also comes at us from unexpected quarters. (1.) They sometimes appear in human form (Genesis 18:2; Ezekiel 9:2). Dale Kuiper, The Christian and the Mosaic Law - Philip Mauro, The Preciousness of Time and the Importance of Redeeming It. A man may die young, and yet die full of days, satur dierumsatisfied with living. . The natural life, and is often fulfilled in our preservation from those dangers which are very threatening and very near, while yet we ourselves are not apprehensive of them, any more than the bird is of the snare of the fowler. Because these cookies are strictly necessary to deliver the website, refusing them will have impact how our site functions. He that dwelleth in the secret place, &c. He that makes God his habitation and refuge, as he is called Psalm 91:9, that has recourse to him, and relies on him in his dangers and difficulties; that has access to him, intercourse with him, and worships within the veil, living a life of constant communion with him; shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty He shall not be . They are such as call upon him, as by prayer keep up a constant correspondence with him, and in every difficult case refer themselves to him. Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; Nervous as you are, and naturally timid, when you dwell near to God, your fears shall all go to sleep. Verse six presents a key to understanding Psalm 1: "For the LORD knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the ungodly shall perish."In this psalm, the way of the righteous and the way of the ungodly are contrasted. Hell Under Fire - CIANZ Annual Conference Address, Jesus' Teaching on Hell - Samuel G. Dawson, The Nature of Hell - Evangelical Alliance, The Origin of Hell-Fire in Christian Teaching, The Bible Verses the Traditional View of Hell - Babu G. Ranganathan, Applying the Resurrection This is a daring utterance, as if the psalmist would claim for himself the choicest privileges of any child of God. In Hebrew thought sel is most often welcoming shade from noonday sun or protection afforded by the shadow of Yahwehs wings (Psalm 17:8). That is a wonderful promise: Thou shalt not be afraid. If it had said, Thou shalt have no cause for fear, it would have been a very comforting word; but this is even more cheering, Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night.. The Hebrew word batah (trust) means to feel secure or to have confidence in. The psalmists faith in God gives him confidence and a feeling of security. Thanks for stopping by! Angels were often fearsome. A good read. This is the verse that Satan used to tempt the Lord in the Wilderness to tell Jesus to throw Himself off the highest part of the temple (Matt 4:5) because the angels are commanded to protect Him (Matt 4:6). It comes creeping in, and fills the air with death before you perceive its approach; but He shall deliver thee from the noisome pestilence. There is a pestilence of dangerous and accursed error abroad at this time; but if we dwell in the secret place of the most High, it cannot affect us; we shall be beyond its power. There may be unseen influences that would ruin us, or cause us dishonour, or distress; but when we dwell with God, we shall not be afraid of them. Yet most people today have never heard of John Gill. 2. You are free to opt out any time or opt in for other cookies to get a better experience. - F. F. Bruce. will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. and the Most High your dwelling place, Psalms 91:5. We often find ourselves afraid in the middle of the nightwhat I call the Three Oclock Terrors. 11-12). But this will always prompt you to accept/refuse cookies when revisiting our site. . Yahweh is an accessible God, who answers when called and walks with people in the midst of their troubles. and see the recompense of the wicked. Since the UK is now no longer a member of the EU, you may be charged an import tax on this item by the customs authorities in your country of residence, which is beyond our control. 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Hudson, Thirty Questions For Teachers Of Eternal Torment, Universal Restoration Substituted for Eternal Torment - Froom. Even if he should have but few years, yet he shall have a long life; for life is to be measured by the life that is in it, not by the length along which it drags. Counterfeit Cross updated- Sanctification and Growing in Righteousness, Errors of the Invitation System or Alter Call, Counterfeit Cross - The Lordship of Christ in Salvation - Part II, A Historical Overview of The Lord's Supper, Set Your Mind on Things Above - Matthew Henry, Prophecies of the Destruction of Jerusalem which have remarkably been fulfilled - Thomas Newton. Aye, that is true, you will say, who makes any doubt of it? Viewing things from God's vantage point--that is true comfort. Click on the different category headings to find out more. There is need to fear the night filled with terror or the arrows that are visibly seen flying during the day. 12 They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone. That herein he will answer their prayers: He shall call upon me; I will pour upon him the spirit of prayer, and then I will answer, answer by promises (Ps 85 8), answer by providences, bringing in seasonable relief, and answer by graces, strengthening them with strength in their souls (Ps 138 3); thus he answered Paul with grace sufficient, 2 Cor 12 9. We havent had to watch carefully for fowlers traps as we walk along sidewalks or drive along roadsor even when we hike through woods. A soldier can move the smaller round shield quickly to counter threats from unexpected quarters. It is the character of a true believer that he dwells in the secret place of the Most High; he is at home in God, returns to God, and reposes in him as his rest; he acquaints himself with inward religion, and makes heart-work of the service of God, worships within the veil, and loves to be alone with God, to converse with him in solitude. - updated, Counterfeit Cross - Lordship of Christ in Salvation - updated, The Credibility of the Testimony of the Apostles, Audio of "Children and the Rod of Correction", Audio of "The Origin of Dressing Up for Church", Audio of "The Origin of Hell-Fire in Christian Teaching", Examine Yourselves as to Whether You Are in the Faith, Refutation of Baptismal Regeneration - James P. Shelly, Was Jesus a Friend of Sinners? Please see our Privacy Policy for cookie usage details. See an excellent practice of this, Psalms 91:1, He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty; that is, he shall be safe from all fears and dangers. We may request cookies to be set on your device. There has even been protection from the wild predators, snakes, spiders, and a multitude of various other dangerous insects and animals that many have experienced receiving protection from, like Paul when he was bitten by a poisonous snake and should have died (Acts 28:3-5). 75 Bible Commentaries - Matthew Henry, Adam Clarke, Pulpit Commentary, etc. Click to enable/disable Google reCaptcha. Theologian Paul on Life, Death, and Immortality - Froom, Gravity of Ascribing False Teachings to Christ - (refernce to Dives and Lazarus), The Old Testament Use of the Word Sheol (Hell), The Rich Man and Lazarus: An Intermediate State?