psalm 91 commentary john macarthur psalm 91 commentary john macarthur

I will be with him in trouble (v. 15ab). 2 TIMOTHY 2:15. Tagged as: Check to enable permanent hiding of message bar and refuse all cookies if you do not opt in. It means delivering from danger, which is how this translation sees it. He shall cover thee with his feathers, The psalmist uses a wonderful metaphor when he ascribes feathers to God, and compares him to a hen, or some mother-bird, under whose wings her young find shelter. The young lion and the dragon, but the child of God shall overcome them. But surely in the day-time, when we can look about us, we are not so much in danger; yes, there is an arrow that flieth by day too, and yet flies unseen; there is a destruction that wasteth at high-noon, when we are awake and have all our friends about us; even then we cannot secure ourselves, nor can they secure us. Click to enable/disable _gid - Google Analytics Cookie. And from the noisome pestilence. 3. 1 He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High. But the psalmist wrote these verses to reassure the faithful that Yahweh will send his angels to guard themto bear them upto protect them from dangers large and small (dashing ones foot against a stone sounds small compared to some dangers). That famous old Puritan, holy Mr. Dodd, having to cross a river, had to change from one boat into another, and being little used to the water, he fell in, and, when he was pulled out, in his simplicity and wisdom he said, I hope that I am in my way. That was the only question that seemed to trouble him. This book of praise manifests a very practical theology. Jack has written 1285 articles on What Christians Want To Know! Whatever the case, these verses assure us that God will deliver us. They shall think it long enough; for God by his grace shall wean them from the world and make them willing to leave it. In this verse, resting in the shadow of the Almighty is the blessing that the faithful person experiences for dwelling in Yahwehs presence. The sprinkling of blood secured the first-born of Israel when thousands fell. Truth is real, dependable, stablethat which we can trust. Article Images Copyright 2023 Getty Images unless otherwise indicated. To know Yahwehs semhis name or reputationis to know Yahweh. A soldier would be equipped with one shield or the other, but the psalmist perceives Yahwehs truth as embodying the advantages of both. Can any thought be more profound? You remember how the devil misapplied this text to Christ. The Believer's Covenant Psalm 91 can also be referred to as the constitution of the Kingdom. We know that God gives His angels charge over us but only at His command and they are ministering spirits assigned to minister to His own children (Heb1:14) but as Jesus said, we should not tempt the Lord by taking advantage of the heavenly host that ministers to us. It is the daytime equivalent of the night-stalking pestilence of verse 6a. Psalm 91 continues to be a source of strength, hope, promise and encouragement for every generation. The Hebrew word qeteb means destruction, but can also mean sting (Hosea 13:14). Copyright 2023, Bible Study Tools. The Great Lie: What about the Immortal soul? Psalm 91:1. 16 I will satisfy him with long life, 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. That the angels of light shall be serviceable to them, v. 11, 12. 2 I will say of Yahweh, "He is my refuge and my fortress; A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand,but it will not come near you. It might be chinks in my faith that leave me vulnerable to fearbut I dont know anyone who has no chinks in their faith. Yahweh is his mesudah (hiding place, stronghold, fortress). I'm not talking about the question of whether God gave us an inerrant Bible. Salem Media Group. El sadday is the name that God revealed to Abram in Genesis 17:1, when God set the terms for his covenant with Abram. Psalms 91:4. A believer needs not fear, and therefore should not fear, any arrow, because the point is off, the poison is out. . You always can block or delete cookies by changing your browser settings and force blocking all cookies on this website. [2.] The Life-Giving Shepherd (John 10:1-11) Pastor John MacArthur. Please be aware that these items are sent out from our office in the UK. A soldier can move the smaller round shield quickly to counter threats from unexpected quarters. He assures us that we can enjoy the same confidence if we dwell in he secret place of the Most High (v. 1). Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation; there shall no evil befall thee, There shall no evil befall thee. It may have the appearance of evil; but it shall turn out to thy good. Verses 1-16. That they shall have a sufficiency of life in this world (v. 16): With length of days will I satisfy him; that is, [1.] Yahwehs truth is large and sturdy enough to absorb violent blows. lin) in the shadow (Hebrew: sel) of the Almighty (v. 1). It is our duty to be at home in God, to make our choice of him, and then to live our life in him as our habitation, to converse with him, and delight in him, and depend upon him; and then it shall be our privilege to be at home in God; we shall be welcome to him as a man to his own habitation, without any let, hindrance, or molestation, from the arrests of the law or the clamours of conscience; then too we shall be safe in him, shall be kept in perfect peace, Isa 26 3. The charge is to keep thee in all thy ways; here is a limitation of the promise: They shall keep thee in thy ways, that is, "as long as thou keepest in the way of thy duty;" those that go out of that way put themselves out of God's protection. However, when I was a child in the 1940s and 50s, before the polio vaccine became available, I had friends who had suffered from polio. The promises that are sure to all those who have thus made the Most High their habitation. Psalm 99 - The Holy God, Present and Revealed. will rest (Heb. It is only because they have made the Lord God their dwelling place, dwelling in safety and abiding in Him, therefore as their refuge, nothing evil will befall them and no plague will come close to their tents. But, there is hope! All the Prayers in the Bible - Old and New Testaments. Yahweh is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. The psalmist's comfortable application of this to himself (v. 2): I will say of the Lord, whatever others say of him, "He is my refuge; I choose him as such, and confide in him. He is a refuge that will not fail me; for he is my fortress and strong-hold." Truth doesnt shift with every passing folly. Psalms 91:10-11. Because these cookies are strictly necessary to deliver the website, refusing them will have impact how our site functions. ", Counterfeit Cross - Bear or Burn: The Fruit of Obedience in the Parables of Christ - updated, Counterfeit Cross - What is a "Carnal Christian"? You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness,nor the destruction that wastes at noonday.. There are some who come to God's house; but the man mentioned here dwells with the God of the house. Viewing things from God's vantage point--that is true comfort. 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. However, the conditional nature of the promises serve as a warning that the promises will no longer apply if we disassociate ourselves from Yahweh. Psalms 91:15. A church sanctuary, hospital chapel, or airport prayer room. And the great majority of evangelicals accept that without question. Find out how you can be at peace with God for eternity as John MacArthur shows you fifteen words that sum up the most powerful truth in all of Scripture. 4. Neither night nor daydarkness nor the bright light of noondayshall give the faithful cause for fear. There is need to fear the night filled with terror or the arrows that are visibly seen flying during the day. Changes will take effect once you reload the page. 11-12). They shall be taken under the peculiar care of Heaven, Ps. 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. 75 Bible Commentaries - Matthew Henry, Adam Clarke, Pulpit Commentary, etc. I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. It is to know relationally or by experience, and is therefore an intimate kind of knowledge. Our church recently experienced a norovirus that sickened 54 of the 60 people present for worship that Sunday. Surely, oh, blessed word! Learn more today! There are some who come to Gods house; but the man mentioned here dwells with the God of the house. and see the recompense of the wicked. Does God value such feeble and imperfect knowledge of his name as we possess? The psalmist's own resolution to take God for his keeper ( Ps. You have probably been the victim of some sort of trap, possibly in quite recent memory. 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. We provide you with a list of stored cookies on your computer in our domain so you can check what we stored. The ASV, which is also in the public domain due to expired copyrights, was a very good translation, but included many archaic words (hast, shineth, etc. and ten thousand at your right hand; Nor for the arrow that flieth by day; Both night and day thou shalt be safe. They shall be the charge of the holy angels, ver 10-12. - Bullinger, Rise Of The Theory Of Universal Restoration - Henry Constable, Universal Restoration Substituted for Eternal Torment, Absent From The BodyPresent With The Lord, Cross Purposes: Atonement, Death and the Fate of the Wicked. 5 You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, Note, 1. Christianity: The Best Thing That Ever Happened to Women, The Pursuit of God - A W Tozer - Complete Book. One is that often God amazingly delivers them physically when others around them are falling. Otherwise you will be prompted again when opening a new browser window or new a tab. God Bless. See Ps 34 19; 2 Tim 3 11; 4 18. We owe it, more than we are sensible, to the care of the divine Providence that we have been kept from infectious diseases and out of the hands of the wicked and unreasonable. But God says, I will deliver him, and honour him.. 7 A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee. They are condescending in their ministrations; they keep the feet of the saints, lest they dash them against a stone, lest they stumble and fall into sin and into trouble. 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). The word halas (deliver) has several meanings, at least two of which fit here. At the height of the battle during the noonday sun there is nothing but destruction but under the protection of Gods wings there is a sure refuge and He is the shield that is faithfully there throughout. In Hebrew thought sel is most often welcoming shade from noonday sun or protection afforded by the shadow of Yahwehs wings (Psalm 17:8). Psalm 91 continues to be a source of strength, hope, promise and encouragement for every generation. That, whatever happens to them, nothing shall hurt them (v. 10): "There shall no evil befal thee; though trouble or affliction befal thee, yet there shall be no real evil in it, for it shall come from the love of God and shall be sanctified; it shall come, not for thy hurt, but for thy good; and though, for the present, it be not joyous but grievous, yet, in the end, it shall yield so well that thou thyself shalt own no evil befel thee. The promises which are here made, in God's name, to all those that do so in sincerity. 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. His faithfulness (emettruth) is your shield (Hebrew: sinnah) and rampart (Hebrew: soherahbuckler) (v. 4c). It also means preparing, to include equipping for war. Help Grace to You bring important resources like this to people in your community and beyond, free of charge. 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. Seneca De Providentia. For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall live long enough: they shall be continued in this world till they have done the work they were sent into this world for and are ready for heaven, and that is long enough. We need 2 cookies to store this setting. You can also change some of your preferences. God truly is our fortress and our refuge. By proceeding, you consent to our cookie usage. We need both kinds of protection, because Satan sometimes attacks us in a frontal assault, but also comes at us from unexpected quarters. God (Hebrew: elohim). The end of this psalm recaps any calamity that can happen and when His children are placed in harms way He promises to deliver them, to protect them, to rescue them, and to answer them in their time of trouble. Today they have to watch for IEDs. Jan. 1, 2023. He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: Notice, that it is, He shall, and I will. The mighty grace of God shall make us pray, and the Almighty God of grace will answer our prayer: He shall call upon me, and I will answer him. How I love these glorious shalls and wills! Click to enable/disable Google Analytics tracking. Psalm 91 God's Protection 911: Christians are under attack! If I am in my way, then God will keep me. I'm reading this passage twice a day as a prescription instruction from a Bishop. When multitudes die round about us, though thereby we must be awakened to prepare for our own death, yet we must not be afraid with any amazement, nor make ourselves subject to bondage, as many do all their life-time, through fear of death, Heb 2 15. That the powers of darkness shall be triumphed over by them (v. 13): Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder. and from the deadly pestilence. You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness,nor the destruction that wastes at noonday,and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness is a shield and buckler. 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? Champions of Conditional Immortality in History, Conditional Immortality - Its Relation to Final Retribution, Conditional Immortality - Samuel M. Ohmart, Fallacies In The Annihilationism Debate: A Critique Of Robert Peterson, Important Forgotten History - Roots of Opposition to Conditionalism, Life in Christ - A Summary of Conditional Immortality, Summing Up the Case for Biblical Conditionalism - Froom, The Hypothesis of Conditional Immortality - William R. Huntington - 1878, Why I Believe In Conditional Immortality - by Sidney A. Hatch, Death and the Afterlife by Robert A. Morey - A Review by Edward Fudge, Martin Luther & William Tyndale On the State of the Dead, Near Death Experiences - Samuele Bacchiocchi. Oh, labour to get to that blessed position! 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. Register. Psalms 91:1. [3.] 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. Proud member This, however, is not a book that helps in grappling with problem verses; it simply helps a preacher or teacher come down to earth. To this the great God is pleased to compare his care of his people, who are helpless as the chickens, and easily made a prey of, but are invited to trust under the shadow of the wings of the divine promise and providence, which is the periphrasis of a proselyte to the true religion, that he has come to trust under the wings of the God of Israel, Ruth 2 12. What does the phrase "gnashing of teeth" mean? (2.) God Himself becomes like a mighty refuge and fortress for the believer. 2. II. At the time that the psalmist wrote this psalm, the Israelite people had not yet developed a strong belief in eternal life, as we know it in the New Testamentso the salvation mentioned here probably meant to the psalmist only deliverance from trouble. II. 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. Nederlandstalige Bijbelstudies door Stan Marinussen, Copyright - Enduring Word       |      . Am I really moving today and acting today as divine providence leads me, and as duty calls me? He who travels on the kings business, by daylight, along the kings highway, may be sure of the kings protection. Observe, I. Yet the condescension of God is such that he allows us to speak of him thus: He shall cover thee with his feathers.. (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2006-2009), VanGemeren, Willem A. There is even the unseen threat of pestilence that seeks their victims under the cover of darkness. How about eternity? GDPR is the new European privacy regulation, which will replace the Data Protection Act 1998 in the UK and the equivalent legislation across the EU Member States. And under his wings shalt thou trust: God is to his people a strong defense and a tender defense. The Case for Conditional Immortality - J. W. Wenham, The Bible, Slavery, and America's Founders, The Biological and Biblical Dangers of Problem-Centered Counseling, The Urgent Need For Reformation in Pastoral Ministry, Problems and Limitations The MacArthur Bible Commentary treats every passage of the Old and New Testaments phrase by phrase, with hundreds of word studies as sidebars throughout. there is no doubt about this great truth, Surely, he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.. We, dear friends, may have secret enemies, who shoot at us, but we shall not be afraid of the arrow. That brings us back to v. 13. (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1979-1988), Brown, Francis; Driver, S.R. The second meaning (equipping, to include equipping for war) has God providing us with the resources to handle the situation ourselves. He was quite right in the application; but he was quite wrong in the. The way of the righteous. Here are more promises to the same purport with those in the foregoing verses, and they are exceedingly great and precious, and sure to all the seed. so that you wont dash your foot against a stone. 1. 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. 3 Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. Please be aware that this might heavily reduce the functionality and appearance of our site. That seems to overstate the case. Romans 12:2 I will say of Yahweh, He is my refuge (Hebrew: manseh) and my fortress (Hebrew: mesudah); my God, in whom I trust' (Hebrew: batah) (v. 2). I will say to the Lord, My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust. (2.) We can put down our foot on truth, and it will prove solidwont collapse under our weight. There shall be but the appearance of evil, not the reality of it: There shall no evil befall thee.. The promises are that no evil shall happen to you and neither shall any plague come near your dwelling.. They shall be taken under the peculiar care of Heaven, ver 1, 4. Psalms 91:2. 11 For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. 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. 91:10 There shall no [nothing comes our way God has either not decreed or not allowed] evil [that which is the opposite of good; any misfortune] befall thee, neither shall any plague [refers to some physical blow; general term for plague] come nigh thy dwelling. Guest. The large shield offers protection over a larger areaand a line of soldiers can put their rectangular shields together to form a nearly impenetrable wall against enemy arrows. So the psalmist is talking about a serious threat when he uses the word deber. Chicks taking refuge under their mothers wings serve as a metaphor for people finding refuge in Gods presence. 1. (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. One old divine calls a man a worm six feet long; and it is rather a flattering description of him. When we meet with trouble and accident, we ought to inquire whether we are in Gods way. We will do well to avoid such dangers, but the promise is that Yahweh will enable us to tread on and trample them without fear. That is a message that we need to hear in good times so that it will bring us strength during bad times. We read of fear in the night, Cant 3 8. If Jehovah be our God, our refuge, and our fortress, what can we desire which we may not be sure to find in him? 16 With long life will I satisfy him, and show him my salvation. However, I am confident that God is with us in life and in death. Fifteen Words of Hope 2 Corinthians 5:21 Be Part of the Family 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. The MacArthur Bible Studies provide intriguing examinations of the whole of Scripture. To the extent that we believe that, it will allay our fear. It is not an evil, an only evil, but there is a mixture of good in it and a product of good by it. 2 I will say of Yahweh, He is my refuge and my fortress; Yahweh is like that.