Psalms: Worshipping the One True God by John F. MacArthur Jr This promise protects, (1.) Neither night nor daydarkness nor the bright light of noondayshall give the faithful cause for fear. The promises that are sure to all those who have thus made the Most High their habitation. and ten thousand at your right hand; B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2014), Gower, Ralph, The New Manners and Customs of Bible Times (Chicago: Moody Press, 1987), Kidner, Derek, Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries: Psalms 73-150, Vol. 3 (Grand Rapids: Kregel Publications, 2016), Tate, Marvin E., Word Biblical Commentary: Psalms 51-100 (Dallas: Word Books, 1990), Waltner, James H., Believers Church Bible Commentary: Psalms (Scottdale, Pennsylvania: Herald Press, 2006), Baker, Warren (ed. The voice shifts with this verse. The Hebrew word hasaq (set his love) means to attach, love, delight, or bind. 4. Children and the Rod of Correction - Dave Miller, Ph.D. Christian Practice - Evidence of Grace - Edwards, Meditating On The Future Life - John Calvin w/ audio, Others May, You Cannot - by G. D. Watson w/audio, The Bible Doctrine of the Separated Life - by Johannes G. Vos, The Christian and Entertainment - Rev. However, now we begin to hear from Yahweh directly. 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. Such evil will never befall you. I will say of the Lord, He is my then come three mys, as if the psalmist could grasp the Triune Jehovah, my refuge, my fortress, my God; in him will I trust. What a grand word that is, My God! What is Psalm 91 all about? Psalms 91:5. II. Please respond to confirm your registration. Angels are not appropriate objects of our worship. Psalms 91:15. ), Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2000), Mounce, William D., (ed. God truly is our fortress and our refuge. Note the contrast between dash your feet against a stone (v. 12b) and tread on the lion and cobra and trample the young lion and serpent (v. 13). 14b (Downers Grove, Illinois: Inter-Varsity Press, 1973), Limburg, James, Westminster Bible Companion: Psalms (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2000, Mays, James Luther, Interpretation: Psalms (Louisville: John Knox, 1994), McCann, J. Clinton, Jr., The New Interpreters Bible: The Book of Psalms, Vol. The Immortality of the Soul: A Protest - Joseph Agar Beet D.D. 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. 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. Most of us have never seen a fowler or a fowlers trap. Angels are Gods messengers (Hebrews 1:14; Revelation 1:1)part of the created order and therefore wholly subordinate to God. Every bullet has its commission. Talk of St. George and the dragon! Psalm 91 - Free Bible Commentary in Easy English We find this name as early as Genesis 15:2, but whether that name was familiar to Abram is uncertain. Commentary on Psalm 91:1-8 (Read Psalm 91:1-8) He that by faith chooses God for his protector, shall find all in him that he needs or can desire. When the child is in perfect health she can leave it in the hands of the nurse; but when it is sick she will attend it herself; she will say to the nurse, You may attend a while to some other business, I will watch over the child myself. (Dawson, cited in Spurgeon), (c) 2020 The Enduring Word Bible Commentary by David Guzik ewm@enduringword.com. All rights reserved. That they shall be preserved in common calamities, in a distinguishing way (v. 7): "When death rides in triumph, and diseases rage, so that thousands and ten thousands fall, fall by sickness, or fall by the sword in battle, fall at thy side, at thy right hand, and the sight of their fall is enough to frighten thee, and if they fall by the pestilence their falling so near thee may be likely to infect thee, yet it shall not come nigh thee, the death shall not, the fear of death shall not." B. Lightfoot, Consummation of the pre-Messianic Age and the Parousia, Destruction of Jerusalem vs. It also means preparing, to include equipping for war. I will be with him in trouble: Again God speaks and acts like a tender-hearted mother towards a sickly child. (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. Psalms 91:15. I will set him on high (Hebrew: sagab), because he has known (Hebrew: yada) my name (Hebrew: sem) (v. 14b). Psalms 91:14. 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 El sadday is the name that God revealed to Abram in Genesis 17:1, when God set the terms for his covenant with Abram. 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. I will deliver (Hebrew: halas) him, and honor (Hebrew: kabed) him (v. 15c). Many think that to Christ, as Mediator, these promises do primarily belong (Isa 49 2), not because to him the devil applied one of these promises (Matt 4 6), but because to him they are very applicable, and, coming through him, they are more sweet and sure to all believers. If you refuse cookies we will remove all set cookies in our domain. Sadday often appears with the Hebrew word el, which is a generic word for a godany god. Psalm 91 | Bible Teaching Notes 3 Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. Observe, 1. 3 For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler, It is to know relationally or by experience, and is therefore an intimate kind of knowledge. 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It may be applied to that care of the divine Providence by which we are preserved from ravenous noxious creatures (the wild beasts of the field shall be at peace with thee, Job 5 23); nay, and have ways and means of taming them, Jam 3 7. The secret place of the Most High could be: The temple. You will tread on the lion and the adder; the young lion and the serpent you will trample underfoot.. (2.) And the great majority of evangelicals accept that without question. 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 . Assuring glimpses of a future "God's day" bolsters the call for perseverance to the end. Yahweh (Hebrew: YHWH or yahweh). 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. He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. We are all, by nature, God's enemies, and we deserve His wrath. and from the deadly pestilence (Hebrew: deber) (v. 3b). 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. Is My Church Really A New Testament Church? Enduring Word Bible Commentary Psalm 91 Does God value such feeble and imperfect knowledge of his name as we possess? 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. As you may be aware, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) comes into full effect on 25th May 2018. His wings and his feathers suggest both power and softness. For he will deliver you from the snare (Hebrew: pah) of the fowler (v. 3a). Twice is he armed who hath Gods truth to be his shield and buckler. He will call on me, and I will answer him. Our website uses cookies to store user preferences. 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. And those who have found the comfort of making the Lord their refuge, cannot but desire that others may do so. Still, Gods children do live to a far longer age than any other people in the world; they are on the whole a long-lived race. Because we dont want you to incur expenditure for which you are not prepared, could you please confirm whether you are willing to pay this charge, if necessary? A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee. You are free to opt out any time or opt in for other cookies to get a better experience. How could cholera or fever get into the secret place of the most High? 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. Enter your email address and we will send you instructions on how to reset your password. II. It is not an evil, an only evil, but there is a mixture of good in it and a product of good by it. But he that has his treasure and heart in another world has soon enough of this; he would not live always. Psalm 91 God's Protection 911: Christians are under attack! (2.) The way of the righteous. 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. to guard you in all your ways. 5-6). 2023 Grace to You. It is not every man who dwells there; no, not even every Christian man. Ought the Church to Pray for Revival? If he be dishonoured, if he be in poverty, if he be in sickness, if that sickness should drive his best friend away from his bed, still, I will be with him in trouble.. 8 You will only look with your eyes, The word sillumah means punishment, but carries the connotation of deserved punishment. 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. Cobras and serpents serve as a metaphor for smaller but equally deadly forces that appear suddenly, seemingly from nowhere. There is also a pestilence that walketh in darkness, as that was which slew the first-born of the Egyptians, and the army of the Assyrians. Nay, not thy person only, but thy dwelling, shall be taken under the divine protection: There shall no plague come nigh that, nothing to do thee or thine any damage." In Vietnam, our soldiers had to watch for punji sticks and trip wires. 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. Can True Christians Commit Apostasy? If you dwell there, you are invincible, invulnerable, infinitely secure. Bible Study, The great encouragement he gives to others to do likewise, not only from his own experience of the comfort of it (for in that there might possibly be a fallacy), but from the truth of God's promise, in which there neither is nor can be any deceit (v. 3, 4, etc. A wicked worldly man is not satisfied, no, not with long life; he still cries, Give, give. (6.) 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). Once at the beginning of day. In the light of the Lord you will see light; and you will discover the limed twigs and the nets and the traps that are set to catch you: He shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler.. 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. The MacArthur Bible Commentary treats every passage of the Old and New Testaments phrase by phrase, with hundreds of word studies as sidebars throughout. I am one of those. and the Most High your dwelling place, Psalms 91:3. The following cookies are also needed - You can choose if you want to allow them: You can read about our cookies and privacy settings in detail on our Privacy Policy Page. We may request cookies to be set on your device. It would have served them well when King Cyrus of Persia defeated Babylon and freed Israelites to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the city, where they found a ruined city and were faced with many enemies. In Hebrew thought sel is most often welcoming shade from noonday sun or protection afforded by the shadow of Yahwehs wings (Psalm 17:8). 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. You will tread on the lion and cobra. After clicking 'Register', you will receive an email with a link to verify your account and to complete your registration. I'm reading this passage twice a day as a prescription instruction from a Bishop. Both are appropriate in this verse. 3. Thank you. I am old, and expect to die within a few years. Try it free for 30 days. God by his grace will keep thee from disquieting distrustful fear (that fear which hath torment) in the midst of the greatest dangers. Bible Verses, Quotes, Christian Answers, Songs and More. He is a refuge that will not fail me; for he is my fortress and strong-hold." Psalms 91:1. A quiet place where we can go to God in prayerour bedroom or prayer closet. Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday. 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. I will set him on high, because he has known my name. 1. Examine Yourselves as to Whether You Are in the Faith - updated, The Christian's Craving for God's Word - MacArthur, Sproul, Piper, Washer, Chan. This article is also available and sold as a booklet. HELL: We provide you with a list of stored cookies on your computer in our domain so you can check what we stored. Wishlist +. The word deber means plague or pestilence. 2 TIMOTHY 2:15. Psalm 91:1 Commentaries: He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence." If this is your position, you shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. You are not safe in the outer courts; you are not protected from all danger anywhere but within the vail. We need both kinds of protection, because Satan sometimes attacks us in a frontal assault, but also comes at us from unexpected quarters. Psalms 91:13. Psalm 91 appears to be a psalm in the setting of warfare with threats of an imminent battle that is about to, has or is currently taking place between solders that may be facing impossible odds. 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.. In this premiere volume, John MacArthur brings you a complete Bible commentary in one volume. Long life is usually a blessing (unless it involves prolonged suffering, dementia, or something else that inhibits the quality of life). Because you have made Yahweh your refuge, and the Most High your dwelling place, no evil shall happen to you, neither shall any plague come near your dwelling (vv. Should Pastors Be Salaried? Satan said, If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written, He will put his angels in charge of you. and, On their hands they will bear you up, so that you dont dash your foot against a stone' (Matthew 4:6). We know that death and taxes are the two certainties in lifedeath being the most certain of the two. In this verse, resting in the shadow of the Almighty is the blessing that the faithful person experiences for dwelling in Yahwehs presence. 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). 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 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. Therefore the psalmist is probably saying more than he understooddeliverance from trouble and salvation to eternal life.