psalm 91 commentary john macarthur

Romans 12:2 So the psalmist is talking about a serious threat when he uses the word deber. Copyright 2010-2023 Telling Ministries LLC. (3.) Yahweh is his mesudah (hiding place, stronghold, fortress). Psalm 91 continues to be a source of strength, hope, promise and encouragement for every generation. 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. (9b means the second part of verse 9). God puts honour upon us, poor dishonourable worms that we are. Commentary On Psalm 91 9 16 Working Preacher From Luther Seminary John 414 Life as a Fountain.. El sadday is the name that God revealed to Abram in Genesis 17:1, when God set the terms for his covenant with Abram. Our church recently experienced a norovirus that sickened 54 of the 60 people present for worship that Sunday. They shall be delivered from the malice of the powers of darkness (ver 3, 5, 6), and that by a distinguishing preservation, ver 7, 8. (2.) That the powers of darkness shall be triumphed over by them (v. 13): Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder. 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). I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. Yahweh is like that. I saw newspaper pictures of children confined to iron lungs that helped them to breath. See Ps 34 19; 2 Tim 3 11; 4 18. Accordingly, we have updated our Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions in order to comply with GDPR. The angels keep the charge of the Lord their God; and this is the charge they receive from him. 45MBC. 2. $30.00. I. GOD IS MY REFUGE AND MY FORTRESS. His truth shall be thy shield and buckler. 13 Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet. What the promises are which God makes to the saints. Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked. A great truth laid down in general, That all those who live a life of communion with God are constantly safe under his protection, and may therefore preserve a holy serenity and security of mind at all times (v. 1): He that dwells, that sits down, in the secret place of the Most High, shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty; he that by faith chooses God for his guardian shall find all that in him which he needs or can desire. And those who have found the comfort of making the Lord their refuge, cannot but desire that others may do so. He will call on me, and I will answer him. 4 He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler. Christianity: The Best Thing That Ever Happened to Women, The Pursuit of God - A W Tozer - Complete Book. I am old, and expect to die within a few years. Once at the beginning of day. John MacArthur) BRAIN GAMES. Psalms 91:10-11. The wonderful thing is that God is love (1 John 4:16). Because you have made the Lord your dwelling placethe Most High, who is my refuge no evil shall be allowed to befall you, no plague come near your tent.. The blessing of His preservation: And show him My salvation. It was in the day-time that that pestilence wasted which was sent to chastise David for numbering the people, on occasion of which some think this psalm was penned. 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. . That is a message that we need to hear in good times so that it will bring us strength during bad times. I'm reading this passage twice a day as a prescription instruction from a Bishop. The New Testament Documents: Are they Reliable? His faithfulness is your shield and rampart. 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. 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 Registered User Check to enable permanent hiding of message bar and refuse all cookies if you do not opt in. Examine Yourselves as to Whether You Are in the Faith - updated, The Christian's Craving for God's Word - MacArthur, Sproul, Piper, Washer, Chan. In singing this we must shelter ourselves under, and then solace ourselves in, the divine protection. nor of the arrow that flies by day; Both are appropriate in this verse. Gender Revolution - What are they teaching your kids? His faithfulness (emettruth) is your shield (Hebrew: sinnah) and rampart (Hebrew: soherahbuckler) (v. 4c). [2.] 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! 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. 1 He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High. If we are to keep our equilibrium in such circumstances, we need assurance that God is with usthat God loves us and is committed to helping usthat God will redeem even our darkest day. ), The Complete WordStudy Old Testament (Chattanooga; AMG Publishers, 1994), Baker, Warren and Carpenter, Eugene, The Complete WordStudy Dictionary: Old Testament (Chattanooga: AMG Publishers, 2003), Bromiley, Geoffrey (General Editor), The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Revised, 4 vols. Whatever the case, these verses assure us that God will deliver us. Hebrews 6:4-8 on Apostasy - Yahweh was Gods personal name for the Israelites. 3. Dec. 18, 2022. By proceeding, you consent to our cookie usage. Used by permission. II. O death! Bible commentary, God Bless. They shall be the special favourites of God himself, ver 14-16. A man may die young, and yet die full of days, satur dierumsatisfied with living. Please see our Privacy Policy for cookie usage details. We sent you an email. 2. However, I am confident that God is with us in life and in death. You have probably been the victim of some sort of trap, possibly in quite recent memory. My God: Elohay. SCRIPTURE QUOTATIONS are from the World English Bible (WEB), a public domain (no copyright) modern English translation of the Holy Bible. Here is great security promised to believers in the midst of this danger: "Thou shalt not be afraid. Chicks taking refuge under their mothers wings serve as a metaphor for people finding refuge in Gods presence. The promises that are sure to all those who have thus made the Most High their habitation. 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. A. ), Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2000), Mounce, William D., (ed. (1.) 8 You will only look with your eyes, Seeking the Gospel in Malachi, the Last Book of the Old Testament. View Psalm 91. I believe in God and depend on him for deliverance, but I nevertheless find myself afraid. Christ has broken the serpent's head, spoiled our spiritual enemies (Col 2 15), and through him we are more than conquerors; for Christ calls us, as Joshua called the captains of Israel, to come and set our feet on the necks of vanquished enemies. He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. 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. - Darryl M. Erkel, Church Leaders and the Use of Honorific Titles, Feeding Sheep or Amusing Goats - Charles Spurgeon, House-Churches? 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. Those that preserve their purity in times of general corruption may trust God with their safety in times of general desolation. Due to security reasons we are not able to show or modify cookies from other domains. MacArthur is a fifth-generation pastor, a popular author and conference speaker and has served as pastor-teacher of Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California since 1969 . He is my refuge and my fortress: The one who lives intimately with God knows the greatness of His protection. The Hebrew word lin (rest) means to lodge or dwell or tarry or rest, and can designate either a temporary or permanent lodging. Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, If you dwell near to God, you will not be deceived by Satan. I will deliver (Hebrew: halas) him, and honor (Hebrew: kabed) him (v. 15c). There is need to fear the night filled with terror or the arrows that are visibly seen flying during the day. 1 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. 3 Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. The pestilence is something that you cannot see. A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand,but it will not come near you. But God says, I will deliver him, and honour him.. "Here, after the carefree delight of Psalm 98, we recollect how exalted and holy he is, and how profound is the reverence we owe him." (Derek Kidner) A. 3 Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. neither shall any plague come near your dwelling. - Curtis Dickinson, Do we have an immortal soul? Seneca De Providentia. The promises which are here made, in God's name, to all those that do so in sincerity. Note, 1. These verses include conditional promises. As you may be aware, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) comes into full effect on 25th May 2018. 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. Yet the Church, for the most part, has allowed it to go unnoticed. This psalm, without title in the Hebrew text, is a triple proclamation of God's holiness, as Isaiah would later do ( Isaiah 6:3 ). When we talk about trusting God to deliver us, thats the bottom lineconfidence that God is with us both in life and in death. To encourage us to make the Lord our habitation, and to hope for safety and satisfaction in him, the psalmist intimates the comfort he had had in doing so: "He whom thou makest thy habitation is my refuge; and I have found him firm and faithful, and in him there is room enough, and shelter enough, both for thee and me." Log In For he will put his angels in charge of you, to guard you in all your ways. 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. - Oscar Cullmann, Immortality or Resurrection? That seems to overstate the case. That is a message that we need to hear in good times so that it will bring us strength during bad times. There are some who come to Gods house; but the man mentioned here dwells with the God of the house. i. But it also means one more thing. I will deliver him, and honor him. Old Testament Prophecy Fulfilled in Christ. - 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. 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. Or be unhurt by such savage and poisonous creatures; as the Israelites, when they travelled through the wilderness, in which were serpents and scorpions; and many of the servants of God have been delivered from them, or have slain them, as Samson, David, and Daniel; and so Christ was among the wild beasts in the wilderness, and yet not touched or Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: Does God take notice of our poor love? If God proportions the degree and continuance of our troubles to our strength, if he keeps us from offending him in our troubles, and makes our death our discharge, at length, from all our troubles, then this promise is fulfilled. 2 I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. Strength and mastery may be united. Learn more today! 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.. There is even the unseen threat of pestilence that seeks their victims under the cover of darkness. 2. No locks nor bars can shut out diseases, while we carry about with us in our bodies the seeds of them. May that be the portion of each of us! Psalm 99 - The Holy God, Present and Revealed. 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. Therefore the psalmist is probably saying more than he understooddeliverance from trouble and salvation to eternal life. It denotes the great care God takes of the saints, in that the angels themselves shall be charged with them, and employed for them. He who dwells in the secret place (Hebrew: seter) of the Most High will rest (Heb. . Register. Is My Church Really A New Testament Church? A soherah (more often translated buckler) is a small round shield. I will say to the Lord, My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust. With death all around them God tells them that it will not even come near them because they are not looking at all the dead bodies but their eyes are looking at the Lord Who is recompensing or paying back those who are the enemies. Psalms 91:5. 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. We need both kinds of protection, because Satan sometimes attacks us in a frontal assault, but also comes at us from unexpected quarters. 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. Salem Media Group. Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible (Complete). In this premiere volume, John MacArthur brings you a complete Bible commentary in one volume. Psalms 91:4. This book of praise manifests a very practical theology. The "Clergy/Laity" Distinction: A Hindrance to the Church? will rest (Heb. The Nature of Man - Dualistic or Holistic? Quantity: Cart +. II. Observe, I. 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. Some suffered mild impairment but others suffered catastrophic impairment. (4.) That is true in this verse, where we see the wicked being punished. This, however, is not a book that helps in grappling with problem verses; it simply helps a preacher or teacher come down to earth. In verses 1-2, the psalmist uses four names for God: The Most High (Hebrew: elyon). 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. Click to enable/disable _gat_* - Google Analytics Cookie. Nihil accidere bono viro mali potestNo evil can befal a good man. God truly is our fortress and our refuge. Viewing things from God's vantage point--that is true comfort. What Does It Mean That There Is No One Holy Like God? 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? Wisdom shall keep thee from being causelessly afraid, and faith shall keep thee from being inordinately afraid. 11 For he will put his angels in charge of you, I have often noticed how long Gods people live. This article is also available and sold as a booklet. 1. The word sagab (set him on high) means to raise, exalt, or defend. Of course He did. A Protest - Joseph Agar Beet D.D. Psalms 91:2. Yet most people today have never heard of John Gill. The Hebrew word hasaq (set his love) means to attach, love, delight, or bind. This is the name that God revealed to Moses, saying, You shall tell the children of Israel this, Yahweh (YHWH), the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you. This is my name forever, and this is my memorial to all generations (Exodus 3:15). 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. It is not every man who dwells there; no, not even every Christian man. 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. 16 With long life will I satisfy him, and show him my salvation. We read of fear in the night, Cant 3 8. 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 . The Believer's Covenant Psalm 91 can also be referred to as the constitution of the Kingdom. All of this because He says we know Him by name (v 14) and can call Him Father. 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. 1 He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Because these cookies are strictly necessary to deliver the website, refusing them will have impact how our site functions. Most of us have never seen a fowler or a fowlers trap. The Hebrew word sel means shadow of shade. Oh, labour to get to that blessed position! He will live as long as he wants to live. 6 nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, Psalm 91, Jack Wellman is a father and grandfather and a Christian author and pastor of Heritage Evangelical Free Church in Udall, KS [https://modelchrist.org/] & also a Prison Minister. 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. See the comments on verse 3b (above) for an explanation of deber (pestilence). All rights reserved. (3.) Please be aware that these items are sent out from our office in the UK. This is a daring utterance, as if the psalmist would claim for himself the choicest privileges of any child of God. Muggers would hide in recessed doorways and whack people whom they could reach easily. Psalms 91:14. Yet the condescension of God is such that he allows us to speak of him thus: He shall cover thee with his feathers.. will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. What does it mean to take the Lord's name in vain? Jack has written 1285 articles on What Christians Want To Know! You will tread on the lion and cobra. And under his wings shalt thou trust: God is to his people a strong defense and a tender defense. and Kahane, Ahuvia, The Oxford English-Hebrew Dictionary (Oxford University Press, 1998), Fohrer, Georg, Hebrew & Aramaic Dictionary of the Old Testament (SCM Press, 2012), Freedman, David Noel (ed. 14 Because he has set his love on me, therefore I will deliver him. What does the phrase "gnashing of teeth" mean? With the greatest power and efficacy. 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. Psalms 91 He preached in the same church as C. H. Spurgeon over one hundred years earlier. When he calls to me, I will answer him;I will be with him in trouble;I will rescue him and honor him. Some of the ancients were of opinion that Moses was the penman, not only of the foregoing psalm, which is expressly said to be his, but also of the eight that next follow it; but that cannot be, for Ps 95. is expressly said to be penned by David, and long after Moses, Heb 4 7. Resource Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version(ESV), copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The word halas (deliver) has several meanings, at least two of which fit here. Here is, (1.) A crowd of people (called the "chorus") in the usual letters: verses 1, 3 - 8, 9b - 13. Let us come boldly there; and, when we once enter, let us dwell there. 15 He will call on me, and I will answer him. Facing a Tolerant World with Intolerant Truth (Selected Scriptures) Pastor John MacArthur. They are such as know God's name. 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. For he will deliver you from the snare (Hebrew: pah) of the fowler (v. 3a). We provide you with a list of stored cookies on your computer in our domain so you can check what we stored. A thousand shall fall at thy side and ten thousand at thy right hand. One is that often God amazingly delivers them physically when others around them are falling. It is not every man who dwells there; no, not even every Christian man. We are all, by nature, God's enemies, and we deserve His wrath. Being under His wings and in His fortress and Him as the refuge, the fear evaporates during the terror at night,noon, or any part of the day.

Marshfield Country Club Membership Cost, Direct Access Occupational Therapy, Articles P