psalm 91 commentary john macarthur

It is not every man who dwells there; no, not even every Christian man. 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. All Rights Reserved. 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. 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. We know that death and taxes are the two certainties in lifedeath being the most certain of the two. 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. Psalm 91 continues to be a source of strength, hope, promise and encouragement for every generation. It is possible to misuse passages such as this that are intended to reassure us of Gods help in dangerbut are not intended to encourage us to test God (Matthew 4:7; Luke 4:12). 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. Dale Kuiper, The Christian and the Mosaic Law - Philip Mauro, The Preciousness of Time and the Importance of Redeeming It. 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. With long life I will satisfy himand show him my salvation.. While no one died, it was a terrible illness that required weeks for recovery. Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked. Here is great security promised to believers in the midst of this danger: "Thou shalt not be afraid. This is a precious promise, and speaks a great deal both of honour and comfort to the saints, nor is it ever the worse for being quoted and abused by the devil in tempting Christ, Matt 4 6. He will deliver those people. (1.) Psalms 91:10-11. God loved us yesterday, and will love us tomorrow. ", Counterfeit Cross - Bear or Burn: The Fruit of Obedience in the Parables of Christ - updated, Counterfeit Cross - What is a "Carnal Christian"? 16 I will satisfy him with long life, But, there is hope! The Hebrew word hasaq (set his love) means to attach, love, delight, or bind. where is thy sting? 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. Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him;I will protect him, because he knows my name. 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. 91:1, 4. That is worth noting. 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. In this verse, pestilence is portrayed as walking at nightan unseen and deadly threat. 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 I will be with him in trouble: Again God speaks and acts like a tender-hearted mother towards a sickly child. Please respond to confirm your registration. Yahweh (Hebrew: YHWH or yahweh). Biblical and Practical Advantages for Meeting Within Homes. so that you wont dash your foot against a stone. For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. The MacArthur Bible Studies provide intriguing examinations of the whole of Scripture. Oh, labour to get to that blessed position! May that be the portion of each of us! 2 I will say of Yahweh, He is my refuge and my fortress; Those that preserve their purity in times of general corruption may trust God with their safety in times of general desolation. These cookies are strictly necessary to provide you with services available through our website and to use some of its features. Prayer: The Believer's Constant Conversation (Ephesians 6:18-24) Pastor John MacArthur. So the psalmist is talking about a serious threat when he uses the word deber. (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. I will be with him in trouble; Whatever that trouble is, I will be with him in it. Note that blocking some types of cookies may impact your experience on our websites and the services we are able to offer. 11 For he will put his angels in charge of you, Protokrator appears several times in the New Testament in passages that emphasize Gods almighty power (2 Corinthians 6:18; Revelation 1:8; 4:8; 11:17; 15:3; 16:7, 14; 19:6, 15; 21:22). 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. 16 With long life will I satisfy him, and show him my salvation. But he that has his treasure and heart in another world has soon enough of this; he would not live always. You will trample the young lion and the serpent underfoot. They shall not only have an admittance, but a residence, under God's protection; he will be their rest and refuge for ever. They will bear you up in their hands, so that you wont dash your foot against a stone (vv. Because he has set his love (Hebrew: hasaq) on me, therefore I will deliver him (v. 14a). 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. God Bless. Article Images Copyright 2023 Getty Images unless otherwise indicated. "He, his shadowy plumes outspread. Psalms 91:5. 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. To the extent that we believe that, it will allay our fear. The word emet is usually translated truth. A Protest - Joseph Agar Beet D.D. 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 psalmist can feel secure, because he is confident that Yahweh will deliver him from the snare (pah) of the fowler (a person who sets traps to catch birds, usually for eating). If you like what you're reading, you can get free daily updates through the RSS feed here. 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. Muggers would hide in recessed doorways and whack people whom they could reach easily. There are some who worship in the outer court of the temple; but he that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High lives in the Holy of Holies; he draws near to the mercy-seat, and keeps there; he walks in the light, as God is in the light; he is not one who is sometimes on and sometimes off, a stranger or a guest, but like a child at home, he dwells in the secret place of the most High. Oh, yes, he values the love of his people, for he knows where it came from; it is a part of his own love; the creation of his grace! 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.. A church sanctuary, hospital chapel, or airport prayer room. The ending of all of this is the most powerful of all as God says He will show him [or her], His salvation. If you have salvation, all of these other serious circumstances of plagues, night terrors, thousands dropping at your sides or any other threat are only temporary because ultimately, God is our refuge, our fortress, our shield, our buckler, and His love overshadows us and will bring us safely into the kingdom someday. Bible Verses, Quotes, Christian Answers, Songs and More. 5-6). Eternal Torment or Complete Annihilation? 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. nor of the arrow that flies by day; I will set him on high, because he has known my name. 91:2 ), from which he gives both direction and encouragement to others, Ps. The Hebrew word sel means shadow of shade. A commonly misunderstood phenomenon in Psalms is the association that often develops between the "one" (the psalmist) and the "many" (the theocratic people). Quantity: Cart +. (3.) In Hebrew thought sel is most often welcoming shade from noonday sun or protection afforded by the shadow of Yahwehs wings (Psalm 17:8). It is also under divine direction, and will hit where God appoints and not otherwise. {"lang_button_processing":"Please Wait..","lang_button_notify":"Subscribe","lang_heading_notify":"Notifications","lang_text_notify_info":"Notify me of new comments\u003Cspan class=\"cmtx_info_extra\"\u003E via email\u003C\/span\u003E","lang_title_cancel_notify":"Cancel this notification","lang_link_cancel":"[Cancel]"}, {"commentics_url":"\/\/www.truthaccordingtoscripture.com\/comments\/","page_id":948015,"is_permalink":false,"lang_text_view":"View","lang_text_reply":"reply","lang_text_replies":"replies","lang_text_replying_to":"You are replying to","lang_title_cancel_reply":"Cancel this reply","lang_link_cancel":"[Cancel]","lang_text_privacy":"Privacy","lang_text_terms":"Terms","lang_text_agree":"[1] \/ [2]","lang_text_not_replying":"You are not replying to anyone","lang_button_loading":"Loading..","lang_button_more":"More Comments","lang_button_edit":"Edit Comment","lang_button_reply":"Add Reply","lang_link_reply":"Switch to full reply","lang_link_refresh":"[Refresh]","date_auto":false,"show_pagination":true,"quick_reply":false,"pagination_type":"button","timeago_suffixAgo":"ago","timeago_inPast":"a moment","timeago_seconds":"less than a minute","timeago_minute":"a minute","timeago_minutes":"%d minutes","timeago_hour":"an hour","timeago_hours":"%d hours","timeago_day":"a day","timeago_days":"%d days","timeago_month":"a month","timeago_months":"%d months","timeago_year":"a year","timeago_years":"%d years"}, JavaScript must be enabled for certain features to work, {"commentics_url":"\/\/www.truthaccordingtoscripture.com\/comments\/","page_id":948015,"enabled_country":false,"country_id":0,"enabled_state":false,"state_id":0,"enabled_upload":false,"maximum_upload_amount":3,"maximum_upload_size":5,"maximum_upload_total":5,"captcha":true,"captcha_url":"https:\/\/www.truthaccordingtoscripture.com\/comments\/frontend\/index.php?route=main\/form\/captcha&page_id=948015","cmtx_wait_for_comment":"cmtx_wait_for_comment","lang_error_file_num":"A maximum of %d files are allowed to be uploaded","lang_error_file_size":"Please upload files no bigger than %.1f MB in size","lang_error_file_total":"The total size of all files must be less than %.1f MB","lang_error_file_type":"Only image file types are allowed to be uploaded","lang_text_loading":"Loading ..","lang_placeholder_country":"Country","lang_placeholder_state":"State","lang_text_country_first":"Please select a country first","lang_button_submit":"Add Comment","lang_button_preview":"Preview","lang_button_remove":"Remove","lang_button_processing":"Please Wait.."}, {"commentics_url":"\/\/www.truthaccordingtoscripture.com\/comments\/","auto_detect":false}, Pop-up verses - "Scripture quotations taken from the New American Standard Bible, Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation Used by permission. The Nature of Man - Dualistic or Holistic? We are all, by nature, God's enemies, and we deserve His wrath. My God: Elohay. He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. All the Prayers in the Bible - Old and New Testaments. 14 Because he has set his love on me, therefore I will deliver him. The Immortality of the Soul: 4. Can any comfort be surer? 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. 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. Check to enable permanent hiding of message bar and refuse all cookies if you do not opt in. For he will deliver you from the snare (Hebrew: pah) of the fowler (v. 3a). We know whom we have trusted. The "Clergy/Laity" Distinction: A Hindrance to the Church? It denotes the great care God takes of the saints, in that the angels themselves shall be charged with them, and employed for them. That brings us back to v. 13. Towns across the country closed their swimming pools. Guest. ), Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2000), Mounce, William D., (ed. We may request cookies to be set on your device. They shall triumph over their enemies, ver 13. Historically, more soldiers have died from disease than from swords, spears, and bullets. Please see our Privacy Policy for cookie usage details. The word halas (deliver) has several meanings, at least two of which fit here. They are mighty (Psalm 78:25), and serve by doing Gods will (Psalm 103:1). An integrated digital Bible study library - including complete notes from the NIV Study Bible and the NKJV MacArthur Study Bible - is just a step away! 13 You will tread on the lion and cobra. Yahweh is promising to exalt the person who knows his name. GOD IS MY REFUGE AND MY FORTRESS. How Daniels Prophecy of 70 Weeks Connects to the End Times. will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. 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. I will satisfy him with long life, and show him my salvation (v. 16). Angels were often fearsome. It might be chinks in my faith that leave me vulnerable to fearbut I dont know anyone who has no chinks in their faith. The MacArthur Bible Commentary. A good read. That they shall have an eternal life in the other world. 7 A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee. Psalms 91:3. I will set him on high, because he hath known my name. They shall think it long enough; for God by his grace shall wean them from the world and make them willing to leave it. Does The Bible Provide an Adequate Answer to Suffering? It is not an evil, an only evil, but there is a mixture of good in it and a product of good by it. Seneca De Providentia. Here is, (1.) What does it mean to take the Lord's name in vain? 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). You can check these in your browser security settings. Truth is real, dependable, stablethat which we can trust. ; and Briggs, Charles A., The Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon (Peabody, Massachusetts: Hendrickson Publishers, 1906, 2004), Doniach, N.S. 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.. 2. To worship angels is to run afoul of the First Commandment, You shall have no other gods before me (Exodus 2:3; see also Matthew 4:10). nor of the destruction that wastes at noonday. Thanks for stopping by! Click to enable/disable Google Analytics tracking. Sadday often appears with the Hebrew word el, which is a generic word for a godany god. 12 They will bear you up in their hands, All rights reserved. (4.) Psalms 91:1. [3.] Neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. I will deliver him, and honor him. The Immortality of the Soul: Psalms 91:5. They sicken millions of people every year, and often kill them. 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. He will live as long as he wants to live. - Richard A. Wiedenheft, Immortality - The Gift Of God Through Faith In Jesus The Christ, Immortality or Resurrection of the Dead? 2. Enter your email address and we will send you instructions on how to reset your password. Under his wings you will take refuge (v. 4ab). When he calls to me, I will answer him;I will be with him in trouble;I will rescue him and honor him. We can count on it. That is a message that we need to hear in good times so that it will bring us strength during bad times. With the greatest tenderness and affection, which is intimated in that, He shall cover thee with his feathers, under his wings, which alludes to the hen gathering her chickens under wings, Matt 23 37. Yet most people today have never heard of John Gill. 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. Even there, God is present. 5. Chicks taking refuge under their mothers wings serve as a metaphor for people finding refuge in Gods presence. They sometimes appear in human form (Genesis 18:2; Ezekiel 9:2). The Believer's Covenant Psalm 91 can also be referred to as the constitution of the Kingdom. 3 Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. Jack has written 1285 articles on What Christians Want To Know! When you hear a glorious doctrine preached, it may be very sweet to others; but the honey lies in the particular application of it to yourself. He that has given grace to be the glory of the soul will create a defence upon all that glory. How could any arrows, how could any pestilence, ever be able to reach that secure abode of God? He who dwells in the secret place (Hebrew: seter) of the Most High will rest (Heb. So first, Psalm 91 means I'm invincible till God is done with me. He will cover you with his feathers. The Hebrew word lin (rest) means to lodge or dwell or tarry or rest, and can designate either a temporary or permanent lodging. 11-12). Psalms 91:6-7. If these verses sound familiar, it is probably because Satan quoted them as part of Jesus second temptation. Register. Many people have told me that only the supernatural intervention by angels commanded by God could explain certain miraculous situations that they were involved with, some having their lives being spared. 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. 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 This article is also available and sold as a booklet. 2 I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. As you may be aware, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) comes into full effect on 25th May 2018. - F. F. Bruce. 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. Those who have themselves found the comfort of making God their refuge cannot but desire that others may do so. As the little chicks bury their tiny heads in the feathers of the hen, and seem happy, and warm, and comfortable under their mothers wings, so shall it be with thee if thou dwellest with thy God: He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust.. That is true in this verse, where we see the wicked being punished. 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. These cookies collect information that is used either in aggregate form to help us understand how our website is being used or how effective our marketing campaigns are, or to help us customize our website and application for you in order to enhance your experience. Yahweh is his mesudah (hiding place, stronghold, fortress). The Hebrew Word Nephesh (Soul) - E. W. Bullinger. 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. Great danger supposed; the mention of it is enough to frighten us; night and day we lie exposed, and those that are apt to be timorous will in neither period think themselves safe. (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1979-1988), Brown, Francis; Driver, S.R. That they shall have a sufficiency of life in this world (v. 16): With length of days will I satisfy him; that is, [1.] 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. It would have served Israel well during Davids reign, when Israel was beset by many enemies. I will deliver (Hebrew: halas) him, and honor (Hebrew: kabed) him (v. 15c). We have heard of people who have attributed their recovery from serious illness to the prayers said in their behalf. Here we read about thousands falling to the left and to the right as in the day when Israel battled ancient nationsthe land would be scattered with dead bodies so those who read this at the time it was written had a good idea what this meant. A soldier would be equipped with one shield or the other, but the psalmist perceives Yahwehs truth as embodying the advantages of both. For he will put his angels in charge of you, to guard you in all your ways. Angels are not appropriate objects of our worship. The promises that are sure to all those who have thus made the Most High their habitation. 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. 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). and see the recompense of the wicked. 45MBC. You will tread on the lion and cobra. The Life-Giving Shepherd (John 10:1-11) Pastor John MacArthur. Naught shall strike thee with dismay, Fear by night, nor shaft by day." Verse 7. (2.) 8 You will only look with your eyes, In 1969, after graduating from Talbot Theological Seminary, John came to Grace Community Church. A sinnah is a large rectangular shield. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. There is need to fear the night filled with terror or the arrows that are visibly seen flying during the day. Due to security reasons we are not able to show or modify cookies from other domains. The secret place of the Most High could be: The temple. 1. Christianity: The Best Thing That Ever Happened to Women, The Pursuit of God - A W Tozer - Complete Book. This (without el) is how it appears in this and a number of other verses, especially in the book of Job. There shall be but the appearance of evil, not the reality of it: There shall no evil befall thee.. The Immortality of the Soul: A Protest - Joseph Agar Beet D.D. Some of them are speedily taken home; still this text is, as a rule, literally fulfilled, With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation. He shall see Gods salvation even here; and when he dies, and wakes up in the likeness of his Lord, he will see it to the full. Yahweh is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. I. 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! 2. The voice shifts with this verse. They are able to bear up the saints out of the reach of danger, and they do it with all the tenderness and affection wherewith the nurse carries the little child about in her arms; it speaks us helpless and them helpful. If you dwell there, you are invincible, invulnerable, infinitely secure. His truth shall be thy shield and buckler. A soherah (more often translated buckler) is a small round shield. This promise protects, (1.) Some think that this promise had its full accomplishment in Christ, and the miraculous power which he had over the whole creation, healing the sick, casting out devils, and particularly putting it into his disciples' commission that they should take up serpents, Mark 16 18. When we talk about trusting God to deliver us, thats the bottom lineconfidence that God is with us both in life and in death. 1 Chronicles 16:11 Seek the LORD and his strength; seek his presence continually! It would have served them well during the Babylonian Exile, when only the eyes of faith could see the possibility that they would ever again see Jerusalem. You can also change some of your preferences. Can any thought be more profound? It is to know relationally or by experience, and is therefore an intimate kind of knowledge. El means god (note the small g), and can be used for any god. What Does It Really Mean That Your Body Is a Temple? Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible (Complete). The Septuagint (the Greek version of the Old Testament) translates the Hebrew word sadday as the Greek word protokrator, which literally means all power or all dominion, and is usually translated Almighty One.

psalm 91 commentary john macarthur 2023