Psalms 91
Old Testament · Poetry · King James Version
Psalm 91 is a psalm of confident trust that pictures God as the refuge, fortress, and shelter of the one who makes the Most High their dwelling. It moves from a personal confession of faith (verses 1-2) to sweeping promises of protection from terror, plague, and unseen danger (verses 3-13), then closes with God himself speaking to pledge deliverance, honor, and long life to the one who loves and knows his name (verses 14-16). Its imagery of covering wings and guarding angels has comforted believers for centuries, even as it has been misread as a guarantee against every hardship.
He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.
Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.
He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.
Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;
Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.
A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.
Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.
Because thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation;
There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.
For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.
They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.
Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet.
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.
He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him.
With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.
Context
Psalm 91 is untitled in the Hebrew text, so its author is unnamed; because the preceding Psalm 90 is ascribed to Moses, Jewish tradition often reads Psalm 91 as continuing his voice, though Scripture does not identify the writer. It belongs to the psalms of trust, using the ancient language of a worshipper seeking asylum in the sanctuary — 'the secret place of the Most High' — where the divine presence guarantees safety. The dangers it names (the fowler's snare, pestilence, the terror by night, the arrow by day, the lion and the serpent) are both literal hazards of the ancient world and stock images for spiritual assault.
Themes & application
- Refuge and shelter in God's presence
- Trust that overcomes fear of seen and unseen dangers
- Covenant love answered by divine deliverance (verses 14-16)
- The difference between faith and presumption
Psalm 91 addresses the one who 'dwells' and 'abides' in God, so its comfort belongs to a settled life of communion rather than a crisis-only prayer. Read rightly it steadies the fearful heart in real danger while refusing to become a magic formula — the very psalm the tempter quoted to Jesus (Matthew 4:6) was answered with 'You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.'
Key verses
“He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.”
The promises that follow rest on a condition of nearness: 'dwelling' and 'abiding' describe a settled, habitual life with God, not a single moment of crisis prayer.
Application: Make communion with God your home address rather than an emergency exit; the shelter is experienced by those who actually live in it.
“He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.”
The tender image of a mother bird sheltering her young pictures God's protective care, while 'shield and buckler' adds a military image of defense — gentleness and strength together.
Application: The covering is a picture of God's faithful care; his 'truth', that is his faithfulness, is what actually shields the trusting heart.
Commonly misread: Taken as a promise that a believer will never be physically hurt or fall ill.
“For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.”
God commissions angelic guardianship 'in all thy ways' — the paths of obedient trust — rather than in reckless self-endangerment.
Application: Guardian care accompanies the one walking in God's ways; it is not a license to manufacture danger to test God.
Commonly misread: The tempter quoted verses 11-12 to Jesus (Matthew 4:6) to justify leaping from the temple; Jesus exposed the distortion by refusing to presume on God's promise.
“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.”
The psalm's climax shifts to God's own voice; deliverance, honor, and answered prayer flow from a relationship of love and of knowing God's name.
Application: The promises are covenantal and relational — grounded in loving and knowing God, not in reciting the psalm as an incantation.
Verse notes
- v3 — The 'snare of the fowler' pictures hidden traps and the 'noisome pestilence' deadly disease, pairing deliberate danger with unseen contagion.
- v5 — 'The terror by night' and 'the arrow that flieth by day' form a merism — threats around the clock, whether unseen dread or open attack.
- v13 — Treading on 'the lion and adder, the young lion and the dragon' images mastery over predatory and serpentine evil.
Common misreadings of Psalms 91
Misreading: Psalm 91 is a mechanical charm that guarantees safety from all harm if you recite or claim it.
In context: The psalm addresses the one who 'dwells' and 'abides' in God (verses 1-2); its assurances describe a life of trust, not a formula that binds God to a recited text.
Misreading: The promise of refuge means a believer will never suffer, get sick, or die.
In context: Scripture records faithful people who were persecuted, fell ill, and died in faith; Psalm 91's refuge is God's ultimate care and vindication, not exemption from all earthly hardship.
Misreading: Because angels are commanded to guard 'in all thy ways' (verses 11-12), it is fine to court danger and expect rescue.
In context: In Matthew 4:6 and Luke 4:9-12 the tempter quoted exactly these verses to justify a needless leap; Jesus refused, answering 'You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.' The promise is detached from its meaning when severed from trust and obedience.
Misreading: Claiming Psalm 91 boldly is the same as having great faith.
In context: Faith rests on God and obeys him; presumption tests God to prove himself. The psalm rewards the former (verse 14, 'because he hath set his love upon me') and the wilderness temptation exposes the latter.
Cross-references
- Deuteronomy 32:11 — The eagle that 'spreadeth abroad her wings' over its young is the same protective-wing image as Psalm 91:4.
- Psalm 17:8 — 'Hide me under the shadow of thy wings' mirrors the 'shadow of the Almighty' and the covering wings of Psalm 91:1, 4.
- Psalm 46:1 — God as 'refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble' parallels Psalm 91's shelter and fortress.
- Psalm 121:7-8 — 'The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil... thy going out and thy coming in' restates Psalm 91's keeping God in a pilgrim key.
- Matthew 4:6 — The tempter quotes Psalm 91:11-12 to urge Jesus to presume on God's protection by leaping from the temple.
- Luke 4:10-11 — Luke's parallel wilderness temptation cites the same verses of Psalm 91, and Jesus answers by refusing to test God.
- Hebrews 1:14 — Angels as 'ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation' explains the angelic charge of Psalm 91:11.
- Proverbs 18:10 — 'The name of the LORD is a strong tower' echoes 'because he hath known my name' in Psalm 91:14.
Frequently asked questions about Psalms 91
Who wrote Psalm 91?
Does Psalm 91 promise Christians will never get sick or be harmed?
Why did the tempter quote Psalm 91 to Jesus?
What is 'the secret place of the Most High'?
Sources & editorial notes
- Translation
- Scripture quotations are from the King James Version (KJV), which is in the public domain.
- Authorship
- Psalm 91 is untitled in the Masoretic (Hebrew) text, so its author is unknown. The Septuagint attaches a superscription associating it with David, while a later Jewish tradition reads it with Psalm 90 and so links it to Moses. These attributions are traditional, not stated in the Hebrew text itself.
- Editorial process
- This chapter overview was written by The Lord Will Editorial Team and reviewed by Ugo Candido. It is a devotional and educational summary that draws on the plain text of the passage and widely held, mainstream Christian understanding; it is not peer-reviewed academic scholarship, and it makes no claim to specialist credentials.
References
- The Holy Bible, King James Version / Authorized Version (1611), public domain. — The translation basis for every quotation on this page (KJV, public domain).
- Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710), on Psalm 91 — public domain. — Reading Psalm 91 as a psalm of confident trust and refuge, and dependence on God rather than a mechanical guarantee of immunity.
- Charles H. Spurgeon, The Treasury of David (1885), on Psalm 91 — public domain. — The long devotional reception of Psalm 91 as a psalm of refuge and security in God.
- Masoretic Text (untitled) compared with the Septuagint superscription of Psalm 90 LXX ('of David'). — Authorship uncertainty: the Hebrew is untitled and the Davidic/Mosaic associations are traditional, not claims in the text.
- Psalm 90:1 superscription, 'A Prayer of Moses the man of God' (KJV). — The Mosaic association of Psalm 91 arises from the adjacent, Moses-titled Psalm 90 — not from Psalm 91 itself.
- Matthew 4:5-7 and Luke 4:9-12 (KJV, public domain). — The temptation accounts where Psalm 91:11-12 is quoted out of context and answered by 'You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.'
Author: The Lord Will Editorial Team · Reviewed by: Ugo Candido · Updated: 2026-07-04