Conversations About a Constant (Psalm 91)

Psalm 91 is an interesting psalm because of who speaks in it. There are three responses to the statement made in verse 1. The first responder is the psalmist in verse 2 because we can see that the first person singular is used – he is probably responding to his own assertion, although it could have been made by another. Then we have a second responder in verses 3-13 who replies to the psalmist’s confident statement. Finally, we have a third responder in verses 14-16, and he is the Lord himself making wonderful promises to the person who dwells close to the Lord.

The safe place (v. 1)

The psalmist likens God to a shelter in which his people can dwell. I think the background is someone living in the desert with its arid landscape and hot sun beating down on him unless he gets some shade. The desert and the sun illustrate the spiritual dryness of the world. Yet a believer can have divine company and protection as he makes his way through life. Although he is in the world, he is also in another place, and that other place is God himself. We can use New Testament language to describe this experience, and the words are ‘in Christ’. 

This experience is constant, close and comforting. In practical terms, we become ‘in Christ’ when we believe in him. After that, we are always in Christ. Even our sinfulness does not take us out of there. And unlike other places where we can measure things by distance, we cannot do that with being in Christ. All who are in him are close to him, and we can see this by the illustrations used of union with Christ in the New Testament. We know that we can fail to experience our privileges, but remember that Jesus is close to all his people. Just think of how near he was to the believers in Laodicea. Normally, this place is very comforting for believers because Jesus by his Spirit comforts them by the ministry of the Comforter.

The strong determination (v. 2)

The psalmist responds to the announcement in verse 1. In his response, he says that he will speak to God. He uses his imagination to express his faith. We cannot speak clearly about God without likening him to something or someone. Here the psalmist likens God to things that provide protection from fierce warriors. His words are similar to us saying that the Lord is like a castle on a hill, a building that is able to withstand all enemy forces, and big enough to hold all the Lord’s people simultaneously.

How could the Psalmist say this? We get the answer in the name he uses of the Lord in verse 2. He is Yahweh, the eternal God of the covenant, or the God of the beginningless and endless covenant. His commitment to his people runs from eternity to eternity. Therefore, at any moment in time, we can say to ourselves that he is our refuge and fortress. And because of who he is, we can make the same resolution as the psalmist makes when says that he will continue to trust in the Lord.

The confident comforter (vv. 3-13)

As I indicated, someone speaks in verses 3-13 (the speaker here may be the person who made the statement in verse 1). In his words of comfort and assurance he uses several illustrations in order to convey his ideas.

First, he likens God to a mother bird and his people to her chicks. A hunter sets traps for the young birds, which they cannot see. Whether a mother bird always sees them, I cannot say. But God sees the traps set for his people and he himself hides them in himself (under his wings). He will do this continually because he is always faithful to his people. No enemy hunter can penetrate there to get them.

Second, he mentions several times the common danger of disease and plague. We in a sense have lost the horror of that fear because we live in a society where such things are absent to a great extent. But there was a time when they were a constant fear. They were beyond the control of people and they were unpreventable. Often, God’s people can be disturbed by fear of what is beyond their control. But nothing is beyond the control of God.

Third, he mentions the problems of military conflict. In a battle, one obvious danger was arrows flying through the air. We can recall how an arrow pierced Ahab’s armour despite his attempts to avoid being killed. In the spiritual battle, others will fall to the enemy, but God protects his people from what seem like haphazard dangers.

Fourth, he reminds the psalmist that he will yet see a complete victory over the enemies of God’s kingdom (vv. 7-8). The God whom he serves will yet bring this about. We here are asked to remind ourselves of the future Day of Christ, the day when we will see finally what true victory means. God’s people, despite their weaknesses and fears, will share the triumph of Jesus.

Fifth, he reminds his friend of the perfection and purity of God. Maybe it is possible to think that the tent in verse 10 is a temporary possession of the psalmist. Yet I suspect it is referring back to the statement in verse 9 (and in verse 1) that the believer’s tent is God. Why are we preserved? There is only one reason – God. 

Sixth, the psalmist then mentions that believers have heavenly guardians (vv. 11-12). When do they engage in this activity? The psalmist says ‘in all your ways’. After all, as says the writer of Hebrews, they serve the heirs of salvation, and the areas of service are not limited or selective. We will not find out in this life how they did so, but we may when we reach the better country. Meanwhile, by faith, we are to recognise their presence and help, and thank God that he has arranged for them to take care of every footstep.

Seventh, he says that believers will defeat the deadliest of enemies, depicted here by lions and snakes (v. 13). They are used in the Bible to depict the devil, so maybe it is demonic forces that are the enemies here. God will give his people victory over them, and over all enemies. The victory will be crushing, and Paul reminded the Romans that God would bruise Satan under their feet shortly (Rom. 16:4).

The divine Speaker (vv. 14-16)

God now speaks, and he seems to be speaking to the second speaker about the first speaker. If he was replying to the second speaker only, he would have used ‘you’. We have here an example of how the Lord can strengthen the words of a believer by speaking himself. Today, he can used his Word to confirm and enlarge any comfort we give to other believers. So what does the Lord say?

First, he describes the spiritual traits of a healthy believer (v. 14) – he loves God, holds fast to him, and knows his character (name of God). All this happens because he spends his time in the secret place of the Most High and dwells under the shadow of the Almighty. Love grows when we spend time with God.

Second, he promises divine deliverance and protection (v. 14). The Lord confirms what the second speaker had mentioned through his various comments in the previous section. 

Third, he assures the believer of answers to prayer, of his presence in trouble, and future honour (v. 15). The secret place of the Most High is the best place to pray  - in Christ we have access to the Father at all times. We don’t only aim to be with God, but he promises to be with us, even as Jesus told his apostles that he would be with them all the days. And he says that a great day is coming for those who dwell in the secret place. On that day, we will see how important it was to do so.

Fourth, he says that he will reveal to the believer the fullness of salvation (v. 16). Long life was regarded as a great blessing in Old Testament times – think of the promise attached to the fifth commandment. One benefit of a long life was that those who had one would experience more of God’s grace in the promised land. Of course, we can see in this promise a description of the world to come where we will see the riches of divine salvation.

Application

No doubt, there are many things that can be applied from this psalm. But here are five applications. First, we should use the different names for God when we speak to him and about him. Look at how the psalmist does this in verses 1 and 2. In the Bible, there are many names of God and there are many names of Jesus, and one reason why we have them is to enable us to live in the secret place of the Most High and dwell under his shadow. 

Second, we are to remind ourselves as often as we can of the faithfulness of God. We will face a range of troubles and dangers. No doubt we can rely on others to help us in some of them. But the only One who can help us in all of them is God, and even when others help us they do not do so in the way that God can and does.

Third, we are to encourage one another by reminding one another of the promises of God. This is what the first and second speakers did in this psalm. We all need encouragement, and nothing encourages like divine promises. When we feed on them ourselves, we will know that others need them as well.

Fourth, this psalm was quoted by the devil to Jesus when he was tempted by Satan in the desert. The devil quoted verses 11 and 12, but left out the phrase ‘in all your ways’. In doing that, he distorted a divine promise. Jesus reminded the devil that divine help only comes when a person walks in the ways of God.

Fifth, this is a good song to end a year and start a year. It is a psalm that reminds us of the place of spiritual safety, that gives to us the assurance that the Lord was with us and will be with us.