Annotations Upon the Books of Poetry, Psalms · Psalm 91
PSALM XCI.
Verſ. 1. HE that dwelleth in the ſecret place of the moſt High, &c.] That is, He that lyes hid under the protection of the moſt high God; or, He that puts his whole confidence in God alone, and makes him his only refuge: shall abide under the ſhadow of the Almighty; that is, he ſhall dwell quietly in a ſure and ſafe place, and needs not fear any danger whatſoever. By the ſecret place of the moſt High is meant Gods ſecret preſervation, which is not diſcerned by a naturall man; and it may allude to a mans being kept cloſe, as it were, in Gods boſome: but ſee the Note Pſal. 27.5. And by the shadow of the Almighty is implyed not only ſafety, but alſo that ſweet refreſhing of mind they find, that can repoſe themſelves upon Gods protection, ſuch as men meet with when they come into ſome ſhadowy place, to cover themſelves from the ſcorching heat of the ſun. But ſee alſo the Notes Ruth 2.12. Judg. 14.9. Pſal. 17.8, and 57.1. Now this Pſalm is probably thought to have been compoſed by David upon occaſion of that peſtilence, which deſtroyed ſuch multitudes in the ſpace of three daies, 2 Kings 24. ſee verſ. 3. and 6. of this Pſalm.
Verſ. 2. I will ſay of the Lord, &c.] To wit, at all times, and in all diſtreſſes whatſoever: He is my refuge, &c. that is, my ſure protectour. Now this we may conceive to be ſpoken in the perſon of any righteous man, ſo ſafe-guarded as is above ſaid, under the shadow of the Almighty. But yet I rather conceive, that this the Pſalmiſt inſerts concerning himſelf, that by his own example he might encourage others to truſt thus in God.
Verſ. 3. Surely he shall deliver thee, &c.] This may alſo be taken, either as ſpoken by the Pſalmiſt to every righteous man, that wholly depends upon Gods protection, or elſe as ſpoken to himſelf; which I the rather approve, both becauſe of the dependance of this upon the foregoing verſe, and becauſe that which follows verſ. 9. cannot well be otherwiſe underſtood. Surely he shall deliver thee from the ſnare of the fowler, and from the noyſome peſtilence; that is, from the ſecret contrivances of all enemies, bodily or ſpirituall, lying in wait to deſtroy, and from the noyſome, hurtfull, deſtroying peſtilence. And ſo under theſe two particulars there may be alſo a promiſe implyed of deliverance from all dangers and evils whatſoever, whether they come from men or from God, from all the devices of men, and from all deſperate ſickneſſes and ſudden deſtruction. But then again many learned Expoſitours do underſtand both clauſes of the peſtilence; holding that by the fowler David meant that deſtroying angel 2 Sam. 24.16. and that the peſtilence may well be compared to the ſnare of the fowler, becauſe men are ſuddenly taken with it, when they never think on any ſuch thing, as the bird is catched whilſt it is skipping about and ſinging, and never thinks of any danger.
Verſ. 4. He shall cover thee with his feathers, &c.] See the Note above verſ. 1: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler; that is, his faithfulneſſe, or his promiſes, when thou applyeſt them to thy ſelf for thy comfort.
Verſ. 5. Thou shalt not be afraid for the terrour by night, &c.] That is, of no affrightments that uſe to terrify men and women in the night; and then we are ſubject to moſt dangers, and our terrours are alwaies greateſt: nor for the arrow that flyeth by day; nor for any ſudden and unexpected dangers. The meaning is, that he that truſteth in God ſhall be ſecure from all dangers, by night and by day, from all open and ſecret dangers; not only from all evil that open adverſaries can bring upon us, but alſo from the ſtroke of inviſible ſpirits, which cannot be avoided. But now many Expoſitours do underſtand both theſe clauſes of the peſtilence; holding that it is called the terrour by night, becauſe it is a diſeaſe ſo full of terrour, eſpecially in the night, and the arrow that flyeth by day, becauſe the infection will ſuddenly ſpread ſo far off, eſpecially in the heat of the day. And ſo likewiſe they underſtand that which is added in the next verſe.
Verſ. 6. Nor for the peſtilence that walketh in darkneſſe, nor for the deſtruction that waſteth at noon-day.] The plague is here called the peſtilence that walketh in darkneſse, becauſe even in the dead of the night it ſpreadeth and paſſeth from houſe to houſe, when all people are at reſt, and ſtir not abroad, and that with great force and ſtrength to deſtroy; yea and ſome ſay too, becauſe it proceeds from ſecret unknown cauſes, and ſo is the more hardly ſuppreſſed or cured: and it is called alſo the destruction that waſteth at noon-day, becauſe it deſtroyeth ſuch multitudes of all ſorts of people, and rageth moſt when the ſun is hotteſt.
Verſ. 8. Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and ſee the reward of the wicked.] That is, Thou ſhalt ſee this done, and thine eyes ſhall be pleaſed with the ſight; or, This ſhall be done, thou doing nothing therein, but only looking on.
Verſ. 9. Becauſe thou haſt made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation.] See the Note Pſal. 90, 1. This may be taken as ſpoken to the man that truſteth in God, whoever he be. But thoſe words, which is my refuge, do rather induce me to think, (as is before noted verſ. 3.) that the Pſalmiſt here ſpeaks to his own ſoul.
Verſ. 11. For he shall give his angels charge over thee, &c.] Why the devil urged this as a promiſe made particularly to Chriſt Matth. 4.6. we may ſee by that which is noted Gen. 28.12.
Verſ. 13. Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder, &c.] That is, they ſhall be as ſo many worms under thy feet. But I take it to be a generall promiſe made to thoſe that ſhall truſt in God, as is before expreſſed, to wit, that no adverſe power of any creature whatſoever, whether of beaſts, men or devils, ſhall be able to hurt them; that God would deliver them from their moſt deſperate dangers, and dreadfull enemies, whether by open violence or ſecret policies ſeeking their hurt; yea that they ſhould not only be delivered from them, but ſhould alſo vanquiſh them, and ſubdue them, and trample them under their feet.
Verſ. 14. Becauſe he hath ſet his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him, &c.] This is ſpoken in reference to that which went before; as if the Lord had ſaid, Becauſe by his truſting in me he hath thus manifeſted that he truly loves me and knows me, therefore I will not fail to deliver him. For it is clear that here the Lord is brought in engaging himſelf by promiſe to him that truſts in him. And ſome conceive that this is added, as Gods charge given to his angels, whereof mention is made before verſ. 11.
Verſ. 16. With long life will I ſatisfy him, &c.] To wit, not in this world only, ſee the Note Gen. 25.8. but eſpecially alſo in the world to come, ſee the Note Pſal. 21.4. And ſome conceive that this is particularly promiſed in reference to the foregoing promiſes of preſervation from the peſtilence. And shew him my ſalvation; ſee the Note Pſal. 50.23.