so that you wont dash your foot against a stone. Elohim is plural, so it can apply to any gods. Theologian Paul on Life, Death, and Immortality - Froom, Gravity of Ascribing False Teachings to Christ - (refernce to Dives and Lazarus), The Old Testament Use of the Word Sheol (Hell), The Rich Man and Lazarus: An Intermediate State? A believer needs not fear, and therefore should not fear, any arrow, because the point is off, the poison is out. Jack has written 1285 articles on What Christians Want To Know! Otherwise you will be prompted again when opening a new browser window or new a tab. The Immortality of the Soul: 1 Chronicles 16:11 Seek the LORD and his strength; seek his presence continually! We find this name as early as Genesis 15:2, but whether that name was familiar to Abram is uncertain. If they were, no one would ever die. 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). 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. (9b means the second part of verse 9). These cookies are strictly necessary to provide you with services available through our website and to use some of its features. We ought to think more of the saint and the dragon. They shall be the charge of the holy angels, ver 10-12. 15 He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him. Verses 1-16. Read them in the archive below. A sinnah is a large rectangular shield. 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. It is not an evil, an only evil, but there is a mixture of good in it and a product of good by it. This word the devil left out when he quoted the promise to enforce a temptation, knowing how much it made against him. But he that has his treasure and heart in another world has soon enough of this; he would not live always. In that culture, as today, a persons name referred to the essential character of the personin this case, Yahweh. Psalms 91:14. 11 For he will put his angels in charge of you, QUESTION - Why is the gate that leads to destruction wide Matthew 713. . Such evil will never befall you. If you dwell there, you are invincible, invulnerable, infinitely secure. i. That brings us back to v. 13. 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.. 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. The psalmist assures believers of divine protection, from his own experience; and that which he says is the word of God, and what we may rely upon. For he will deliver you from the snare (Hebrew: pah) of the fowler (v. 3a). However, the words shadow and shade also acknowledge that the faithful person dwells in a world that is sometimes dark. Those that preserve their purity in times of general corruption may trust God with their safety in times of general desolation. Psalms 91:15. Satan said, If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written, He will put his angels in charge of you. and, On their hands they will bear you up, so that you dont dash your foot against a stone' (Matthew 4:6). The seashore or forest where nature calms our souls and draws us to God. where is thy sting? 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). Truth doesnt shift with every passing folly. Viewing things from God's vantage point--that is true comfort. He will live as long as he wants to live. El sadday, then, means Almighty God. 3. Previous post: 6 Important Reasons To Bring Hidden Hurts To God For Healing, Next post: 7 Sample Prayers Before Surgery or a Medical Procedure. my God, in whom I trust.. By proceeding, you consent to our cookie usage. and from the deadly pestilence (Hebrew: deber) (v. 3b). 13 You will tread on the lion and cobra. Here is, (1.) He that has given grace to be the glory of the soul will create a defence upon all that glory. Lions serve as a metaphor for powerful forces that can take us apart with one swipe of their claws. The Hebrew word lin (rest) means to lodge or dwell or tarry or rest, and can designate either a temporary or permanent lodging. With his wing shall fence thy head; And his truth around thee wield, Strong as targe or bossy shield! Is My Church Really A New Testament Church? Psalm 91:1. 15 He will call on me, and I will answer him. 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. God Bless. 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. 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. 75 Bible Commentaries - Matthew Henry, Adam Clarke, Pulpit Commentary, etc. 2. God loved us yesterday, and will love us tomorrow. 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! Home. - updated, Counterfeit Cross - Lordship of Christ in Salvation - updated, The Credibility of the Testimony of the Apostles, Audio of "Children and the Rod of Correction", Audio of "The Origin of Dressing Up for Church", Audio of "The Origin of Hell-Fire in Christian Teaching", Examine Yourselves as to Whether You Are in the Faith, Refutation of Baptismal Regeneration - James P. Shelly, Was Jesus a Friend of Sinners? Yahweh is like that. What Does It Mean That There Is No One Holy Like God? We sent you an email. Others make idols their refuge, but I will say of Jehovah, the true and living God, He is my refuge: any other is a refuge of lies. May that be the portion of each of us! The Hebrew Word Nephesh (Soul) - E. W. Bullinger. But, there is hope! What is Psalm 91 all about? So first, Psalm 91 means I'm invincible till God is done with me. I will set him on high, because he hath known my name. Watch over him today. I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. In Hebrew thought sel is most often welcoming shade from noonday sun or protection afforded by the shadow of Yahwehs wings (Psalm 17:8). Try it free for 30 days. Yahwehs truth is large and sturdy enough to absorb violent blows. Because these cookies are strictly necessary to deliver the website, refusing them will have impact how our site functions. Neither night nor daydarkness nor the bright light of noondayshall give the faithful cause for fear. 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 . Nederlandstalige Bijbelstudies door Stan Marinussen, Copyright - Enduring Word       |      . It also means preparing, to include equipping for war. Is Hell eternal torment or eternal death. Seeking the Gospel in Malachi, the Last Book of the Old Testament. Copyright 2023, Bible Study Tools. 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. 2. Please see our Privacy Policy for cookie usage details. Click to enable/disable Google reCaptcha. 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. Champions of Conditional Immortality in History, Conditional Immortality - Its Relation to Final Retribution, Conditional Immortality - Samuel M. Ohmart, Fallacies In The Annihilationism Debate: A Critique Of Robert Peterson, Important Forgotten History - Roots of Opposition to Conditionalism, Life in Christ - A Summary of Conditional Immortality, Summing Up the Case for Biblical Conditionalism - Froom, The Hypothesis of Conditional Immortality - William R. Huntington - 1878, Why I Believe In Conditional Immortality - by Sidney A. Hatch, Death and the Afterlife by Robert A. Morey - A Review by Edward Fudge, Martin Luther & William Tyndale On the State of the Dead, Near Death Experiences - Samuele Bacchiocchi. 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. The word kabed (honor) means to give a person honor or to make them heavy (in the sense of powerful. Therefore the psalmist is probably saying more than he understooddeliverance from trouble and salvation to eternal life. To this the great God is pleased to compare his care of his people, who are helpless as the chickens, and easily made a prey of, but are invited to trust under the shadow of the wings of the divine promise and providence, which is the periphrasis of a proselyte to the true religion, that he has come to trust under the wings of the God of Israel, Ruth 2 12. Psalms 91:15. Changes will take effect once you reload the page. Ought the Church to Pray for Revival? 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. They are condescending in their ministrations; they keep the feet of the saints, lest they dash them against a stone, lest they stumble and fall into sin and into trouble. The promises which are here made, in God's name, to all those that do so in sincerity. You have probably been the victim of some sort of trap, possibly in quite recent memory. The noun sem (name) means name or reputation or fame. Jesus ChristUnique Savior or Average Fraud? 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. They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone. El means god (note the small g), and can be used for any god. It means delivering from danger, which is how this translation sees it. 5 Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; 6 Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday. Sadday often appears with the Hebrew word el, which is a generic word for a godany god. Due to security reasons we are not able to show or modify cookies from other domains. For he will put his angels in charge of you, to guard you in all your ways. However, the conditional nature of the promises serve as a warning that the promises will no longer apply if we disassociate ourselves from Yahweh. The end of this psalm recaps any calamity that can happen and when His children are placed in harms way He promises to deliver them, to protect them, to rescue them, and to answer them in their time of trouble. They are such as make the Most High their habitation (v. 9), as are continually with God and rest in him, as make his name both their temple and their strong tower, as dwell in love and so dwell in God. 9-10). Yes; and he rewards that knowledge: I will set him on high.. Yahweh is promising to bless the person who knows him in this intimate way. A quiet place where we can go to God in prayerour bedroom or prayer closet. 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. but it will not come near you. I will be with him in trouble; Whatever that trouble is, I will be with him in it. of The important thing is not the place but that we meet the Most High there. PSALM 91:1-2. 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). That is a message that we need to hear in good times so that it will bring us strength during bad times. A soldier can move the smaller round shield quickly to counter threats from unexpected quarters. Salem Media Group. I conclude that Psalm 91 means two things about the suffering of the saints. 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. 2. What Is The Evidence For/Against The Existence Of God? If the face of such a harsh reality as this, God is placed in the position of being the protecting parent of His young as their fortress, shield, and protector. Each guide incorporates extensive commentary, detailed observations on overriding themes, and probing questions to help you study the Word of God with guidance from John MacArthur, and each study includes an introduction that provides background information to each book of the Bible being studied and a . Psalms 91:4. The word deber means plague or pestilence. Yahweh does David an honor by using this word for David, where he refers to David as the elyon (highest) of the kings of the earth (Psalm 89:27). We owe it, more than we are sensible, to the care of the divine Providence that we have been kept from infectious diseases and out of the hands of the wicked and unreasonable. Cobras and serpents serve as a metaphor for smaller but equally deadly forces that appear suddenly, seemingly from nowhere. With the greatest power and efficacy. 1 He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High. We, dear friends, may have secret enemies, who shoot at us, but we shall not be afraid of the arrow. I will deliver him, and honor him. Naught shall strike thee with dismay, Fear by night, nor shaft by day." Verse 7. One old divine calls a man a worm six feet long; and it is rather a flattering description of him. We are all, by nature, God's enemies, and we deserve His wrath. The MacArthur Bible Commentary treats every passage of the Old and New Testaments phrase by phrase, with hundreds of word studies as sidebars throughout. You remember how the devil misapplied this text to Christ. 2. His nature we cannot fully know; but by his name he has made himself known, and with that we must acquaint ourselves. Get Your Bible Minute in Your Inbox Every Morning. The Life of Jesus: Lord, Liar or Lunatic? It would have served Israel well during Davids reign, when Israel was beset by many enemies. You will only look with your eyes, and see the recompense (Hebrew: sillumahpunishment) of the wicked (v. 8b). As it will aggravate the damnation of sinners that with their eyes they shall behold and see the reward of the righteous (Luke 13 28), so it will magnify the salvation of the saints that with their eyes they shall behold and see the destruction of the wicked, Isa 66 24; Ps 58 10. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2014), Gower, Ralph, The New Manners and Customs of Bible Times (Chicago: Moody Press, 1987), Kidner, Derek, Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries: Psalms 73-150, Vol. Under his wings you will take refuge (v. 4ab). 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. Psalm 91 God's Protection 911: Christians are under attack! Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: Does God take notice of our poor love? The Immortality of the Soul: A Protest - Joseph Agar Beet D.D. However, I am confident that God is with us in life and in death. You can check these in your browser security settings. 8 You will only look with your eyes, 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. - F. F. Bruce. Angels are not appropriate objects of our worship. How could cholera or fever get into the secret place of the most High? The Great Lie: What about the Immortal soul? 7 A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee. However, now we begin to hear from Yahweh directly. If Jehovah be our God, our refuge, and our fortress, what can we desire which we may not be sure to find in him? The Septuagint (LXX: Greek version of the Old Testament) attributes this psalm to David, but that remains in question. Plagues and pestilences of various kinds are still occasional threats in first world countries, and are frequent threats in less developed countries. It is more probably that the word refers to the better country, that is, the heavenly, which the patriarchs desired and sought: he will show him that, bring him to that blessed state, the felicity of which consists so much in seeing that face to face which we here see through a glass darkly; and, in the mean time, he will give him a prospect of it. The Life-Giving Shepherd (John 10:1-11) Pastor John MacArthur. Jesus countered, Again, it is written, You shall not test the Lord, your God.'. {"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.