Psa 91:1 | KingComments | STEP | The New Testament quotation of shows that this psalm is about the Lord Jesus ( ). The previous psalm, Psalm 90, describes the perishableness of the first man in contrast to the eternal God. This is depicted by the dying of the people of Israel in the wilderness. Psalm 91 describes the complete surrender to God of the Lord Jesus, the second Man. He is the true Joshua, Who brings the remnant into the promised land. After the weak, mortal man of Psalm 90 on whom the anger of God rests, we see in this psalm the perfect Man at whom God looks with great joy. Christ is the fully dependent second Man in contrast to the perishable man. In this He is an example for the remnant who will be spared during the great tribulation and during the judgment and wrath of God. In , the psalmist and the remnant are speaking alternately. This is evident from the alternation of the person forms first, second and third person: The psalmist. The Messiah as Example for the remnant. The psalmist speaks to the Messiah. The Messiah as Example for the remnant. The psalmist. The LORD about the Messiah. The psalm begins with a beautiful statement by the psalmist that sounds like a confession of faith. It is a truth that we see in the life of Christ and that also applies to the believing remnant who have Christ as their Example and follow Him. This confession of faith also indicates the theme of this psalm. The remnant is safe and sealed, as it were, in the midst of the dangers of the great tribulation and the judgments of God. God is represented here as “the Most High” and “the Almighty”. The name “Most High” is the name of God in the realm of peace. We have a picture of this in Melchizedek’s encounter with Abraham ( ). What will then be seen by all is already true for the believer who is going through a time of severe trial. Therefore, he “dwells in the shelter of the Most High”. God is also ‘the Almighty’, which means the guarantee that He will fulfill all His promises. With that name He made known Himself to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to whom He made His promises ( ; ). Not much seems to come of the fulfillment of the promises. However, those who abide “in the shadow of the Almighty” do not doubt for a moment that fulfillment will come. The great assurance of this first verse applies to every believer without exception. Every believer who does this will experience it. It applies in fullness to the Lord Jesus as Man on earth. He dwelt “in the shelter of the Most High”. ‘Dwell’ denotes rest, feeling at home. He thereby spent the night, in which the world had sunk “in the shadow of the Almighty”. The believing remnant will have this experience in the great tribulation. We New Testament believers, in whom the Spirit of Jesus dwells, may know God as Father. As Father, He is to us the Most High and Almighty. We may take refuge with the Father from danger and spend day and night in His shadow in the darkness in which the world is enveloped. A “shelter” provides protection from a variety of dangers. Here the emphasis is on the hostile environment. The “shadow” brings close to the Person of Whom the shadow is. ‘Shadow’ is a Hebrew expression for ‘protection’ (cf. ). ‘The shadow’ we also see in the wing of a bird under which it hides and keeps warm its young ( ; cf. ). Here the thought of the Protector and His care for His own is more prominent. Those who abide in the shelter of the Most High may say to God: “My God” ( ). The great encouragement of this verse is an introduction to the entire psalm. The psalm will illustrate this encouragement in more detail. It describes the circumstances that lead the believer to seek shelter with the Most High and experience the shadow of the Almighty.

‏ Psalms 91:1

Introduction

The New Testament quotation of Psa 91:11-12 shows that this psalm is about the Lord Jesus (Mt 4:5-6). The previous psalm, Psalm 90, describes the perishableness of the first man in contrast to the eternal God. This is depicted by the dying of the people of Israel in the wilderness. Psalm 91 describes the complete surrender to God of the Lord Jesus, the second Man. He is the true Joshua, Who brings the remnant into the promised land.

After the weak, mortal man of Psalm 90 on whom the anger of God rests, we see in this psalm the perfect Man at whom God looks with great joy. Christ is the fully dependent second Man in contrast to the perishable man. In this He is an example for the remnant who will be spared during the great tribulation and during the judgment and wrath of God.

In Psa 91:1-13, the psalmist and the remnant are speaking alternately. This is evident from the alternation of the person forms first, second and third person:

Psa 91:1 The psalmist.

Psa 91:2 The Messiah as Example for the remnant.

Psa 91:3-8 The psalmist speaks to the Messiah.

Psa 91:9a The Messiah as Example for the remnant.

Psa 91:9b-13 The psalmist.

Psa 91:14-16 The LORD about the Messiah.

Dwelling Place and Shadow

The psalm begins with a beautiful statement by the psalmist that sounds like a confession of faith. It is a truth that we see in the life of Christ and that also applies to the believing remnant who have Christ as their Example and follow Him. This confession of faith also indicates the theme of this psalm. The remnant is safe and sealed, as it were, in the midst of the dangers of the great tribulation and the judgments of God.

God is represented here as “the Most High” and “the Almighty”. The name “Most High” is the name of God in the realm of peace. We have a picture of this in Melchizedek’s encounter with Abraham (Gen 14:18-22). What will then be seen by all is already true for the believer who is going through a time of severe trial. Therefore, he “dwells in the shelter of the Most High”.

God is also ‘the Almighty’, which means the guarantee that He will fulfill all His promises. With that name He made known Himself to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to whom He made His promises (Gen 17:1 ; Gen 28:3 ; Gen 35:11; Exo 6:2). Not much seems to come of the fulfillment of the promises. However, those who abide “in the shadow of the Almighty” do not doubt for a moment that fulfillment will come.

The great assurance of this first verse applies to every believer without exception. Every believer who does this will experience it. It applies in fullness to the Lord Jesus as Man on earth. He dwelt “in the shelter of the Most High”. ‘Dwell’ denotes rest, feeling at home. He thereby spent the night, in which the world had sunk “in the shadow of the Almighty”.

The believing remnant will have this experience in the great tribulation. We New Testament believers, in whom the Spirit of Jesus dwells, may know God as Father. As Father, He is to us the Most High and Almighty. We may take refuge with the Father from danger and spend day and night in His shadow in the darkness in which the world is enveloped.

A “shelter” provides protection from a variety of dangers. Here the emphasis is on the hostile environment. The “shadow” brings close to the Person of Whom the shadow is. ‘Shadow’ is a Hebrew expression for ‘protection’ (cf. Lam 4:20). ‘The shadow’ we also see in the wing of a bird under which it hides and keeps warm its young (Psa 91:3-4; cf. Psa 17:8 ; Psa 36:7 ; Psa 57:1b ; Psa 63:7). Here the thought of the Protector and His care for His own is more prominent. Those who abide in the shelter of the Most High may say to God: “My God” (Psa 91:2).

The great encouragement of this verse is an introduction to the entire psalm. The psalm will illustrate this encouragement in more detail. It describes the circumstances that lead the believer to seek shelter with the Most High and experience the shadow of the Almighty.