Exposition of Psalm 91 in the Light of Psalm 110 – Part 4
March 29, 2010
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Psalm 91 is one I have titled “God Watches over His Own, Past, Present, and Future – Trust Him to Watch Over You!” If you take that as the theme of this Psalm, you can make numerous duel applications of verses that can be applied to Jesus, David, the nation of Israel, and many of the faithful in both Old and New Testament examples. There are several verses that fit Jesus, some Jesus and David, some Jesus, David, and the nation of Israel, and some include all faithful believers, but there is a common thread that weaves them all together – God will provide deliverance, so trust him to do what he said he would do in his own way and time.
The concept of David recognizing that the Messiah, who was to come was also the Lord, is clearly stated in Acts 2:29-36 by Peter, by David in Psalm 110, and by Christ in Matthew 22:41-46. The Seven Part Exposition of the 110th Psalm in our Prophecy Update Archives sheds a great deal of light on our Exposition of
Psalm 91.
PSALM 91:5 – Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;
Verse 5 is directed toward what believers should not be afraid to encounter from the enemy during a surprise night or day attack, because the Lord is with them.
In the interior of Vietnam there were numerous Fifth Special Forces outposts, which were subject to surprise night attacks. They were most likely to occur when there was no moon or overcast cloud cover, so they were always interested to know when either would occur. God watches over his children even when they cannot see them until they are almost on top of them. In the daytime, even when the enemy is visible, one does not usually see a bullet or arrow until it strikes its target, but God can see the
arrow or the bullet. Many of my comrades, who had never been close to God before Vietnam, did get close to him while serving there, and I can truthfully say, I got a lot closer. I believe I am alive today because of him.
PSALM 91:6 – Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.
Verse 6 also spe
aks of attacks against human flesh, but not by enemies one can see even in broad daylight or a full moon.
The pestilence here refers to attacks from the spiritual realm, which can come upon humans in the night or day, such as the plague that came upon the Egyptians in the Exodus at night when the firstborn of many died. It also refers to any type of pestilence that preys upon man from the unseen virus and bacterial world around us, which causes the human body to waste away in the daylight of noon as well as the blackness of midnight. It is the Spirit of God who works in this realm to protect his children as it suits his will and purpose.
Romans 8:28 – And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
Philippians 2:13 – For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
PSALM 91:7 – A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.
By this time, if you have read Parts 1 through 4, you can see that the verses of Psalm 91 can, in part, at times be applied to occurrences in God’s protection of Jesus in his life, as well as his protection of David, the nation of Israel, and that of individual believers in all the ages.
Verse 7 makes it very plain that no matter what great adversaries come against a believer, whether they be by man’s devices, the many harmful biological elements of the environment, or great armies of unbelievers beyond number, or anything else, he will never allow them to separate you from him.
Romans 8:37-39 – Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. [38] For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, [39] Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
John 10:28-32 – And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
[29] My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand. [30] I and my Father are one.
Psalm 91:8 – Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.
The main emphasis of this Psalm is to encourage all that know Christ to keep their trust in him no matter what befalls them in the this life, knowing in his own way and time God will deliver them from their bodies of flesh, and they will see with their glorified eyes destruction of their unbelieving enemies, as well as pestilence, spiritual tormentors, and death itself.
II Thessalonians 1:6-10 – Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you; [7] And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, [8] In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: [9] Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; [10] When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.
Jude 1:14,15 – And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, [15] To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.
Malachi 4:1-3 – For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.
[2] But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall. [3] And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the Lord of hosts.
I Corinthians 2:9-12 – But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. [10] But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. [11] For what man knoweth the things of a man, save
the spirit of man which is in him
? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but
the Spirit of God. [12] Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.