Psalm 91 - Refuge Under the Shadow of the Almighty

A psalm of protection, from the secret place of the Most High to angels' care.

Psalms 91: He That Dwelleth in the Secret Place

Psalm 91 follows Moses' meditation on mortality in Psalms 90 with a promise of shelter, opening in Psalms 91:1 with 'he that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.'


He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High, Under the shadow of the Almighty, will tarry,

Saying of Yahweh—My refuge and my fortress, My God, in whom I will trust.

For, he, will rescue thee, From the snare of the fowler, From the destructive pestilence.

With his pinion, will he cover thee, And, under his wings, shalt thou seek refuge, A shield and buckler, is his faithfulness.

Thou shalt not be afraid, Of the dread of the night, Of the arrow that flieth by day;

Of the pestilence that, in darkness, doth walk, Of the plague that layeth waste at noonday.

There shall fall, at thy side, a thousand, Yea, myriads, at thy right hand, Unto thee, shall it not come nigh;

Save only, with thine own eyes, shalt thou discern, And, the recompense of the lawless, shalt thou see.

Because, thou, [hast made] Yahweh, my refuge,—The Most High, thou hast made thy dwelling-place,

There shall not be sent unto thee misfortune, Nor shall, plague, come near into thy tent;

For, his messengers, will he charge concerning thee, To keep thee, in all thy ways;

On hands, will they bear thee up, Lest thou strike, against a stone, thy foot;

On the lion and adder, shalt thou tread, Shalt trample on young lion and crocodile.

Because, on me, he hath set firm his love, Therefore will I deliver him, I will set him on high, Because he hath known my Name;

He shall call me, and I will answer him, With him, will, I, be, in distress, I will rescue him, and will honour him;

With length of days, will I satisfy him, And will show him my salvation.

Its vivid promise that God 'shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways' matches the imagery of divine care found in <a href="/bible/rotherham/psalms/chapter-32/7">Psalms 32:7</a>. That confidence in refuge sets up the tone of thanksgiving continued in <a href="/bible/rotherham/psalms/chapter-92">Psalms 92</a>.