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.'


The `title of the oon and nyntithe salm. `The salm of `song, in the dai of sabath.

It is good to knouleche to the Lord; and to synge to thi name, thou hiyeste.

To schewe eerli thi merci; and thi treuthe bi nyyt.

In a sautrie of ten cordis; with song in harpe.

For thou, Lord, hast delitid me in thi makyng; and Y schal make ful out ioye in the werkis of thin hondis.

Lord, thi werkis ben magnefied greetli; thi thouytis ben maad ful depe.

An vnwise man schal not knowe; and a fool schal not vndirstonde these thingis.

Whanne synneris comen forth, as hey; and alle thei apperen, that worchen wickidnesse.

That thei perische in to the world of world; forsothe thou, Lord, art the hiyest, withouten ende. For lo!

Lord, thin enemyes, for lo! thin enemyes schulen perische; and alle schulen be scaterid that worchen wickidnesse.

And myn horn schal be reisid as an vnicorn; and myn eelde in plenteuouse merci.

And myn iye dispiside myn enemyes; and whanne wickid men rysen ayens me, myn eere schal here.

A iust man schal floure as a palm tree; he schal be multiplied as a cedre of Liban.

Men plauntid in the hous of the Lord; schulen floure in the porchis of the hous of oure God.

Yit thei schulen be multiplied in plenteuouse elde; and thei schulen be suffryng wel. That thei telle, that oure Lord God is riytful; and no wickidnesse is in hym.

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/wycliffe/psalms/chapter-32/7">Psalms 32:7</a>. That confidence in refuge sets up the tone of thanksgiving continued in <a href="/bible/wycliffe/psalms/chapter-92">Psalms 92</a>.