Psalm 91 - Security for the Saints
The subject is the security of the man who thoroughly trusts in God. This subject is worked out by an “antiphonal arrangement” (Cheyne)—the first speaker delivering vers. 1, 2; the second, vers. 3, 4; then the first responding with vers. 5–8; and again the second with vers. 9–13. In conclusion, a third speaker, making himself the mouthpiece of Jehovah, crowns all by declaring the blessings which God himself will bestow upon his faithful ones (vers. 14–16).
The Lord is more than sufficient for all of these. He delivers (v. 3) and covers or protects (v. 4). While others are dropping like flies (v. 7), the believer is safe. He only has to look at it (v. 8) and not actually experience it.
Some argue that the teachings of this psalm are simply not true. They think of someone who was not protected from or delivered from calamity and conclude on that basis that this psalm is mistaken. What are we to say about this? The following should be kept in mind:
1. Most of the time God does keep us from calamity. John Calvin says, ‘When we look back on our life from the perspective of eternity, we are going to see that the power of Satan was so great, that the weakness of our flesh was feeble, and that the hostility of the world was so strong, that every day of our lives—if God had not intervened—we would never have made it through a day.’
2. Sometimes God allows calamities to come upon us for our good. Matthew Henry says: ‘Though trouble or affliction befall thee, yet there shall be no real evil in it, for it shall come from the love of God and shall be sanctified; and it shall come, not for thy hurt, but for thy good; and though, for the present, it be not joyous but grievous, yet, in the end, it shall yield so well that thou thyself shall own no evil befel thee.’
3. When God does allow something hurtful to come into our lives, he is there to strengthen us and to help us bear it.
Ver. 8.—Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward (or, “the recompense”) of the wicked; i.e. without suffering anything thyself, thou shalt look on, and see the punishment of the ungodly. So Israel in the land of Goshen “looked on,” and saw the calamities of the Egyptians.
The Lord is more than sufficient for all of these. He delivers (v. 3) and covers or protects (v. 4). While others are dropping like flies (v. 7), the believer is safe. He only has to look at it (v. 8) and not actually experience it.
Some argue that the teachings of this psalm are simply not true. They think of someone who was not protected from or delivered from calamity and conclude on that basis that this psalm is mistaken. What are we to say about this? The following should be kept in mind:
1. Most of the time God does keep us from calamity. John Calvin says, ‘When we look back on our life from the perspective of eternity, we are going to see that the power of Satan was so great, that the weakness of our flesh was feeble, and that the hostility of the world was so strong, that every day of our lives—if God had not intervened—we would never have made it through a day.’
2. Sometimes God allows calamities to come upon us for our good. Matthew Henry says: ‘Though trouble or affliction befall thee, yet there shall be no real evil in it, for it shall come from the love of God and shall be sanctified; and it shall come, not for thy hurt, but for thy good; and though, for the present, it be not joyous but grievous, yet, in the end, it shall yield so well that thou thyself shall own no evil befel thee.’
3. When God does allow something hurtful to come into our lives, he is there to strengthen us and to help us bear it.