Examine Yourselves as to Whether You Are in the Faith - updated, The Christian's Craving for God's Word - MacArthur, Sproul, Piper, Washer, Chan. The MacArthur Bible Commentary treats every passage of the Old and New Testaments phrase by phrase, with hundreds of word studies as sidebars throughout. Proud member Resource Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version(ESV), copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. There are some who worship in the outer court . The word elyon is usually translated Most High, and is usually used for God. A sinnah is a large rectangular shield. Therefore the psalmist is probably saying more than he understooddeliverance from trouble and salvation to eternal life. Gender Revolution - What are they teaching your kids? Psalm 91 continues to be a source of strength, hope, promise and encouragement for every generation. The Septuagint (LXX: Greek version of the Old Testament) attributes this psalm to David, but that remains in question. They shall live long enough: they shall be continued in this world till they have done the work they were sent into this world for and are ready for heaven, and that is long enough. In Vietnam, our soldiers had to watch for punji sticks and trip wires. I will deliver him, and honour him. 8 Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked. 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Observe, [1.] II. Please be aware that this might heavily reduce the functionality and appearance of our site. Some of the ancients were of opinion that Moses was the penman, not only of the foregoing psalm, which is expressly said to be his, but also of the eight that next follow it; but that cannot be, for Ps 95. is expressly said to be penned by David, and long after Moses, Heb 4 7. The Immortality of the Soul: Truth doesnt shift with every passing folly. The great encouragement he gives to others to do likewise, not only from his own experience of the comfort of it (for in that there might possibly be a fallacy), but from the truth of God's promise, in which there neither is nor can be any deceit (v. 3, 4, etc. Psalms 91:16. You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness,nor the destruction that wastes at noonday.. Note the contrast between dash your feet against a stone (v. 12b) and tread on the lion and cobra and trample the young lion and serpent (v. 13). Each guide incorporates extensive commentary, detailed observations on overriding themes, and probing questions to help you study the Word of God with guidance from John MacArthur, and each study includes an introduction that provides background information to each book of the Bible being studied and a . 2. He will deliver those people. But, (2.) He will live as long as he wants to live. Jesus ChristUnique Savior or Average Fraud? of Muggers would hide in recessed doorways and whack people whom they could reach easily. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2014), Gower, Ralph, The New Manners and Customs of Bible Times (Chicago: Moody Press, 1987), Kidner, Derek, Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries: Psalms 73-150, Vol. The pestilence is something that you cannot see. I will say of the Lord, He is my then come three mys, as if the psalmist could grasp the Triune Jehovah, my refuge, my fortress, my God; in him will I trust. What a grand word that is, My God! His wings and his feathers suggest both power and softness. Some of them are speedily taken home; still this text is, as a rule, literally fulfilled, With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation. He shall see Gods salvation even here; and when he dies, and wakes up in the likeness of his Lord, he will see it to the full. I saw newspaper pictures of children confined to iron lungs that helped them to breath. They will bear you up in their hands, so that you wont dash your foot against a stone (vv. Naught shall strike thee with dismay, Fear by night, nor shaft by day." Verse 7. It is not an evil, an only evil, but there is a mixture of good in it and a product of good by it. That famous old Puritan, holy Mr. Dodd, having to cross a river, had to change from one boat into another, and being little used to the water, he fell in, and, when he was pulled out, in his simplicity and wisdom he said, I hope that I am in my way. That was the only question that seemed to trouble him. - Darryl M. Erkel, Church Leaders and the Use of Honorific Titles, Feeding Sheep or Amusing Goats - Charles Spurgeon, House-Churches? Try it free for 30 days. A great truth laid down in general, That all those who live a life of communion with God are constantly safe under his protection, and may therefore preserve a holy serenity and security of mind at all times (v. 1): He that dwells, that sits down, in the secret place of the Most High, shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty; he that by faith chooses God for his guardian shall find all that in him which he needs or can desire. That, whatever happens to them, nothing shall hurt them (v. 10): "There shall no evil befal thee; though trouble or affliction befal thee, yet there shall be no real evil in it, for it shall come from the love of God and shall be sanctified; 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 shalt own no evil befel thee. I'm reading this passage twice a day as a prescription instruction from a Bishop. Home. I believe in God and depend on him for deliverance, but I nevertheless find myself afraid. However, the words shadow and shade also acknowledge that the faithful person dwells in a world that is sometimes dark. Some make this to be spoken to the angels as the reason of the charge given them concerning the saints, as if he had said, "Take care of them, for they are dear to me, and I have a tender concern for them." The ASV, which is also in the public domain due to expired copyrights, was a very good translation, but included many archaic words (hast, shineth, etc. The wonderful thing is that God is love (1 John 4:16). (2.) You will trample the young lion and the serpent underfoot (v. 13). He brings in God himself speaking words of comfort to the saints, and declaring the mercy he had in store for them, v. 14-16. Psalms 91:10-11. You have probably been the victim of some sort of trap, possibly in quite recent memory. Yahweh is speaking about those who attach themselves to himbind themselves to himlove himtake delight in him. Idolaters called their idols Mahuzzim, their most strong-hold (Dan 11 39), but therein they deceived themselves; those only secure themselves that make the Lord their God, their fortress. Find out how you can be at peace with God for eternity as John MacArthur shows you fifteen words that sum up the most powerful truth in all of Scripture. Can True Christians Commit Apostasy? However, we are familiar with traps of other kinds: Spam callers try to get us to get us to reveal our credit card numbers. Chicks taking refuge under their mothers wings serve as a metaphor for people finding refuge in Gods presence. El sadday, then, means Almighty God. The verb yada (has known) means to knowbut more. To worship angels is to run afoul of the First Commandment, You shall have no other gods before me (Exodus 2:3; see also Matthew 4:10). They shall be the charge of the holy angels, ver 10-12. 12 They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone. To the extent that we believe that, it will allay our fear. The natural life, and is often fulfilled in our preservation from those dangers which are very threatening and very near, while yet we ourselves are not apprehensive of them, any more than the bird is of the snare of the fowler. In our experience, most hunting is done with guns instead of traps. Psalm 91 Inductive Bible Study Guide and Questions for Small Group This is a precious promise, and speaks a great deal both of honour and comfort to the saints, nor is it ever the worse for being quoted and abused by the devil in tempting Christ, Matt 4 6. Commentary on Psalm 91:1-8 (Read Psalm 91:1-8) He that by faith chooses God for his protector, shall find all in him that he needs or can desire. They shall be taken under the peculiar care of Heaven, Ps. At the time that the psalmist wrote this psalm, the Israelite people had not yet developed a strong belief in eternal life, as we know it in the New Testamentso the salvation mentioned here probably meant to the psalmist only deliverance from trouble. 2 TIMOTHY 2:15. Study to show thyself approved . Others make idols their refuge, but I will say of Jehovah, the true and living God, He is my refuge: any other is a refuge of lies. ", Counterfeit Cross - Bear or Burn: The Fruit of Obedience in the Parables of Christ - updated, Counterfeit Cross - What is a "Carnal Christian"? Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday. When we meet with trouble and accident, we ought to inquire whether we are in Gods way. A soldier can move the smaller round shield quickly to counter threats from unexpected quarters. It is the privilege and comfort of those that do so that they abide under the shadow of the Almighty; he shelters them, and comes between them and every thing that would annoy them, whether storm or sunshine. They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone. They shall think it long enough; for God by his grace shall wean them from the world and make them willing to leave it. Until now, we have been listening to the psalmist as he conveys Yahwehs promises. If this is your position, you shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. You are not safe in the outer courts; you are not protected from all danger anywhere but within the vail. Historically, more soldiers have died from disease than from swords, spears, and bullets. B. Lightfoot, Consummation of the pre-Messianic Age and the Parousia, Destruction of Jerusalem vs. Verse six presents a key to understanding Psalm 1: "For the LORD knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the ungodly shall perish."In this psalm, the way of the righteous and the way of the ungodly are contrasted. But he is confident that Yahweh will deliver him from plagues and pestilence, because he dwells in the secret place of the Most High.. MacArthur is a fifth-generation pastor, a popular author and conference speaker and has served as pastor-teacher of Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California since 1969 . It would have served them well when King Cyrus of Persia defeated Babylon and freed Israelites to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the city, where they found a ruined city and were faced with many enemies. Changes will take effect once you reload the page. Popular media today portray angels as lovely, delicate, and feminine, but Biblical writers either cite masculine names for angels or give no clue to their gender. Please respond to confirm your registration. Seneca De Providentia. His faithfulness is your shield and rampart. 3 Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. It might be chinks in my faith that leave me vulnerable to fearbut I dont know anyone who has no chinks in their faith. so that you wont dash your foot against a stone. The other names are all descriptive (such as Most High and Almighty). All rights reserved. Counterfeit Cross updated- Sanctification and Growing in Righteousness, Errors of the Invitation System or Alter Call, Counterfeit Cross - The Lordship of Christ in Salvation - Part II, A Historical Overview of The Lord's Supper, Set Your Mind on Things Above - Matthew Henry, Prophecies of the Destruction of Jerusalem which have remarkably been fulfilled - Thomas Newton. Let us come boldly there; and, when we once enter, let us dwell there. His books are include: Teaching Children The Gospel/How to Raise Godly Children, Do Babies Go To Heaven?/Why Does God Allow Suffering?, "The Great Omission; Reaching the Lost for Christ," and Blind Chance or Intelligent Design?, Empirical Methodologies & the Bible.". 14b (Downers Grove, Illinois: Inter-Varsity Press, 1973), Limburg, James, Westminster Bible Companion: Psalms (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2000, Mays, James Luther, Interpretation: Psalms (Louisville: John Knox, 1994), McCann, J. Clinton, Jr., The New Interpreters Bible: The Book of Psalms, Vol. That they shall have an eternal life in the other world. A quiet place where we can go to God in prayerour bedroom or prayer closet. The word halas (deliver) has several meanings, at least two of which fit here. Can any language be loftier? Click to enable/disable _gid - Google Analytics Cookie. Neither night nor daydarkness nor the bright light of noondayshall give the faithful cause for fear. will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. A. For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence.. This psalm, without title in the Hebrew text, is a triple proclamation of God's holiness, as Isaiah would later do ( Isaiah 6:3 ). 5 Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; 6 Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday. - Bullinger, Rise Of The Theory Of Universal Restoration - Henry Constable, Universal Restoration Substituted for Eternal Torment, Absent From The BodyPresent With The Lord, Cross Purposes: Atonement, Death and the Fate of the Wicked. Verse 1 "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." The blessings here promised are not for all believers, but for those who live in close fellowship with God. 2. A good read. Since these providers may collect personal data like your IP address we allow you to block them here. That is true in this verse, where we see the wicked being punished. Both are designed to protect the bearer, and each has a particular use. The other is that God often wills for his children to suffer, but forbids that the suffering hurts them in the end. 3 For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler, Yahweh is like that. Click to enable/disable _ga - Google Analytics Cookie. Dec. 25, 2022. There may be unseen influences that would ruin us, or cause us dishonour, or distress; but when we dwell with God, we shall not be afraid of them. They are such as call upon him, as by prayer keep up a constant correspondence with him, and in every difficult case refer themselves to him. We will do well to avoid such dangers, but the promise is that Yahweh will enable us to tread on and trample them without fear. of the Traditional "Sermon" Concept, A Biblical Defense of Conditional Immortality, Biblically Dispelling the Myth of Eternal Torture. Psalms 91:4. God Bless. Used by permission. Yahweh was Gods personal name for the Israelites. The promises which are here made, in God's name, to all those that do so in sincerity. 14 Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name. We can count on it. One old divine calls a man a worm six feet long; and it is rather a flattering description of him. Yet the condescension of God is such that he allows us to speak of him thus: He shall cover thee with his feathers.. ), which the WEB has updated. He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. Come here, Gabriel, Michael, and all the rest of you, says the great King of kings to the angels around his throne; and when they come at his call, he says, Take care of my child. Old Testament Prophecy Fulfilled in Christ. I will be with him in trouble. God by his grace will keep thee from disquieting distrustful fear (that fear which hath torment) in the midst of the greatest dangers. Life is filled with problems both small and big. You are free to opt out any time or opt in for other cookies to get a better experience. You must, like the bee, go down into the bell of the flower yourself, and fetch out its nectar. Psalms 91:2. But in these words, the psalmist is quoting Yahweh, who would help his people to develop a strong belief in eternal life. Observe, 1. El sadday is the name that God revealed to Abram in Genesis 17:1, when God set the terms for his covenant with Abram. Psalms 91:5. Can any thought be more profound? The imagery here is that of God being a protective parent bird like the eagle which covers His young under their wings and shades them from the elements and any prey that might attack them. Whatever is done our heavenly Father's will is done; and we have no reason to be afraid of that. For example, in Psalm 1, we are not to spend all our time just meditating on the Word, but become busily involved as Jesus was in the lives of others, p. 3. I will be with him in trouble: Again God speaks and acts like a tender-hearted mother towards a sickly child. They are mighty (Psalm 78:25), and serve by doing Gods will (Psalm 103:1). We know that God gives His angels charge over us but only at His command and they are ministering spirits assigned to minister to His own children (Heb1:14) but as Jesus said, we should not tempt the Lord by taking advantage of the heavenly host that ministers to us. Those of us who live in first world countries have almost forgotten the dangers of deadly diseases that spread rapidly and kill large numbers of people. Again at the end of day. ), The Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary, 6 vol. View Psalm 91. 8 You will only look with your eyes, All rights reserved. Wherever the saints go the angels are charged with them, as the servants are with the children. This promise protects, (1.) Individually, we are faced with financial challengesfears of losing a job or finding ourselves unable to compete in a rapidly changing worldchildren gone astrayaddictionsillnessdeath (our own or that of loved ones). Because we dont want you to incur expenditure for which you are not prepared, could you please confirm whether you are willing to pay this charge, if necessary? That brings us back to v. 13. Nihil accidere bono viro mali potestNo evil can befal a good man. All of this because He says we know Him by name (v 14) and can call Him Father. That herein he will answer their prayers: He shall call upon me; I will pour upon him the spirit of prayer, and then I will answer, answer by promises (Ps 85 8), answer by providences, bringing in seasonable relief, and answer by graces, strengthening them with strength in their souls (Ps 138 3); thus he answered Paul with grace sufficient, 2 Cor 12 9. The character of those who shall have the benefit and comfort of these promises; it is much the same with that, v. 1. By far the most common name for God in the Old Testament is Yahweh, which means I am who I am (Exodus 3:14)but elohim is the next most common. You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness,nor the destruction that wastes at noonday,and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness is a shield and buckler. They are such as make the Most High their habitation (v. 9), as are continually with God and rest in him, as make his name both their temple and their strong tower, as dwell in love and so dwell in God. 2 I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. Towns across the country closed their swimming pools. In 1969, after graduating from Talbot Theological Seminary, John came to Grace Community Church. Our website uses cookies to store user preferences. Lions serve as a metaphor for powerful forces that can take us apart with one swipe of their claws. Is My Church Really A New Testament Church? To know Yahwehs semhis name or reputationis to know Yahweh. Long life is usually a blessing (unless it involves prolonged suffering, dementia, or something else that inhibits the quality of life). The MacArthur Bible Studies provide intriguing examinations of the whole of Scripture. This is the name that God revealed to Moses, saying, You shall tell the children of Israel this, Yahweh (YHWH), the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you. This is my name forever, and this is my memorial to all generations (Exodus 3:15). The Believer's Covenant Psalm 91 can also be referred to as the constitution of the Kingdom. Be worshipful : glorifying God for who he is : OT commentary, Psalms 1 - 89 by Warren Wiersbe. A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand,but it will not come near you. Here we read about thousands falling to the left and to the right as in the day when Israel battled ancient nationsthe land would be scattered with dead bodies so those who read this at the time it was written had a good idea what this meant. The Hebrew word sel means shadow of shade. Click to enable/disable Google Analytics tracking. 9 Because you have made Yahweh your refuge, In this verse, resting in the shadow of the Almighty is the blessing that the faithful person experiences for dwelling in Yahwehs presence. Help Grace to You bring important resources like this to people in your community and beyond, free of charge. Click to enable/disable _gat_* - Google Analytics Cookie. lin) in the shadow (Hebrew: sel) of the Almighty (v. 1). You will only look with your eyesand see the recompense of the wicked. Jesus countered, Again, it is written, You shall not test the Lord, your God.'. We have heard of people who have attributed their recovery from serious illness to the prayers said in their behalf. Wishlist +. Please be aware that these items are sent out from our office in the UK. However, I am confident that God is with us in life and in death. 16 With long life will I satisfy him, and show him my salvation. In the light of the Lord you will see light; and you will discover the limed twigs and the nets and the traps that are set to catch you: He shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler.. (4.) (New Haven: Yale University Press, 2007), Freedman, David Noel (Ed. I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him;I will protect him, because he knows my name. Read them in the archive below. Neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. Once again, the idea is of the protection afforded by the Almighty God. Psalm 91 continues to be a source of strength, hope, promise and encouragement for every generation. II. "Here, after the carefree delight of Psalm 98, we recollect how exalted and holy he is, and how profound is the reverence we owe him." (Derek Kidner) A. In this study, Dr. MacArthur examines the book of Psalms and reveals how the hymns it contains points to an all-powerful God who is to be respected, worshiped, and praised for his loving care of his peopleand to whom we can turn to help in times of need. We are all, by nature, God's enemies, and we deserve His wrath. It is not every man who dwells there; no, not even every Christian man. The devil is called a roaring lion, the old serpent, the red dragon; so that to this promise the apostle seems to refer in that (Rom 16 20), The God of peace shall tread Satan under your feet. Copyright 2023, Bible Study Tools. The word deber means plague or pestilence. and the Most High your dwelling place, (3.) It is only because they have made the Lord God their dwelling place, dwelling in safety and abiding in Him, therefore as their refuge, nothing evil will befall them and no plague will come close to their tents. 15 He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him. That believers shall be kept from those mischiefs which they are in imminent danger of, and which would be fatal to them (v. 3), from the snare of the fowler, which is laid unseen and catches the unwary prey on a sudden, and from the noisome pestilence, which seizes men unawares and against which there is no guard. This article is also available and sold as a booklet. Psalm 91:1-3 God the Deliverer "He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. Children and the Rod of Correction - Dave Miller, Ph.D. Christian Practice - Evidence of Grace - Edwards, Meditating On The Future Life - John Calvin w/ audio, Others May, You Cannot - by G. D. Watson w/audio, The Bible Doctrine of the Separated Life - by Johannes G. Vos, The Christian and Entertainment - Rev. It is also under divine direction, and will hit where God appoints and not otherwise. Bible commentary, The blessing of His preservation: And show him My salvation. As the little chicks bury their tiny heads in the feathers of the hen, and seem happy, and warm, and comfortable under their mothers wings, so shall it be with thee if thou dwellest with thy God: He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust.. He will call on me, and I will answer him. Sadday often appears with the Hebrew word el, which is a generic word for a godany god. We read of fear in the night, Cant 3 8. May that be the portion of each of us! I will say to the Lord, My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust. Champions of Conditional Immortality in History, Conditional Immortality - Its Relation to Final Retribution, Conditional Immortality - Samuel M. Ohmart, Fallacies In The Annihilationism Debate: A Critique Of Robert Peterson, Important Forgotten History - Roots of Opposition to Conditionalism, Life in Christ - A Summary of Conditional Immortality, Summing Up the Case for Biblical Conditionalism - Froom, The Hypothesis of Conditional Immortality - William R. Huntington - 1878, Why I Believe In Conditional Immortality - by Sidney A. Hatch, Death and the Afterlife by Robert A. Morey - A Review by Edward Fudge, Martin Luther & William Tyndale On the State of the Dead, Near Death Experiences - Samuele Bacchiocchi. (General Editor), New International Dictionary of Old Testament Theology & Exegesis, 5 vol., (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1997), Again, it is written, You shall not test the Lord, your God. Facing a Tolerant World with Intolerant Truth (Selected Scriptures) Pastor John MacArthur. The ending of all of this is the most powerful of all as God says He will show him [or her], His salvation. If you have salvation, all of these other serious circumstances of plagues, night terrors, thousands dropping at your sides or any other threat are only temporary because ultimately, God is our refuge, our fortress, our shield, our buckler, and His love overshadows us and will bring us safely into the kingdom someday.