Exegesis of Psalm 91: God as Refuge and Protector

Introduction

Hayes and Holladay (2007) state that exegetical works are an exercise in "leading" readers of Scripture, in the sense that they act as interpretive signposts designed to assist readers in comprehending the Word of God (p. 1). This paper provides an exegetical analysis of Psalm 91:1–16 and discusses how the writer of the Psalm demonstrates that God favors those who show complete faith in His ability to look after His faithful people.

The Book of Psalms is a poetic collection of songs traditionally authored by David, the shepherd boy who grew up to be a king chosen by God to rule over His chosen people. The Psalms are hymns expressing a range of thoughts, prayers, joys, pains, gladness, and wonder. David's life was filled with such range — from his slaying of Goliath, to his persecution by his family and friends, to his triumphant guidance of the Ark of the Covenant into the Temple. The Psalms are so expressive of our humanity in all its varying aspects that they are still repeated in Church liturgy today.

The Biblical story of David begins with the Book of Samuel in the Old Testament. When Samuel arrives at the house of Jesse in Bethlehem, the Lord tells him not to be surprised by the height of the son he is to anoint, since he is still yet a small boy. The Lord tells Samuel which son to anoint, and that one is David. This special anointing marks David as one upon whom "the Lord came powerfully" (1 Sam 16:13). Meanwhile, King Saul is oppressed by an evil spirit, and one of his attendants — following the common belief of the time that music could soothe a suffering body and soul — tells the King that he knows of a young son of Jesse of Bethlehem "who knows how to play the lyre" (1 Sam 16:16). It is through this invitation to play for the King that David is introduced to the royal court. David plays the lyre so well that Saul allows him to stay.

As Jonathan Kirsch observes, however, Saul did not merely allow David to stay with him: he also gave David an important title — "weapons bearer" (Kirsch, 2000, p. 49). This title would foreshadow the great military victory that David would soon have over the Philistines. Indeed, it also foreshadows the glory of the Psalms as spiritual artillery. Psalm 91, in fact, acts as a spiritual bow and arrow that carries the reader straight to the heart of God, Who loves those after His own heart — which is what David in the Psalms reflects. For this reason it is known as the "Soldier's Psalm" (Williams-Hayes, p. 51).

Psalm 91 was written in a similar style with similar content to Psalm 90. Once again, God is described as a place of "refuge," as Tesh and Zorn (2004) show. However, while Psalm 90 is a song or hymn meant to be expressive of the whole community rather than the individual, Psalm 91 is more personal in its expression. It is directed to the inner self: its use of the first-person pronoun is indicative of the Psalm's self-assertive character. As Brueggemann (1984) states, the Psalm is "enormously open" to the individual and acts as a kind of tutorship — an assurance or breath of confidence for the hearer and a reminder of the true home and sanctuary of the faithful. It functions as a hymn of praise serving a two-fold purpose: first, it recognizes God as a divine protector; second, it asserts decisive trust and a show of faith in God's goodness. It corresponds to the difficulties that David faced in his own life — when pursued by his own people and kin — and how he never doubted his deliverance but had full confidence in the protection of God, in Whom he placed his trust.

Textual Analysis

As Tesh and Zorn (2004) indicate, the crux of the Psalm is located in the Hebrew word ki, the meaning of which is captured in the English words "because" or "for this reason." It is a pivotal word, and it represents a hinging nature that is the very essence of the Psalm: because God is the divine refuge, I will seek shelter in His arms.

The theme of the Psalm is explicitly rendered in the first verse: "Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty" (Psalm 91:1). This verse announces the point of the hymn and sets up the following verses, which illustrate the theme, broaden it, deepen it, and expand it through visual imagery, as verse 4 does: "He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge." This imagery counters that provided in the preceding verse, which speaks of a "fowler's snare," a trap for catching birds. God, therefore, is pictured as a spiritual bird who cannot be caught or subdued by the tricks of man. In this way, the Psalm depicts God as a deliverer from human treachery. Deliverance from enemies and "terrors of the night" (Psalm 91:5) is the hymn's central purpose.

Yet God is not just depicted as a saving eagle with protective wings — He is also portrayed as immune to plague: "A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand" (Psalm 91:7–8). The diseases of the world, the Psalmist notes, will take others into death, but the plague will not approach the one who dwells in the divine shadow — a "fortress," as verse 2 indicates. Thus, the theme is deepened by imagery of death and warfare, uniting two ideas typical of the battlefield and applying them to a spiritual hymn. That such imagery would lend itself to a hymn further illustrates the nature of the composition: it is meant to rouse one's spirits when they are dampened by thoughts of impending doom or disaster. It is meant to lift the soul from the depths with vigorous reminders of the ways in which God will look after those who love Him and place their confidence in Him.

The Psalm, like David's youthful victory over Goliath, is a sweeping triumph of the soul in the face of defeat. Just as David does not merely walk to meet his foe but runs toward him, this Psalm runs the soul of the hearer toward God, with Whom it longs to be. This exuberance — of both the Psalm and David — is what commentators suggest exemplifies the kind of spiritual energy with which the children of God should meet the obstacles they face (Kaiser, 2011, p. 12). David hurls a rock from a sling and kills Goliath, then uses Goliath's own sword to cut off the Philistine's head. It is a swift, surprising victory — and the Psalm carries that same sense of unexpected, decisive deliverance.

Conclusion

Psalm 91 is a hymn with a soldierly aspect and an emphasis on battle fatigue. But its main theme and focus is the assurance that God is there, waiting to help us even in our darkest hours. Whereas the preceding Psalm is meant to be a hymn for an entire congregation, this Psalm is a more personal directive: a reminder to the individual soul that God is his light, his home, his shelter, his protection, his refuge.

The imagery used in the Psalm is exalted: God is viewed as a bird who cannot be tricked or trapped by man, as a fortress into which no earthly disease can penetrate, and as the commander of legions of angels ready to come to the aid of man. These angels and their ability to lift up man are further signs of the spiritual assistance available to every person, waiting only for the word — the invitation from man himself — that God is his hope, his only true shelter and source of deliverance.

With this in mind, Psalm 91 can be a great gift to any community or church seeking to rise up from whatever depths of sin or self-destruction it has fallen into. It is a battle cry for the weary and a source of hope for all.

Reference List

Brueggemann, W. (1984). The Message of the Psalms: A Theological Commentary. Minneapolis: Augsburg Publishing.

Hayes, J., & Holladay, C. (2007). Biblical Exegesis: A Beginner's Handbook. London: Westminster John Knox Press.

Kaiser, D. O. (2011). King David: You Are the Man! Indianapolis, IN: Dog Ear Publishing.

Kirsch, J. (2000). King David: The Real Life of the Man Who Ruled Israel. New York: Random House.

McKenzie, S. (2000). King David: A Biography. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.

Sheen, F. (1977). Life of Christ. New York: Image Books.

Tesh, E., & Zorn, W. (2004). Psalms. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.

Williams-Hayes, J. (2009). 40 Days of Prayer. Bloomington, IN: Xlibris.