Psalm 91


Psalm 91 is the 91st psalm of the Book of Psalms, generally known in English by its first verse in the King James Version: "He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty." In the Greek Septuagint version of the Bible, and in its Latin translation Vulgate, this psalm is Psalm 90 in a slightly different numbering system. In Latin, it is known as 'Qui habitat". As a psalm of protection, it is commonly invoked in times of hardship. Though no author is mentioned in the Hebrew text of this psalm, Jewish tradition ascribes it to Moses, with David compiling it in his Book of Psalms. The Greek Septuagint translation of the Old Testament attributes it to David.
The psalm is a regular part of Jewish, Catholic, Anglican and Protestant liturgies. The complete psalm and selected verses have been set to music often, notably by Heinrich Schütz and Felix Mendelssohn, who used verses for his motet Denn er hat seinen Engeln befohlen. The psalm has been paraphrased in hymns.

Background and themes

The Midrash states that Psalm 91 was composed by Moses on the day he completed the building of the Tabernacle in the desert. The verses describe Moses' own experience entering the Tabernacle and being enveloped by the Divine cloud. Midrash Tehillim and Zohar teach that Moses composed this psalm while ascending into the cloud hovering over Mount Sinai, at which time he recited these words as protection from the angels of destruction.
In Jewish thought, Psalm 91 conveys the themes of God's protection and rescue from danger. The Talmud records opinions calling this psalm the "song of evil spirits" and the "song of plagues", for "one who recites it with faith in God will be helped by Him in time of danger". Since the times of the Geonim, this psalm was recited to drive away demons and evil spirits. According to midrashim, the psalm references many types of demons that threaten man, including the "Terror", "Arrow", "Pestilence", and "Destruction" mentioned in verses 5–6. The psalm was written in amulets by both Jews and Christians from the Late Antique period. According to the Talmud, the subsequent verse, verse 7 is a reference to the demons which would perish upon recitation of this psalm. In the same vein, Psalm 91 was included as one of the "Four Psalms Against Demons" in Dead Sea Scroll 11QapocrPs, the other three psalms being previously unknown, which are thought to have been used by the Qumran community for exorcisms.
Modern-day Christians see the psalm as a source of comfort and protection, even in times of suffering.
Verse 13, in the King James Version "Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet", was the origin of the iconography of Christ treading on the beasts, seen in the Late Antique period and revived in Carolingian and Anglo-Saxon art.

Text

Hebrew Bible version

Following is the Hebrew text of Psalm 91:
VerseHebrew
1יֹשֵׁב בְּסֵ֣תֶר עֶלְי֑וֹן בְּצֵ֥ל שַׁ֜דַּ֗י יִתְלוֹנָֽן
2אֹמַ֗ר לַֽ֖יהֹוָה מַחְסִּ֣י וּמְצֽוּדָתִ֑י אֱ֜לֹהַ֗י אֶבְטַח־בּֽוֹ
3כִּ֚י ה֣וּא יַ֖צִּֽילְךָ מִפַּ֥ח יָק֗וּשׁ מִדֶּ֥בֶר הַוּֽוֹת
4יָ֥סֶךְ לָ֗ךְ וְתַ֣חַת כְּנָפָ֣יו תֶּחְסֶּ֑ה צִנָּ֖ה וְסֹֽחֵרָ֣ה אֲמִתּֽוֹ
5לֹֽא־תִ֖ירָא מִפַּ֣חַד לָ֑יְלָה מֵ֜חֵ֗ץ יָ֘ע֥וּף יוֹמָֽם
6מִדֶּבֶר בָּאֹ֣פֶל יַֽהֲלֹ֑ךְ מִ֜קֶּ֗טֶב יָ֘שׁ֥וּד צָֽהֳרָֽיִם
7אֶ֗לֶף וּרְבָבָ֥ה מִֽימִינֶ֑ךָ אֵ֜לֶ֗יךָ לֹ֣א יִגָּֽשׁ
8רַק בְּעֵינֶ֣יךָ תַבִּ֑יט וְשִׁלֻּמַ֖ת רְשָׁעִ֣ים תִּרְאֶֽה
9כִּֽי־אַתָּ֣ה יְהֹוָ֣ה מַחְסִּ֑י עֶ֜לְי֗וֹן שַׂ֣מְתָּ מְעוֹנֶֽךָ
10לֹֽא־תְאֻנֶּ֣ה אֵלֶ֣יךָ רָעָ֑ה וְ֜נֶ֗גַע לֹֽא־יִקְרַ֥ב בְּאָֽהֳלֶֽךָ
11כִּ֣י מַ֖לְאָכָיו יְצַוֶּה־לָּ֑ךְ לִ֜שְׁמָרְךָ֗ בְּכָל־דְּרָכֶֽיךָ
12עַל־כַּפַּ֥יִם יִשָּׂא֑וּנְךָ פֶּן־תִּגֹּ֖ף בָּאֶ֣בֶן רַגְלֶֽךָ
13עַל־שַׁ֣חַל וָפֶ֣תֶן תִּדְרֹ֑ךְ תִּ֜רְמֹ֗ס כְּפִ֣יר וְתַנִּֽין
14כִּ֚י בִ֣י חָ֖שַׁק וַֽאֲפַלְּטֵ֑הוּ אֲ֜שַׂגְּבֵ֗הוּ כִּֽי־יָ֘דַ֥ע שְׁמִֽי
15וְֽאֶֽעֱנֵ֗הוּ עִמּֽוֹ־אָֽנֹכִ֥י בְצָרָ֑ה אֲ֜חַלְּצֵ֗הוּ וַֽאֲכַבְּדֵֽהוּ
16אֹ֣רֶךְ יָ֖מִים אַשְׂבִּיעֵ֑הוּ וְ֜אַרְאֵ֗הוּ בִּישֽׁוּעָתִֽי

King James Version

  1. He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
  2. I will say of the, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.
  3. Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.
  4. He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.
  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.
  7. A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.
  8. Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.
  9. Because thou hast made the, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation;
  10. There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.
  11. For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.
  12. They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.
  13. Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet.
  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.
  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.
  16. With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.

    Uses

Judaism

Psalm 91 is prominent in Jewish liturgy and ritual. is recited during the Pesukei Dezimra in the Shabbat, Yom Tov, and Hoshana Rabbah morning services. It is also recited after the evening prayer on Motza'ei Shabbat and during the nightly Bedtime Shema. In each of these prayers, verse 16 is said twice. According to Machzor Vitry, the verse is doubled to complete the spelling of a name of God.
Psalm 91 is recited seven times during a burial ceremony. As the casket bearers approach the grave, they stop every few feet, repeating the psalm. In the case of the burial of a woman, the casket bearers do not stop the procession, but they do repeat the psalm seven times.
Verse 11 of the psalm is recited after the liturgical poem Shalom Aleichem at the Friday night meal.
Psalm 91 is often recited as a prayer for protection. Some say it before embarking on a journey.

New Testament

In Western Christianity it is often sung or recited during services of Compline.
In the Revised Common Lectionary the psalm is appointed for the first Sunday in Lent, linking it to the temptation of Christ, where the devil quotes this psalm.
In the medieval Western Church it was included in the readings for Good Friday.

Eastern Orthodoxy

In Eastern Orthodoxy it is used in the prayers of the Sixth Hour, at Great Compline, and also in the Memorial Service for the departed.

Musical settings

Classical

Polish composer Józef Elsner set the three last verses of this psalm as an offertorium Quoniam in me speravit, Op.30. Felix Mendelssohn composed a setting of two verses of Psalm 91 in the motet Denn er hat seinen Engeln befohlen which he also included in his oratorio Elijah.

Contemporary Christian music

loosely based his hymn "On Eagle's Wings" on Psalm 91. The Christian duo Shane & Shane recorded the song in their 2015 album Psalms II under the title "Psalm 91 " covering the song based on Joncas' composition.
The Christian band Sons of Korah covered Psalm 91 on their 2011 album Wait.

In popular culture

Psalm 91 is known as the Soldier's Psalm or Soldier's Prayer. Camouflage bandanas imprinted with the psalm are often distributed to US troops.
Sinéad O'Connor's debut album The Lion and the Cobra includes a recitation of verses 11–13 in Irish by singer Enya on the song "Never Get Old".
Canadian metal band Cryptopsy references verses 5–8 of the psalm in their song "The Pestilence That Walketh in Darkness" on their 2005 album Once Was Not.
Brazilian-American metal band Soulfly recited the psalm in Portuguese on the bonus track "Salmo-91" on their fifth album Dark Ages.
The Jerry Garcia Band quotes verses 5–6 in its song "My Sisters and Brothers".
Madonna references Psalm 91 in "Virgin Mary " on her 2012 The MDNA Tour.