Psalm 91:5-6

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Psalms 91:1-8

In these verses we have, I. 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 (Ps. 91:1): 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. Note, 1. It is the character of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 91:5

Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night ,.... The terrible things that happen in the night; as fire, storms and tempests, invasion of enemies, murders, thefts, and, robberies: a good man, when he has committed himself and his family to the care and protection of God by prayer, has no reason to be anxiously careful of these things, or to indulge a slavish fear about them; see Psalm 3:5 , the Targum is, "thou shall not be afraid for the fear of devils that walk in the night:' so... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 91:6

Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness ,.... Some think, and not without cause, that what is figuratively expressed in the preceding verse is here explained; and, indeed, the "pestilence" may well be called the "terror by night": the name of the plague, at a distance, is terrible; the near approach of it is more so; when it enters a country, city, or town, what fleeing is there from it? and in the night season it is more dreadful than in the day; not only to think of it in the... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 91:5

The terror by night - Night is a time of terrors, because it is a time of treasons, plunder, robbery, and murder. The godly man lies down in peace, and sleeps quietly, for he trusts his body, soul, and substance, in the hand of God; and he knows that he who keepeth Israel neither slumbers nor sleeps. It may also mean all spiritual foes, - the rulers of the darkness of this world. I have heard the following petition in an evening family prayer: "Blessed Lord, take us into thy protection this... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 91:6

Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday - The rabbins supposed that the empire of death was under two demons, one of which ruled by day, the other by night. The Vulgate and Septuagint have - the noonday devil. The ancients thought that there were some demons who had the power to injure particularly at noonday. To this Theocritus refers, Id. 1: ver. 15: - Ου θεμις, ω ποιμαν, το μεσαμβρινον, ου θεμις αμμινπ Συρισδεν· τον Πανα... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 91:5

Verse 5 5Thou shalt not fear for the terror of the night. The Psalmist continues to insist upon the truth which I have just adverted to, that, if we confide with implicit reliance upon the protection of God, we will be secure from every temptation and assault of Satan. It is of importance to remember, that those whom God has taken under his care are in a state of the most absolute safety. Even those who have reached the most advanced experience find nothing more difficult than to rely upon... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 91:1-16

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 Psalms 90:1 , Psalms 90:2 ; the second, Psalms 90:3 , Psalms 90:4 ; then the first responding with Psalms 90:5-8 ; and again the second with Psalms 90:9-13 . 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... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 91:1-16

The man that trusts in God. I. WE HAVE HIS DESCRIPTION . 1 . He dwells in the secret place , etc. 2 . He abides under the shadow of the Almighty . II. HIS CONFESSION OF FAITH ( Psalms 91:2 .) The Lord is his Refuge, Fortress, the Joy of his soul, his God, his constant Confidence. III. HIS COMMENDATION OF GOD TO OTHERS . ( Psalms 91:3-13 .) 1 . As a sure Deliverer from the hidden foe and from the devouring pestilence. 2 . As... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 91:5

Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night . Robbers constituted the chief "terror by night" (see Job 24:14-16 ; Jeremiah 49:9 ; Obadiah 1:5 ); but night attacks on the part of a foreign enemy were not uncommon (So Psalms 3:8 ; Isaiah 15:1 ). Nor for the arrow that fleth by day. Open war is probably intended, not sirocco, or pestilence, or "the arrows of the Almighty" ( Job 6:4 ). The man who trusts in God will be specially protected in the peril of battle. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 91:6

Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness. The plague god is personified and represented as stalking through the land in the hours of darkness. Parallels have been found in the literature of the Babylonians and elsewhere. Nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday. The rare word, קטב , translated "destruction" here and in Deuteronomy 32:24 , is rendered by the LXX . διαμόνιον , and the entire phrase, "for the destruction that wasteth at noonday" becomes ἀπὸ... read more

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