Psalms 91:3

3. Surely he shall deliver thee The change from the first person in Psalms 91:2, to the second in Psalms 91:3, is abrupt and perplexing. We must either adopt the dramatic theory respecting the structure of this psalm, (see the introduction,) making three speakers, and assigning Psalms 91:3 and part of Psalms 91:9 to the second, Psalms 91:14-16 to the third, (namely, to Jehovah,) and the rest to the first; or, we must suppose in Psalms 91:3; Psalms 91:9 the same speaker adopts the I instead of thou, for the purpose of speaking from his own heart, and for greater pathos.

Snare of the fowler In the enumeration of evils from which the righteous shall be delivered by his single trust in God, he properly begins with the “trap of the fowler” the dangers arising from the secret wickedness of men.

Noisome pestilence Fatal pestilence, or pestilence of wickedness. The words are not specific of any bodily disease, or class of destructive diseases, but apply to any causes by which men are swept away suddenly often those which come from the crafty wickedness of men, and is parallel to “snare of the fowler” in the previous member. It is one of the four great judgments of God, enumerated Ezekiel 14:21; Revelation 6:8. The word “noisome” means calamitous, ruinous, as Psalms 57:1, where Psalms 91:4-6 show it was brought only against wicked men. So Psalms 94:20, where it is rendered iniquity, and Proverbs 19:30, rendered calamity. But see on Psalms 91:6