Psalms 91 (KJV)
Psalms 91 is chapter 91 of 150 in the Old Testament book of Psalms (16 verses). Genre: poetry (worship & prayer). Author: Various authors; many attributed to David (also Asaph, the sons of Korah, Moses, Solomon, and others). It belongs to the section “Book IV” (chapters 90–106). Its most cross-referenced verse is Psalms 91:15.
1He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.Verse of the Day page →
2I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.
3Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.
4He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.
5Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;
6Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.
7A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.
8Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.
9Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation;
10There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.
11For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.Verse of the Day page →
12They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.
13Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet.
14Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name.
15He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him.
16With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.
About Psalms 91
Psalm 91 is the Bible’s best-loved psalm of protection. It opens with a promise to the one who “dwelleth in the secret place of the most High” and closes with God’s own voice: “I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him.”
The psalm is anonymous in the Hebrew text. Some ancient Jewish tradition links it with Moses, because Psalm 90 just before it is headed “A Prayer of Moses”. Its images are those of refuge: a shadow, a fortress, wings, a shield. Satan quoted verses 11 and 12 when he tempted Jesus (Matthew 4:6), and Jesus answered from Deuteronomy rather than treating the psalm as a formula.
Questions about Psalms 91
- What does “the secret place of the most High” mean in Psalm 91?
- It describes closeness to God: a life lived in His presence, under His protection, like taking shelter in His shadow. The psalm does not name a building or ritual; it speaks of trust (verse 2) and of making the LORD one’s dwelling place (verse 9).
- Does Psalm 91 promise that believers will never be harmed?
- The psalm promises God’s presence, rescue and care, and it speaks in strong poetic images. Elsewhere Scripture shows faithful people suffering, and Jesus rejected using verses 11 and 12 to test God (Matthew 4:5-7). Most readers take it as assurance that God is a sure refuge, not a guarantee of a life without hardship.
- Who wrote Psalm 91?
- The psalm has no heading naming an author. A tradition attributes it to Moses, following Psalm 90, but this is not stated in the text.
- Where is Psalm 91 quoted in the New Testament?
- Verses 11 and 12 (“He shall give his angels charge over thee”) are quoted by the devil in Matthew 4:6 and Luke 4:10-11 during the temptation of Jesus.
Scripture text: King James Version (public domain).