Psalm 91:5-6 Thou shalt not be afraid for the
terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.
In these verses the
psalmist describes four things the believer has no need to fear.
1) The terror by night – Terror is a general term for anything that causes extreme fear,
causes us to feel dread, or agitates body and mind (according to Webster). Night is a reference not only to darkness,
but also to the presence of evil.
Job 24:13-15 They are of those that rebel against the light;
they know not the ways thereof, nor abide in the paths thereof. The murderer rising with the light killeth
the poor and needy, and in the night is as a thief. The eye also of the adulterer waiteth for the
twilight, saying, No eye shall see me: and disguiseth his face.
Ephesians 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against
principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this
world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
This is fear of danger that you cannot see.
2) The arrow that flieth by day – The Hebrew for arrow references a “piercer” or
something that “wounds.” This would seem
to reference fear from danger of which you are aware, an attack that you see
coming.
3) The pestilence that walketh in darkness – The
root for pestilence references
something that subdues or destroys. I
couldn’t help but think of this verse from Peter when I saw that definition.
1Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your
adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh
about, seeking whom he may devour:
4) The destruction that wasteth at noonday – Maybe
the noonday is a reference to the time of day when we are getting fatigued, the times when
we aren’t as vigilant and ready to face attack. I decided to look for a little
help on this phrase and Adam Clarke made an enlightening comment: “The ancients thought that there were some demons who had
the power to injure particularly at noonday.”
Psalm 91:7 A thousand shall fall at thy side,
and ten thousand at thy right hand; but
it shall not come nigh thee.
I think the “thousand”
refers back to the arrows and figuratively to any danger or attack of the
enemy. The child of God should realize
that the protecting hand of Almighty God can overpower the enemy no matter how
big, how many or how powerful.
Psalm 91:8 Only with thine eyes shalt thou
behold and see the reward of the wicked.
This seems to
acknowledge a promise that we can be sure that the wicked will be judged; they
will reap what they have sown. It is
also implies that the child of God who has placed His faith in Him will observe
this judgment from a place of protection.
Psalm 91:9-10 Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation; There shall no evil befall
thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.
The psalmist is
basically conveying the truth that those who have turned to YHWH in faith, as
he has, and are trusting YHWH with their lives have no reason to fear any evil
or wickedness. Paul restated this truth
in his letter to the Romans.
Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that
love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
Those who
love God and those who have faith in God are the same. Everything that God allows to touch the lives
of those who trust Him is meant for good.
What we may at first determine to be evil
is actually meant for good. It’s a
matter of trusting God with the outcome.
It’s a matter of accepting the truth stated by Isaiah.
Isaiah 55:8-9 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my
ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens
are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my
thoughts than your thoughts.
Psalm 91:11-12 For he shall give his angels
charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot
against a stone.
These verses immediately
make me think of Satan’s use of them in tempting Jesus in the wilderness.
Matthew 4:5-7 Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him
on a pinnacle of the temple, And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God,
cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge
concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time
thou dash thy foot against a stone. Jesus said unto him, It is written again,
Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.
It’s interesting to me that Satan made direct
application of this scripture to the man Jesus, the perfect man of faith, the
Son of God. The amazing truth is that as
a child of God, the same truth applies to me.
The angels are identified as ministering spirits to the children of
faith.
Hebrews 1:13-14 But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right
hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool?
Are they not all ministering
spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?
They have been assigned to minister to ALL our
ways, our journey through this life. It
doesn’t mean that we will never get hurt.
It does mean that (as stated above) God is in control and will only allow
in our lives that which He intends to use for good. When Satan used these verses, he (as the
wicked often do) used the Word for his own purposes—not God’s.
(to be continued…)
No comments:
Post a Comment