Psalm-91-Vv-1-16
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Please Note: Some alterations
or (additions) have been made relating to ‘Names’ and ‘Attributes’ of אֱלֹהִים - Elohim (God), having been corrected like it once was pre
the “Masoretic Text”.
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Remember the following truth from our beloved Torah!
“Ye shall NOT ADD TO THE WORD which
I command you, NEITHER SHALL YE DIMINISH FROM
IT, that ye may keep the commandments of אֱלֹהֵיכֶם יְהוָה - the LORD your Eloleichem,
which I command you”. Davarim - Deuteronomy 4:2. (JPS-1917).
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With Rabbi, Dr. Reuven Ben Avraham-Goossens, PhD.
Introduction:
Psalm 91
stands as one of the most profound declarations of absolute trust in the
absolute sovereignty of אֱלֹהִים - Elohim found within the Tanakh. Formatted as an intimate dialogue shifts
between the voice of the believer, a comforting observer, and ultimately the
Almighty Himself, the text strips away external ritual to focus entirely on the
shelter found in the Divine presence. In examining this text purely through the
language of the JPS-1917 version, we encounter a structural progression of
faith: moving from the declaration of אֱלֹהִים - Elohim as a personal sanctuary, through the visual realities of human
vulnerability, to the direct, first-person promises of deliverance spoken by אֱלֹהִים - Elohim.
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Let us first read Psalm 91, verses 1 to 16: (using the JPS-1917 version of the Tanakh).
1. “O thou that dwellest in the covert of the Most High, and abidest in the shadow of the Almighty; 2. I will say of יְהוָה - the LORD, who is my refuge and my fortress, my אֱלֹהִים - Elohim, in whom I trust, 3. That He will deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. 4. He will cover thee with His pinions, and under His wings shalt thou take refuge; His truth is a shield and a buckler. 5. Thou shalt not be afraid of the terror by night, nor of the arrow that flieth by day; 6. Of the pestilence that walketh in darkness, nor of the destruction that wasteth at noonday. 7. A thousand may fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; it shall not come nigh thee. 8. Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold, and see the recompense of the wicked. 9. For thou hast made יְהוָה - the LORD who is my refuge, even the Most High, thy habitation. 10. There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy tent. 11. For He will give His angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. 12. They shall bear thee upon their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone. 13. Thou shalt tread upon the lion and asp; the young lion and the serpent 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 rescue him, and bring him to honour. 16. With long life will I satisfy him, and make him to behold My salvation’”.
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Let us now look at this Psalms ‘Verse-by-Verse’ Explanations:
Explanation - Verse 1: The Psalm opens by defining the ultimate orientation of the soul. To dwell in the “covert” (seter) means to live in a hidden, intimate place of protection. The parallel phrase, abiding in the “Shadow of the Almighty” (Shaddai), uses the imagery of a traveler finding relief under a massive rock or canopy. The focus here is constancy; this is not a temporary visit in moments of panic, but a permanent dwelling.
Verses 2-8: Moving from Personal Trust to Secure Observation:
Explanation - Verse 2: The speaker shifts to personal testimony, naming יְהוָה - the LORD as refuge and fortress, internalizing the protection of Verse 1.
Explanation - Verses 3-4: An observing voice reassures the individual against hidden traps, pestilence, and vulnerability, using the imagery of protective wings alongside a shield and buckler rooted in Divine fidelity.
Explanation - Verses 5-8: Fear is dismantled across day and night, addressing terrors, arrows, and unseen or noonday plagues, culminating in the promise that though thousands fall nearby, the faithful observer merely watches the recompense of the wicked safely from afar.
Verses 9-13: The Domestic Sanctuary and Angelic Guardianship:
Explanation - Verses 9-10: Making the Most High a habitation secures the domestic sphere (“tent”) from the destructive power of evil and plague.
Explanation - Verses 11-13: אֱלֹהִים - Elohim assigns angelic messengers (malachim) to guard the individual's paths, lifting them gently to prevent injury and granting active mastery over the lion and the serpent.
Verses 14-16: The Divine Promise and Conclusion:
Explanation - Verse 14: אֱלֹהִים - Elohim speaks directly, grounding deliverance in relational intimacy, knowing His name and clinging in love (chashak).
Explanation - Verses 15-16: The Almighty promises immediate presence within trouble, an answer to the cry, and final satisfaction with long life and salvation (Yeshuati).
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My Closing Message:
The ultimate message of Psalm 91 is that the human soul finds
absolute safety by choosing to dwell in the immediate presence of the Almighty. And as we have seen, the text moves
beautifully through three distinct layers to reinforce this truth. Ultimately, the Psalm promises that
you are never abandoned. In every moment, you are completely enveloped,
sustained, and held by the unconditional love and protection by יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ -
the LORD our Eloheinu, בָּרוּךְ
שֵׁם
קָדוֹשׁוֹ - ‘Baruch Shem Kadosho’ -
‘Blessed be His Holy Name!’
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This site was
originally created, for those who desired to return to our blessed and
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Elohim’s guidance, for His love is always with us, especially when we seek Him,
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Remember what אֱלֹהִים - Elohim, blessed be
He, said the following through a number of our prophets...
“The More Torah,
the More Life”,
For Elohim is the One who gave us our ... “Life!”
May the שָׁלוֹם - Shalom =
Peace of צְבָאוֹת- יְהוָה= the LORD
of hosts, be with you, and please always uphold our blessed שַׁבָּת - Shabbat,
as well as the מוֹעֲדִים - Mo’a’dim - Feasts, and
continue saying your daily תְּפִלָּה - Tefeelah’s - Prayers and
regular בְּרָכָה - Be’ra’chah’s - blessings before
food and drinks, etc!
שָׁלוֹם
עֲלֵיכֶם - Shalom Aleichem - Peace be with you!
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