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Psalms

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Psalm 91

1 As for you, the one who lives in the shelter of the Most High, and resides in the protective shadow of the Sovereign One— 2 I say this about the Lord, my shelter and my stronghold, my God in whom I trust— 3 he will certainly rescue you from the snare of the hunter and from the destructive plague. 4 He will shelter you with his wings; you will find safety under his wings. His faithfulness is like a shield or a protective wall.⁠ 5 You need not fear the terrors of the night, the arrow that flies by day,⁠ 6 the plague that stalks in the darkness, or the disease that ravages at noon. 7 Though a thousand may fall beside you, and a multitude on your right side, it will not reach you. 8 Certainly you will see it with your very own eyes—you will see the wicked paid back. 9 For you have taken refuge in the Lord, my shelter, the Most High. 10 No harm will overtake you; no illness will come near your home. 11 For he will order his angels to protect you in all you do.⁠ 12 They will lift you up in their hands, so you will not slip and fall on a stone. 13 You will subdue a lion and a snake; you will trample underfoot a young lion and a serpent.⁠ 14 The Lord says, “Because he is devoted to me, I will deliver him; I will protect him because he is loyal to me. 15 When he calls out to me, I will answer him. I will be with him when he is in trouble; I will rescue him and bring him honor. 16 I will satisfy him with long life and will let him see my salvation.”

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Compare Psalm 91:10 and Targum Psalm 91:10

Hebrew Bible · Targum

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Summary

Psalm 91 promises protection from harm and alludes to supernatural dangers based on ancient Near Eastern traditions. The Aramaic translation in the Targum makes this explicit, interpreting the threats as demonic forces similar to other Jewish traditions.

Passages

Psalm 91:10

Hebrew Bible
5 You need not fear the terrors of the night, the arrow that flies by day, 6 the plague that stalks in the darkness, or the disease that ravages at noon. 7 Though a thousand may fall beside you, and a multitude on your right side, it will not reach you. 8 Certainly you will see it with your very own eyes—you will see the wicked paid back. 9 For you have taken refuge in the Lord, my shelter, the Most High. 10 No harm will overtake you; no illness will come near your home. 11 For he will order his angels to protect you in all you do.
600–201 BCE (scholarly estimate) Read in Psalms

Targum Psalm 91:10

Targum
5 Be not afraid of the terror of demons who walk at night, of the arrow of the angel of death that he looses during the day; 6 Of the death that walks in darkness, of the band of demons that attacks at noon. 7 You will invoke the holy name; a thousand will fall at your left side, and ten thousand at your right; they will not come near you to do harm. 8 Only with your eyes you will watch, and you will see the wicked as they are destroyed. 9 Solomon answered and said: “For you are my confidence, O Lord; in the highest dwelling place you have placed the house of your presence.” 10 The lord of the world responded and thus he said: “No harm shall happen to you; and no plague or demon shall come near to your tents.” 11 For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways.
200–600 CE (scholarly estimate) Read in Targum Psalms

References

"... this passage was interpreted in pseudepigraphal (Testament of Levi 18:10-12; Testament of Simeon 6:6; Testament of Zebulon 9:8) and targumic tradition (Targum Psalms 91:5-6, 10, 13) ... The demonic interpretation of Psalm 91, attested at Qumran (compare 11Q11), also clarifies the function of Psalm 91:11-12 in the temptation narratives (Matthew 4:5-7; Luke 4:9-12). Moreover, Jesus' declaration that he 'watched Satan fall from heaven like a flash of lightning' (Luke 10:18) also coheres with pseudepigraphal (Testament of Solomon 20:16-17; 2 Enoch 29:5) and targumic (Targum Isaiah 14:12) tradition ..."
Craig A. Evans, Ancient Texts for New Testament Studies: A Guide to the Background Literature (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 2005), 71.

References are not endorsements of their contents. Read each reference in full to understand its author's intentions in using these texts.

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  • Explanation of Psalm 91:10

    Anonymous, March 30, 2024

Psalm 91:10 and Targum Psalm 91:10

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