Version: King James Version (public domain)
Psalm 91
He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
Psalm 91 is a psalm of trust: it describes the person who takes shelter in God and the protection found there in the middle of danger. In the last verses God himself speaks, promising to rescue, answer and stay with the one who loves him.
Bible text
1 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
2 I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.
3 Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.
4 He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.
5 Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;
6 Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.
7 A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.
8 Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.
9 Because thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation;
10 There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.
11 For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.
12 They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.
13 Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon 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 deliver him, and honour him.
16 With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.
Original text
v. 1: Yoshev beseter Elyon, betsel Shaddai yitlonan.
Plain-language version
v. 1–2 Whoever lives close to God is protected, like someone living in a safe shelter. So I say: the Lord is my refuge, and I trust him.
v. 3–8 He rescues you from traps and from disease. He covers you the way a bird shelters its young under its wings. You don’t have to live in fear of what happens at night or by day, even when many around you fall.
v. 9–13 Because you made God your home, evil will not rule your life. He sends his angels to watch over you on every road, and you overcome dangers that seemed bigger than you.
v. 14–16 God answers: “Because he loves me, I will rescue him. When he calls, I will answer. I will be with him in trouble, honor him, give him a long life and show him my salvation.”
Historical context
Author. In the Hebrew text, Psalm 91 has no title and no author. The ancient Greek translation (the Septuagint) attributes it to David. Jewish tradition (Midrash Tehillim) links it to Moses, as a continuation of Psalm 90, which bears his name.
Where it sits. It belongs to Book IV of the Psalms (Psalms 90–106), a collection that keeps returning to God as the true refuge of his people.
Images of the time. “The snare of the fowler” was the trap used to catch birds. “Pestilence” recalls the epidemics that devastated ancient cities. “The terror by night” and “the arrow that flieth by day” sum up the dangers of people who lived exposed, day and night.
Form. The voice changes along the way: someone declares their trust (v. 2), another voice answers with promises (v. 3–13), and at the end God himself speaks (v. 14–16). Many scholars see in this a text used in worship, with a blessing pronounced over those who sought shelter in the temple.
Explanation
v. 1–2: the decision to trust
The psalm opens with four names for God: Most High, Almighty, LORD and God. To dwell “in the secret place” and abide “under the shadow” describe a whole life lived close to God, not an emergency visit. The answer is personal: “my refuge and my fortress: my God”.
v. 3–8: the promises of protection
Two images dominate: the bird that covers its young with its feathers (close, motherly care) and the shield and buckler (a warrior’s defense). The dangers listed cover every hour — night, day, darkness and noonday. “A thousand shall fall at thy side” does not promise that nothing bad happens in the world, but that the one who trusts is not left to chance.
v. 9–13: angels and victory
The reason for the protection is repeated: “because thou hast made the LORD… thy habitation”. Verses 11 and 12 speak of angels who keep us in all our ways — the passage the devil quotes to tempt Jesus in the wilderness (Matthew 4:6). The lion and the adder (v. 13) stand for dangers that are strong and dangers that are hidden.
v. 14–16: God answers
Here God speaks in the first person and makes a series of promises: to deliver, to set on high, to answer, to be with him in trouble, to honor, to satisfy with long life and to show his salvation. The starting point is not merit but relationship: “because he hath set his love upon me” and “because he hath known my name”.
Read next
How each tradition reads it
Catholic
In older Catholic Bibles, which follow the numbering of the Vulgate and the Septuagint, this psalm appears as Psalm 90. Current editions usually show both numbers: “Psalm 91 (90)”.
In the Liturgy of the Hours it is prayed at Sunday Night Prayer (Compline), as a trusting surrender before sleep. It also appears in the Lent liturgy, linked to the account of Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness.
Protestant
Protestant readings usually stress trust in God as the heart of the psalm, rather than a guarantee that believers will never suffer. The temptation story (Matthew 4:5–7; Luke 4:9–12) is remembered as a warning: the devil uses verses 11–12 to suggest that Jesus throw himself from the temple, and Jesus answers that one must not put God to the test. The protection promised is not insurance for reckless choices.
Orthodox
In the Orthodox churches, which follow the Greek numbering, it is Psalm 90. It is part of the Sixth Hour, one of the fixed prayers of the day, said at midday — the hour of “the destruction that wasteth at noonday” (v. 6).
Jewish
In Jewish tradition the psalm is associated with Moses and read as a prayer of protection. It is part of the bedtime Shema and is recited at funerals, accompanying the body to the grave. The expression “under his wings” also evokes God’s presence in the sanctuary, between the cherubim.
Academic
Scholars classify Psalm 91 as a psalm of trust with liturgical features: changing voices and a divine oracle at the end. Among the Dead Sea Scrolls, the psalm appears in a collection of psalms used against demons (11Q11), which shows it was already read as a text of spiritual protection in the 1st century BC. Some terms in verses 5–6 may echo ancient beliefs about evil forces linked to the night and to disease.
Each reading is attributed to the tradition that holds it. VersePath does not take sides.
Reflect
The psalm does not ask you to find the courage to face everything alone; it invites you to change address. Where have you been looking for shelter when you are afraid?
A prayer inspired by Psalm 91
Lord, you are my refuge and my fortress; in you I trust. Keep me in all my ways, by day and by night. When I am afraid, cover me with your presence. May I love you and know your name, and in trouble may I know that you are with me. Amen.
Did you know?
- In Hebrew, Psalm 91 has no title or author: it is one of the so-called “orphan psalms”.
- It is the only psalm quoted by the devil in the Gospels (Matthew 4:6; Luke 4:10–11).
- A copy appears among the Dead Sea Scrolls, in a collection used against demons.
- It is sometimes called the “Soldier’s Psalm”, and many soldiers carried it during the World Wars.
- Verse 1 uses two ancient names for God: Elyon (Most High) and Shaddai (Almighty).
Frequently asked questions
Who wrote Psalm 91?
The Hebrew text does not name an author. The Septuagint attributes the psalm to David, and Jewish tradition links it to Moses, as a continuation of Psalm 90.
Why is Psalm 91 called the psalm of protection?
Because the whole text speaks of God as refuge, fortress and shield against dangers by day and by night, and it ends with promises of deliverance spoken by God himself.
Is Psalm 91 different in Catholic Bibles?
The text is the same; only the number changes. In Bibles that follow the Vulgate it is Psalm 90. Current Catholic editions usually print “Psalm 91 (90)”.
What does “dwell in the secret place of the Most High” mean?
It means living close to God all the time, like someone who lives in a safe shelter, not just turning to him in moments of danger.
Where is Psalm 91 quoted in the New Testament?
Verses 11 and 12 are quoted by the devil during the temptation of Jesus in the wilderness (Matthew 4:6; Luke 4:10–11).
How many verses are in Psalm 91?
16 verses.