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Wisdom & Poetry · WORLD ENGLISH BIBLE

Psalm 91

Psalm 91 is read especially through the theme of trust & refuge, within Book IV (Psalms 90–106). Its language invites attentive prayer before quick application.

Trust & RefugeWisdom
Old Testament

Psalm 91

1He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

2I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress; my God, in whom I trust.”

3For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler, and from the deadly pestilence.

4He will cover you with his feathers. Under his wings you will take refuge. His faithfulness is your shield and rampart.

5You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, nor of the arrow that flies by day,

6nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, nor of the destruction that wastes at noonday.

7A thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand; but it will not come near you.

8You will only look with your eyes, and see the recompense of the wicked.

9Because you have made the LORD your refuge, and the Most High your dwelling place,

10no evil shall happen to you, neither shall any plague come near your dwelling.

11For he will put his angels in charge of you, to guard you in all your ways.

12They will bear you up in their hands, so that you won’t dash your foot against a stone.

13You will tread on the lion and cobra. You will trample the young lion and the serpent underfoot.

14“Because he has set his love on me, therefore I will deliver him. I will set him on high, because he has known my name.

15He will call on me, and I will answer him. I will be with him in trouble. I will deliver him, and honor him.

16I will satisfy him with long life, and show him my salvation.”

READ IN CONTEXT

Understanding Psalm 91

Psalm 91 is read especially through the theme of trust & refuge, within Book IV (Psalms 90–106). Its language invites attentive prayer before quick application. Read it within the complete five-book Psalms collection, then compare its prayer language with the types of prayer found across Scripture. Classification is a reading aid rather than a replacement for the Psalm's own movement and tension.

Collection

Book IV (Psalms 90–106). The five-book shape of the Psalter helps readers hear individual prayers within a deliberately arranged collection.

Themes detected

Trust & Refuge, Wisdom. Read for these themes while remaining open to tension and secondary movements.

TEXT-DERIVED READING NOTES

What to notice in Psalm 91

Psalm 91 contains 16 verses and about 277 words in this translation. These observations come from the chapter itself; they are prompts for close reading, not claims about its only possible meaning.

The opening movement

Verse 1 begins: “He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.” Ask what situation, voice, image, or argument this opening establishes for everything that follows.

The closing movement

Verse 16 closes: “I will satisfy him with long life, and show him my salvation.”” Compare the ending with the opening and note what changed, resolved, intensified, or remained open.

Vocabulary worth tracing

Recurring or prominent content words include will, high, refuge, deliver, place, pestilence. Follow where each word appears and whether its meaning shifts with the speaker or setting.

COMMON QUESTIONS

About Psalm 91

Which Bible translation is shown here?+

This page reproduces the World English Bible Protestant edition (WEBP), a modern-English translation dedicated to the public domain.

How should I cite a specific verse?+

Use the book, chapter, and verse—for example, Psalms 91:1—and name the World English Bible if the wording matters. Each verse number above is a direct anchor link.

Does the chapter number define the complete literary unit?+

Not always. Chapter and verse numbers were added for navigation. Check the paragraphs, scenes, poetic stanzas, or argument before and after this chapter.

What kind of Psalm is this?+

Our reading profile emphasizes trust & refuge, with related themes of Trust & Refuge, Wisdom. Many Psalms blend genres or move between moods, so this label is a guide rather than a rigid classification.

A SMALL NEXT STEP

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