The Protective Promises of Psalm 91નમૂનો

Day 4: Surely, He Will Deliver You

As we come to Psalm 91:3, the psalmist says, “Surely, he [God] shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.”

Note the word “surely,” which opens this verse. It is a translation of the Hebrew term that means but, certainly, or doubtless, and it is a conjunction intended to make a dramatic point. Hence, we could translate this part of the verse to say, “Certainly, doubtlessly, and without question, he shall deliver thee....”

The phrase “shall deliver” in Hebrew means to deliver, plunder, or snatch away. It carries the idea of one who is escaping or being defended, the picture of a person who is under attack and then suddenly snatched away to a place of safety. When we’re abiding in the shadow of the Almighty and declaring His promises to Him and over our life, He will doubtlessly and with certainty snatch us away from the enemy’s attacks.

Specifically, the psalm says the Lord will deliver us “from the snare of the fowler.” In Hebrew, the words “from the snare” refer to a bird trap, and the second part — “of the fowler” — simply depicts a fowler or trapper. In a figurative sense, these phrases describe calamities, evil devices, and wicked plots that are intentionally set by someone who wishes to entangle or capture another.

Like a fowler, the devil and his demonic minions work through wicked men to attack God’s people, and they operate stealthily to take their victims by surprise. Just think of all the times the Pharisees and the Sadducees tried to entangle Jesus and trip Him up in His own words. Again and again, they set up situations and asked Him questions publicly with the hopes of entrapping Him (See Matthew 16:1; Matthew 19:3; Matthew 22:15; Luke 11:53, 54).

Thankfully, God promises that if you abide in His shadow, He will surely and most emphatically deliver you, snatching you out of the devil’s snare and into a place of safety.

This verse also says that God will deliver you from the “noisome pestilence.” The word “noisome” in Hebrew describes something deadly, greedy, destructive, mischievous, naughty, or perverse, and it is specifically describing a “pestilence” in this case. The Hebrew version of this word means pestilence, plague, or thorns. In a figurative sense, this phrase speaks of sticky or thorny situations that you and every other genuine believer around the world have had to or will have to deal with.

“Pestilence” can also describe a great calamity that comes by surprise or a tragedy that hits suddenly and sweeps everything away in its destruction. It is even related to a Hebrew word that means to speak, and thus can infer sticky or thorny situations that result from spoken words. Regardless of what form the pestilence takes, the Lord will protect the people who are abiding under His shadow. Thus, the deadly, ruinous, and destructive things have no power against us. They are defused because we’re living and abiding in the shadow of the Almighty!

For Your Consideration:

• What is one sticky or thorny situation you’ve seen God miraculously deliver you from or bring you through in the past? Reflect and be grateful for His help in that time,
• Is there a present calamity or difficulty from which you need God to deliver you? If so, take time now to pray and invite Him into your circumstances. Ask Him to give you His grace to keep going until His deliverance fully comes.