Psalm 91
This psalm is about the Messiah, and the part He will take, identifying Himself with the Jews. Verse 1 declares, concerning Him, that He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High, that is, enters into the purposes of Him who is over heaven and earth, shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
Verse 2 is the language of the Messiah (Jesus); He says that He will take the place of which verse it speaks; Jehovah, translated “the Lord”—God’s name of relationship with man, and especially with Israel (see Exodus 6:2, 32And God spake unto Moses, and said unto him, I am the Lord: 3And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them. (Exodus 6:2‑3)). It means the Ever Existing One is His refuge and His fortress, His God, and He will confide in Him.
In verses 3 to 8 the Holy Spirit makes answer to the speaker of verse 2. God will deliver Him from the snare of the fowler, cover Him with His wings. The language used would be true of any godly Israelite, but it is the coming Messiah that occupies the Spirit’s mind.
In the last three verses of our Psalm, Jehovah speaks of Him as the One who has set His love upon Him, setting His seal on what has been said. It is a most interesting Psalm. All is in connection with the earth, and the sufferings of the cross of Calvary are not referred to, but to the spiritual mind, here is a precious revelation concerning Jesus, and the place He will shortly take on behalf of His earthly people. The psalm presents Him in a different way than He is known by faith now, but it is the same blessed Peon, whom having not seen we love.
ML 06/07/1931