For
he will put his angels in charge of you, to guard you in all your ways. They will bear you up in their hands, so that you won’t dash your foot against a stone.
Psalm 91:11-12
Psalm 91 [1.] He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High
will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say of Yahweh, “He is my refuge and my fortress;
my God, in whom I trust.”
For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler,
and from the deadly pestilence.
He will cover you with his feathers.
Under his wings you will take refuge.
His faithfulness is your shield and rampart.
You shall not be afraid of the terror by night,
nor of the arrow that flies by day;
nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness,
nor of the destruction that wastes at noonday.
A thousand may fall at your side,
and ten thousand at your right hand;
but it will not come near you.
You will only look with your eyes,
and see the recompense of the wicked.
Because you have made Yahweh your refuge,
and the Most High your dwelling place,
Psalm 91 [10.] no evil shall happen to you,
neither shall any plague come near your dwelling.
For he will put his angels in charge of you,
to guard you in all your ways.
They will bear you up in their hands,
so that you won’t dash your foot against a stone.
You will tread on the lion and cobra.
You will trample the young lion and the serpent underfoot.
“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.
He will call on me, and I will answer him.
I will be with him in trouble.
I will deliver him, and honor him.
I will satisfy him with long life,
and show him my salvation.”
Meaning:
Psalm 91 is one of the great psalms of trust. It begins, “He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty” (Psalm 91:1). It pictures God as a refuge and as a bird sheltering her young (Psalm 91:4-6). These two verses add one more picture of God’s care: he sends his angels to guard those who trust in him.
- “For he will put his angels in charge of you”
The word “for” connects these verses to what comes just before: “Because you have made Yahweh your refuge, and the Most High your dwelling place, no evil shall happen to you.” The promise is for those who have made God their home. Elsewhere Scripture says, “Yahweh’s angel encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them” (Psalm 34:7), and Hebrews calls angels “serving spirits, sent out to do service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation” (Hebrews 1:14). When Peter was in prison, an angel woke him and led him out (Acts 12:7).
- “to guard you in all your ways”
“Your ways” are the paths of life that a person walks while trusting and following God. The promise is not a guarantee that believers will never face hardship; the psalm itself speaks of trouble (Psalm 91:15). It is a promise that God watches over the whole journey of those who walk with him.
- “They will bear you up in their hands, so that you won’t dash your foot against a stone”
The picture is of travellers on rocky roads. As a parent lifts a child over rough ground, the angels lift God’s people over the dangers in their path. The next verse adds, “You will tread on the lion and cobra”, pointing to victory over every threat. Jesus later gave his disciples “authority to tread on serpents and scorpions” (Luke 10:19).
- The devil’s misuse in the wilderness
When the devil tempted Jesus on the pinnacle of the temple, he quoted these verses, urging him to throw himself down (Matthew 4:5-6). He took a promise of protection for those who walk in God’s ways and turned it into a dare to test God. Jesus answered, “You shall not test the Lord, your God” (Matthew 4:7). Afterwards, when Jesus had refused to test his Father, the angels came and served him (Mark 1:13).
The Significance of Psalm 91:11-12
- Trusting God’s unseen care
Believers rarely see angels, yet God’s care surrounds them. Even in dark valleys they can say, “I will fear no evil, for you are with me” (Psalm 23:4).
- Promises are for walking, not for testing
God’s promises give courage to obey, not permission to be reckless. They are meant to be trusted on the path of obedience.
Cross-References:
Psalm 91:1: "He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty." The opening of the psalm.
Psalm 34:7: "Yahweh’s angel encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them." Angelic protection.
Matthew 4:6: The devil quotes these verses to tempt Jesus.
Conclusion: Psalm 91:11-12 promises that God commands his angels to guard those who make him their refuge, carrying them over the dangers of their path. The devil misused these verses to tempt Jesus, but Jesus refused to test God. The promise remains a comfort for all who trust God and walk in his ways.
PIB Scriptures are derived from the World English Bible