Meaning, commentary and cross references
Psalms 91:11
“For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways.”In other translations
KJV · King James Version
For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.
NIV · New International Version
For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways;
WEB · World English Bible
For he will put his angels in charge of you, to guard you in all your ways.
What does Psalms 91:11 mean?
John Gill · Exposition of the Entire Bible, on Psalms 91:11
For he shall give his angels charge over thee,.... Created spirits, so called, made by the Lord, and are at his command; who are ministering spirits to his people, who encamp about them, and are concerned in the preservation of them; they being committed to their care and charge by him who is Lord of heaven and earth: Satan applied this passage to Christ, Matthew 4:6, nor did our Lord object to the application of it; and it can hardly be thought that he would have ventured to have done it, had he been aware that a misapplication might be objected; or that it was not the received sense of the place: what he is to be blamed for, in quoting it, was the wrong purpose for which he produced it…
John Gill, Exposition of the Entire Bible (1746–63). Public domain. Digital text: Free Use Bible API (bible.helloao.org).
Matthew Henry · Commentary on the Whole Bible, on Psalms 91:9–16
He who is the Lord of the angels, who gave them their being and gives laws to them, whose they are and whom they were made to serve, he shall give his angels a charge over thee, not only over the church in general, but over every particular believer. The angels keep the charge of the Lord their God; and this is the charge they receive from him. It denotes the great care God takes of the saints, in that the angels themselves shall be charged with them, and employed for them. The charge is to keep thee in all thy ways; here is a limitation of the promise: They shall keep thee in thy ways, that is, "as long as thou keepest in the way of thy duty;" those that go out of that way put themselves…
Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible (1706–21; Romans–Revelation completed by Nonconformist ministers). Public domain. Digital text: Free Use Bible API (bible.helloao.org).
Context: Psalms 91:8–14 (WEB)
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.
Cross references
- Luke 4:10–11
for it is written, ‘He will put his angels in charge of you, to guard you;’
- Psalms 34:7
- Hebrews 1:14
Aren’t they all serving spirits, sent out to do service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation?
- Proverbs 3:6
In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.
- Matthew 4:6
and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written, ‘He will command his angels concerning you,’ and, ‘On their hands they will bear you up, so that you don’t dash your foot against a stone.’”
- Psalms 71:3
- Isaiah 31:1
Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, and rely on horses, and trust in chariots because they are many, and in horsemen because they are very strong, but they don’t look to the Holy One of Israel, and they don’t seek the LORD!
- 2 Kings 6:16–17
He answered, “Don’t be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”