Psalm 91:1-2

New Catholic Bible

Footnotes

1. Psalm 91:1 This pilgrimage psalm is a glowing testimony to the security that God bestows on those who come to the temple to place themselves under his protection. They will be strengthened by God and his angels all along the path of life in which perils and snares proliferate on every side: the terror by night, the arrow by day, the fowler’s snare, pestilence, and plague, as well as the asp and viper, lion and dragon—in a word, every possible threat. Death itself seems to retreat, and one gets a glimpse of the peace and joy of the Messianic Age.
   En route toward Jerusalem, or toward God, every believer is a pilgrim. The itinerary is not an idyllic dream; rather, amidst risks and dangers, the Lord delivers us from fear and leads us to salvation, to life in his presence. This peaceful psalm is especially suited to be an evening prayer.
   We can regard this psalm as an exhortation of Christ developing the invitation that he addressed to his disciples after the Last Supper: “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You place your trust in God [the Father]. Trust also in me” (Jn 14:1). We are to journey along the path of life with the constant certitude that the divine Persons surround us with a never-ending solicitude.
2. Psalm 91:1 The shelter of the Most High: a designation in the psalms for the temple (see Pss 27:5; 31:21; 61:5). The shadow of the Almighty: literally, “the shadow of the wings of the Almighty” (see Pss 17:8; 36:8; 57:2; 63:8). As indicated by verse 4, the shadow is an image of the safety to be found under the outstretched wings of the cherubim in the Holy of Holies. Almighty: literally, “Shaddai,” an ancient name for God (see note on Ps 68:15).