Abbot Richard's Lenten Conference

Lent, 2017, Psalm 91

Recently I was speaking with Donna Campbell, the mother of three young men who are Delbarton alumni.  At the time her sons were attending Delbarton, Donna began the Mothers’ Guild rosary, and every Friday morning that school is in session these holy women continue to gather in our church to pray the rosary for us.  One of Donna’s sons is a Navy Seal.  Extremely dangerous and critical missions are reserved for the Seals, and when they are deployed their wives and mothers do not even know the country they are in much less their mission.  Donna has formed another prayer group for these wives and mothers that is called Psalm 91.  We can readily understand that they can identify with verses like, ^“You will not fear the terror of the night, or the arrow that flies by day (Psalm 91:5); and “A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand” (Psalm 91:7); and that they can take comfort in “No evil shall befall you, no scourge come near your tent.”  (Psalm 91:10) and “I am with you in trouble.” (v. 15) 

Psalm 91, which we pray at Compline, is a song of trust in God (vs. 1-13) and of God’s protection (vs 14-15).  We read, “My refuge and my fortress, my God in whom I trust.” (v. 2); and “He will cover you with his pinions.” (v.4)   We recognize the verse, “He will give his angels charge of to you to guard you in all your ways,” (v. 11) as cited by the Gospels of Matthew and Luke on the temptations of Jesus in the desert. (Matthew 4:6; Luke 4:10-11)  For the psalmist, God’s protection is not against enemies such as the Assyrians but rather against evil that imperils our salvation.

Some commentators hold that Psalms 90 and 91 belong together.  Psalm 90 is Israel’s cry during its captivity, and Psalm 91 is the assurance of God’s protection.  In both psalms we see the term “dwelling place” which reflects our belief that God abides with us.  In Psalm 90: “Lord, you have been our dwelling place in all generations.” (vs. 1); and in Psalm 91: ^“Because you have made the Lord your refuge, the Most High your dwelling place, no evil shall befall you.” (vs. 9-10)  These psalms are for us a source of comfort and strength.

The first two verses of Psalm 91 mark its identity as a song of trust.  “You who dwell in the shelter of the most high will say to the Lord, my refuge and my fortress, my God in whom I trust.”  It continues, saying that we trust in God’s protection at all times and in every place and circumstance.  “You will not fear the terror of the night, or the arrow that flies by day, or the destruction that wastes at noonday.” (91:5-6) 

While the psalmist’s first word is of human trust, he reserves the last word for divine protection: “Because you love me, I will deliver you.  I will protect you because you know my name.  When you call to me, I will answer you; I will be with you in trouble, I will rescue you and honor you.  With long life I will satisfy you and show you my salvation.” (vs. 15-16)  God delivers, rescues, and saves us because we love and trust God.  Although we creatures do not merit God’s honor, these verses bespeak the intimacy that God desires to have with us.  Some interpreters hold that they look forward to Jesus’ assurance that those who humble themselves will be exalted (Luke 18:14).

Finally, Psalm 91 has been traditionally used at the beginning of Lent.  Its promise that God will deliver us has been fulfilled in the paschal mystery and makes it appropriate for the season.  It steers us away from trivial, self-help resolutions that some people may make for Lent and directs us to genuine self-denial that begins with the radical affirmation of the trust in God that we find in Psalm 91.