Psalm 91:11

Psalm 91:11

For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.

a. NLT: For he will order his angels to protect you wherever you go.

b. NIV: For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways;

c. Amplified Bible: For He will give His angels [especial] charge over you to accompany and defend and preserve you in all your ways [of obedience and service].

d. Septuagint [Listed under Psalm 90:11: For he shall give his angels charge concerning thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.

e. Stone Edition Torah/Writings? Prophets: He will charge His angles for you, to protect you in all your ways. 

1. “For he shall give his angels charge over thee…”

a. For [Strong: 3588 * kiy kee a primitive particle (the full form of the prepositional prefix) indicating causal relations of all kinds, antecedent or consequent; (by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed:--and, + (forasmuch, inasmuch, where-)as, assured(-ly), + but, certainly, doubtless, + else, even, + except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, + nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then, therefore, + (al- )though, + till, truly, + until, when, whether, while, whom, yea, yet.]

b. [he shall give his] angels [Strong: 4397 mal'ak mal-awk'; from an unused root meaning to despatch as a deputy; a messenger; specifically, of God, i.e. an angel (also a prophet, priest or teacher):--ambassador, angel, king, messenger.]

c. charge [over thee] [Strong: 6680 tsavah tsaw-vaw'; a primitive root; (intensively) to constitute, enjoin:--appoint, (for-)bid, (give a) charge, (give a, give in, send with) command(-er, -ment), send a messenger, put, (set) in order.]

1). This is an awesome Old Covenant promise that we have, that our Lord has commanded his angels to watch over us as we walk in Covenant with him. Everything in this verse is a result of us making the LORD our habitation. I believe that we in the New Covenant have something even more powerful. When we look at the passage in Ephesians supported by a multitude of passages that details our authority in Christ we see we have been given authority over all angelic hosts, good and bad.

a). Ephesians 1:15-21 Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints,

1:16 Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers;

1:17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:

1:18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,

1:19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,

1:20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,

1:21 Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:

2). In the above passage it does not differentiate between good or bad angels, it says authority over “all principality, and power, and might, and dominion”.

3). In a passage used to support our authority over angels, ministers have stressed that angels of God will be obedient to the voice or sound of God’s word being spoken, regardless if it is God or us. I believe the sound wisdom behind this verse is the reason we should confess the word in faith and expect angels to respond to God’s word.

a).  Psalm 103:20, 21 Bless the Lord, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word.

103:21 Bless ye the Lord, all ye his hosts; ye ministers of his, that do his pleasure.

4). Couple this promise with the authority of the believer under the New Covenant and I believe you have a solid place to stand in faith for divine protection.

2. “…to keep thee in all thy ways.”

a. [to] keep thee [Strong: 8104 shamar shaw-mar'; a primitive root; properly, to hedge about (as with thorns), i.e. guard; generally, to protect, attend to, etc.:--beward, be circumspect, take heed (to self), keep(-er, self), mark, look narrowly, observe, preserve, regard, reserve, save (self), sure, (that lay) wait (for), watch(-man).]

1). This is the same Hebrew word used in Genesis 2 to describe Adam’s responsibility in the garden..

a). Genesis 2:15 And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.

2). It is also used in Genesis 3 to describe the responsibility of the Cherubims to keep man from the tree of life.

a). Genesis 3:24 So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.

3). Just as the Cherubim were faithful in keeping man from the tree of life, the angels of the Lord will protect us in all our ways. We need to believe it and confess it. In all our ways refers to all of our ways as we live in Covenant with God, in the fear of God. Walking in disobedience would not fall under these words. Rabbinic tradition teaches that the angels are not merely protectors but also witnesses to man’s behavior. The phrase “in all thy ways” has to be limited by his willful obedience of the word. This promise was quoted by the devil in an attempt to tempt Christ Jesus.

a). Matthew 4:5-7 Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple,

4:6 And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.

4:7 Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.

). Jesus clearly responded with the Scripture with what is written, that to do so would be to tempt God.

c). Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary: Preservation in danger is divinely pledged: shall I then create danger, either to put the promised security skeptically to the proof, or wantonly to demand a display of it? That were 'to tempt the Lord my God,' which, being expressly forbidden, would forfeit the right to expect preservation.

d). Adam Clark’s Commentary:  To expose myself to any danger naturally destructive, with the vain presumption that God will protect and defend me from the ruinous consequences of my imprudent conduct, is to tempt God.

b. in all [Strong: 3605 * kol kole or (Jer. 33:8) kowl {kole}; from 3634; properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense):--(in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any (manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as many as, (no-)thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole, whoso(-ever).]

c. thy ways [Strong: 1870 * derek deh'-rek from 1869; a road (as trodden); figuratively, a course of life or mode of action, often adverb:--along, away, because of, + by, conversation, custom, (east-)ward, journey, manner, passenger, through, toward, (high-) (path-)way(-side), whither(-soever).]