Chapter XCI · Location 91 of 150
Chapter 91 · Open to readFrom Psalms · Douay–Rheims / Challoner (1749–1752)
What does Psalms Chapter 91 say, and which statements belong to its speaker?
Atlas of Saints · Chapter summary
The sabbath canticle praises morning mercy and nighttime truth with named instruments. Future enemies’ downfall and horn exaltation remain future. Palm and cedar comparisons describe the just without an added medical guarantee.
Chapter breakdown
Bonum est confiteri is the incipit and the heading calls for praise of wondrous works. The inscription is a psalm of a canticle on the sabbath day, not a witnessed musician's performance. It is good to praise the Lord and sing the Most High's name, show mercy in morning and truth at night, upon a ten-stringed instrument, psaltery and harp. God has given delight in His doings and the speaker shall rejoice in His hands' works.
He exclaims that works are great and thoughts exceedingly deep; the senseless shall not know and the fool will not understand. Wicked people shall spring like grass and workers of iniquity appear that they may perish forever, while God is Most High forever. Enemies shall perish and all iniquity workers be scattered. This future declaration is not a newly observed historical downfall.
The speaker's horn shall be exalted like a unicorn's, and old age in plentiful mercy. His eye has looked down upon enemies and ear shall hear malignant opponents' downfall. The just shall flourish like palm and grow like Libanus cedar; planted in God's house, they shall flourish in His courts, increase in fruitful old age and be well treated, that they may show God's righteousness and absence of iniquity. The comparisons do not supply a physical-vitality guarantee or a new Sabbath ritual rule.
The story inside
Opening: The sabbath canticle praises morning mercy and nighttime truth with named instruments. Development: Future enemies’ downfall and horn exaltation remain future. Conclusion: Palm and cedar comparisons describe the just without an added medical guarantee.
Lessons worth keeping
- 1The sabbath canticle praises morning mercy and nighttime truth with named instruments.
- 2Future enemies’ downfall and horn exaltation remain future.
- 3Palm and cedar comparisons describe the just without an added medical guarantee.
Test your recall
Which images and requests does the speaker use, and what does the chapter leave unresolved?
Source edition and notes
Douay–Rheims, revised by Richard Challoner (1749–1752). Project Gutenberg no. 1581. Locators refer to lines in the admitted pg1581.txt edition. Source notes may include Challoner commentary.
Lines 63582–63589
91:2. It is good to give praise to the Lord: and to sing to thy name, O most High. 91:3. To shew forth thy mercy in the morning, and thy truth in the night: 91:4. Upon an instrument of ten strings, upon the psaltery: with a canticle upon the harp.
Lines 63596–63600
91:7. The senseless man shall not know: nor will the fool understand these things. 91:8. When the wicked shall spring up as grass: and all the workers of iniquity shall appear: That they may perish for ever and ever:
Lines 63613–63623
91:13. The just shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow up like the cedar of Libanus. 91:14. They that are planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of the house of our God. 91:15. They shall still increase in a fruitful old age: and shall be well treated, 91:16. That they may shew, That the Lord our God is righteous, and there is no iniquity in him.
