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Christian prayer

Psalm 91

Psalm 91 from the Bible, with the original text and its meaning.

  • 16 verses
  • About 1 minute to recite
  • From the Bible

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  1. 1

    יֹ֭שֵׁב בְּסֵ֣תֶר עֶלְי֑וֹן בְּצֵ֥ל שַׁ֝דַּ֗י יִתְלוֹנָֽן׃

    He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

  2. 2

    אֹמַ֗ר לַֽ֭יהוָה מַחְסִ֣י וּמְצוּדָתִ֑י אֱ֝לֹהַ֗י אֶבְטַח־בּֽוֹ׃

    I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.

  3. 3

    כִּ֤י ה֣וּא יַ֭צִּֽילְךָ מִפַּ֥ח יָק֗וּשׁ מִדֶּ֥בֶר הַוּֽוֹת׃

    Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.

  4. 4

    בְּאֶבְרָת֨וֹ ׀ יָ֣סֶךְ לָ֭ךְ וְתַֽחַת־כְּנָפָ֣יו תֶּחְסֶ֑ה צִנָּ֖ה וְֽסֹחֵרָ֣ה אֲמִתּֽוֹ׃

    He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.

  5. 5

    לֹא־תִ֭ירָא מִפַּ֣חַד לָ֑יְלָה מֵ֝חֵ֗ץ יָע֥וּף יוֹמָֽם׃

    Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;

  6. 6

    מִ֭דֶּבֶר בָּאֹ֣פֶל יַהֲלֹ֑ךְ מִ֝קֶּ֗טֶב יָשׁ֥וּד צָהֳרָֽיִם׃

    Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.

  7. 7

    יִפֹּ֤ל מִצִּדְּךָ֨ ׀ אֶ֗לֶף וּרְבָבָ֥ה מִימִינֶ֑ךָ אֵ֝לֶ֗יךָ לֹ֣א יִגָּֽשׁ׃

    A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.

  8. 8

    רַ֭ק בְּעֵינֶ֣יךָ תַבִּ֑יט וְשִׁלֻּמַ֖ת רְשָׁעִ֣ים תִּרְאֶֽה׃

    Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.

  9. 9

    כִּֽי־אַתָּ֣ה יְהוָ֣ה מַחְסִ֑י עֶ֝לְי֗וֹן שַׂ֣מְתָּ מְעוֹנֶֽךָ׃

    Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation;

  10. 10

    לֹֽא־תְאֻנֶּ֣ה אֵלֶ֣יךָ רָעָ֑ה וְ֝נֶ֗גַע לֹא־יִקְרַ֥ב בְּאָהֳלֶֽךָ׃

    There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.

  11. 11

    כִּ֣י מַ֭לְאָכָיו יְצַוֶּה־לָּ֑ךְ לִ֝שְׁמָרְךָ֗ בְּכָל־דְּרָכֶֽיךָ׃

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

  12. 12

    עַל־כַּפַּ֥יִם יִשָּׂא֑וּנְךָ פֶּן־תִּגֹּ֖ף בָּאֶ֣בֶן רַגְלֶֽךָ׃

    They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.

  13. 13

    עַל־שַׁ֣חַל וָפֶ֣תֶן תִּדְרֹ֑ךְ תִּרְמֹ֖ס כְּפִ֣יר וְתַנִּֽין׃

    Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet.

  14. 14

    כִּ֤י בִ֣י חָ֭שַׁק וַאֲפַלְּטֵ֑הוּ אֲ֝שַׂגְּבֵ֗הוּ כִּֽי־יָדַ֥ע שְׁמִֽי׃

    Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name.

  15. 15

    יִקְרָאֵ֨נִי ׀ וְֽאֶעֱנֵ֗הוּ עִמּֽוֹ־אָנֹכִ֥י בְצָרָ֑ה אֲ֝חַלְּצֵ֗הוּ וַֽאֲכַבְּדֵֽהוּ׃

    He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him.

  16. 16

    אֹ֣רֶךְ יָ֭מִים אַשְׂבִּיעֵ֑הוּ וְ֝אַרְאֵ֗הוּ בִּֽישׁוּעָתִֽי׃

    With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.

Wording: The Holy Bible, King James Version, 1611 (standard text of 1769). Copied word for word from the edition named here

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When it is prayed

Many Christians recite Psalm 91 at night, during times of fear, or when praying for protection. In the Christian tradition, it expresses trust in God amid danger and uncertainty, rather than a guarantee that hardship will not come. It is also used in personal devotion and communal worship.

  • At night
  • Times of fear
  • Praying for protection
  • Personal devotion

Where it comes from

Psalm 91 comes from the Book of Psalms in the Bible, a collection of prayers and songs inherited by Christians from Jewish scripture. It was originally composed in Hebrew, and its author is not named in the Hebrew text. Its images of shelter, refuge, and protection have made it a familiar prayer of trust in Christian worship.

In the libraryThe King James Version of the BibleSee the book

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Questions about Psalm 91

How many verses are in Psalm 91?

Psalm 91 has 16 verses.

What does Psalm 91 mean?

It expresses confidence in God as a refuge amid danger. In the Christian tradition, its promises are read as an invitation to trust God, not as assurance of a life without suffering.

When do Christians pray Psalm 91?

Many Christians pray it before sleep, when afraid, or when asking for protection for themselves or others. It can also be recited as part of regular worship or personal prayer.

Who wrote Psalm 91?

Its author is not named in the Hebrew text. It belongs to the biblical Book of Psalms.

What language was Psalm 91 written in?

Psalm 91 was originally written in Hebrew. Christians also pray it in translations into many languages.

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