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Commentary Critical and Explanatory

Psalms 91:13

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

Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder; the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet. The lion represents the openly violent foes of the godly: the adder and serpent the crafty liers in wait. Satan can at one time be the "roaring lion," at another the subtle dragon and suddenly stinging adder. Allusion is here made to "that great and terrible wilderness wherein were fiery serpents and scorpions" (). God enabled His servants, Samson, David, and Daniel, to gain victories over literal lions (; ; ), a type of the spiritual victory which the saints are given over lion-like demons and human enemies (; ).

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See also Psalms 91:13 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Psalms 91:13. _THOU SHALT TREAD UPON THE LION AND ADDER_] Even the king of the forest shall not be able to injure thee; should one of these attack thee, the angels whom God sends will give thee...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    THOU SHALT TREAD UPON THE LION AND ADDER - Thou shalt be safe among dangers, as if the rage of the lion were restrained, and he became like a lamb, and as if the poisonous tooth of the serpent were ex...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    Psalms 91 Christ, the Second Man __ 1. In dependence (Psalms 91:1) 2. In security (Psalms 91:3) 3. His triumph and exaltation ...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    XCI. GOD PROTECTS HIS OWN. Psalms 91:1 f. Read perhaps Blessed is he that dwelleth, that abideth, that saith of Yahweh. Psalms 91:3. noisome pestilence: read, from the pit of destruction. The pestile...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    ADDER: or asp....

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    Thou shalt triumphantly overcome all obstacles and dangers, whether of fierce and open violence, or of secret and insidious treachery. Cp. Luke 10:19; Romans 16:20....

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    Renewed assurances of Divine protection, ratified by a Divine promise....

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    HE SHALL GIVE HIS ANGELS CHARGE, &C.— These verses point out still more plainly the occasion of this psalm. For as the people were not only exposed to diseases in the wilderness, but also to the incur...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    PSALMS 91 DESCRIPTIVE TITLE A Personal Application of the Foregoing Psalm. ANALYSIS Prelude, Commending the Initial Sentiment of Moses-' Prayer. Stanza I., Psalms 91:2-8, Exhortation to Make this S...

  • Darby's translation notes (1890)

    91:13 lion (c-6) Strictly, 'a fierce lion,' Job 4:10 . dragon (d-15) Or 'sea-monster,' or 'serpent.' see Note, Genesis 1:21 ....

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    This Ps. describes the safety of those who trust in God, and may have a special reference to the nation of Israel at a time when other nations were involved in calamity. The dangers that threatened Ba...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    DRAGON] RV ' serpent.'...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    Psalms 90:106 _GORDON CHURCHYARD_ MY SAFE PLACE! PSALMS 91 Jesus said, "Jerusalem, I often wanted to get your children together as a mother bird gets her babies under her wings" ...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    LION... ADDER... YOUNG LION. — These are used no doubt, emblematically for the various obstacles, difficulties, and danger which threatens life. (For “adder,” see Note, Psalms 58:4; “dragon,” Psalms 7...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    עַל ־שַׁ֣חַל וָ פֶ֣תֶן תִּדְרֹ֑ךְ תִּרְמֹ֖ס כ

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    Psalms 91:1 THE solemn sadness of Psalms 90:1 is set in strong relief by the sunny brightness of this song of happy, perfect trust in the Divine protection. The juxtaposition is, however, probably due...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    SECURITY IN TRUSTING THE LORD Psalms 91:1 In harmony with the new light cast upon it by the Revised Version, this psalm has been divided as follows: Psalms 91:1, a soliloquy in which the believer sta...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    This psalm is one of the greatest possessions of the saints. It is a great song of the safety of such as put their trust in Jehovah, and contains the Divine assurance of such faith as fruitful. Very l...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the (h) young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet. (h) You will not only be preserved from all evil, but overcome it whether it is secret or op...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    Palm-tree. Septuagint Greek: phoinix, means also a "Ph\'9cnician, or the Ph\'9cnix" bird, of which the ancients have said so much, Job xxix. 18., (Calmet) and of which Tertullian, (de Res. xiii.) and...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    Surely we must be senseless indeed, if we do not view Christ here, when the devil himself hesitated not to acknowledge it. Turn, Reader, to the subject of thy Redeemer's temptation, and observe how Ch...

  • James Nisbet's Church Pulpit Commentary

    _VICTOR IN LIFE’S BATTLE_ ‘Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet.’ Psalms 91:13 The definite promise, ‘Thou shalt tread upon the lion...

  • John Calvin's Bible Commentary

    13._Thou shalt walk over the lion and asp. _The same truth is here expressed in different words. He had already spoken of the obstacles which Satan throws in our course under the figure of a _stone. _...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    We have now (Psalms 91) another most important principle introduced; Messiah's taking His place with Israel, the place of trust in Jehovah, so as to afford the channel for the full blessing of the peo...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    THOU SHALT TREAD UPON THE LION AND ADDER,.... Or be unhurt by such savage and poisonous creatures; as the Israelites, when they travelled through the wilderness, in which were serpents and scorpions;...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet. Ver. 13. _Thou shalt tread upon the lion, &c._] No creature shall harm thee, so as to hinder thi...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _Thou shalt tread upon the lion_ The lion shall lie prostrate at thy feet, and thou shalt securely put thy feet upon his neck, as the Israelites did upon the necks of the Canaanitish kings, Joshua 10:...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder; the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet, overcome all the attacks of the powers of hell, no matter how fierce and insidious they are. The...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    THE SAFETY OF THE BELIEVERS IN EVERY EMERGENCY. The author of this psalm is not mentioned in the Bible, but the contents and the spirit of the hymn suggest the name of David, the pestilence referred...

  • Marginal Notes in the King James Version (1611)

    ADDER: Or, asp...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    9-16 Whatever happens, nothing shall hurt the believer; though trouble and affliction befal, it shall come, not for his hurt, but for good, though for the present it be not joyous but grievous. Those...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    The lion shall lie prostrate at thy feet, and thou shalt securely put thy feet upon his neck, as the Israelites did upon the necks of the Canaanitish kings, JOSHUA 10:24. THE DRAGON; by which he synec...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Psalms 91:13 tread H1869 (H8799) lion H7826 cobra H6620 lion H3715 serpent H8577 underfoot H7429 (H8799)...

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    Psalms 91:13 The definite promise, "Thou shalt tread upon the lion and the dragon," was a reference not only to reptiles and wild beasts of outward evil, but to evils in which the deadliness of vice i...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    A Psalm written for comfort, but it is not addressed to all mankind, neither I venture to say, to all believers, but only those who are described in the first verse. Psalms 91:1. _He that dwelleth in...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    Psalms 91:1. _He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty._ It is not every man who dwells there; no, not even every Christian man. There are so...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: The preservation of those whose confidence is in God. CHARACTERS: God, Psalmist, Moses. CONCLUSION: Those who live a life of communion with God are constantly safe under His protecting win...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    This psalm is sent down to us as an ode of praise by David, written when the pestilence was stayed. The Targum considers it as a dialogue between David and Solomon, giving the Almighty the final word....

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder._ SPIRITUAL VICTORY This promise refers not only to the reptiles and wild beasts of outwards evil, but also to evils in which the deadliness of sin is concen...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _For He shall give His angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways._ GOD’S ANGELS HELPING GOOD MEN ON EARTH I. God has angels at His command. 1. Spiritual existences. 2. Full of vitality...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty._ A SONG OF FAITH I. The solitary voice of faith. “He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    PSALM PSALM—NOTE ON PSALMS 91:1. This tender psalm describes the confidence that the believer may have through all types of dangers and challenges. ⇐

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    INTRODUCTION There is no title prefixed to this Psalm. We know not who is the author of it. The conjecture, which has been made by some, that it was written by Moses, is very inadequately sustained. N...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION THIS psalm, like the majority in the present Book, is without a title. Jewish tradition, however, ascribed it to Moses—a conclusion which Dr. Kay and others accept as borne out by the facts...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    So let's turn to Psalms 91:1-16 that we might begin our Bible study this evening. Psalms 91:1-16 brings up the question of just where are you living? There is a place that you might live that is sure...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    1 Samuel 17:37; 2 Timothy 4:17; Acts 28:3; Daniel 6:22; Isaiah 27:1;...

  • Wells of Living Water Commentary

    THE PSALM OF SECURITY Psalms 91:1 INTRODUCTORY WORDS It seems to us that the last 4 verses of the 90th Psalm are a fitting introduction or prelude to the glorious security of the believer in the 91s...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    The lion — Shall lie prostrate at thy feet, and thou shalt securely put thy feet upon his neck. Dragon — By which he understands all pernicious creatures, though never so strong, and all sorts of enem...

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