Psalm 91:12, 13 They shall bear you up in their hands, lest you dash your foot against a stone. (See also vers. 5, 6, 10.) Those dealt with may be read in the light of wilderness experiences. Then we have: 1. The common Eastern terror of the night, both as time of insecurity and time of spread of disease. Thieves work at night; sudden attacks of enemies are made at night; the angel of pestilence strikes at night; wild beasts roam at night; fires mostly break out at night. 2. The dangers of sunstroke and lightning flash, which are the "arrows that fly by day." 3. The diseases that breed in unsanitary conditions, and gain force to sweep thousands away. 4. The open and subtle attacks of the animals of the desert. The lion that attacks in front; the adder that bites the heel. Bonar tells us that "the putrid plague fever often comes on in the night, while the patient is asleep; the solstitial disease seizes in heat of harvest upon a man in open air, and cuts him off, perhaps, ere evening." Now what of spiritual peril may these typify? I. THE PERILS THAT CONNECT WITH THE CONSCIOUSNESS OF HELPLESSNESS. At night we can do nothing to ward off evils. So there are times in life when we feel to be in circumstances which we cannot even try to control. The good man would be hopelessly distressed if he were compelled to think he was at the mercy of circumstances. The psalmist knows that darkness and light are both alike to his protecting God. II. THE PERILS THAT COME THROUGH THE OVERMASTERING OF OUR EFFORTS. In the day we can watch, we can resist, we can order our conduct wisely, we can act promptly; and yet we are constantly finding the forces round us are bigger than we. Sunstroke and lightning typify the things that will not be "according to our mind." But the psalmist knows nothing is beyond the Divine restraint. That which happens is permitted. III. THE PERILS THAT COME TO US VICARIOUSLY. We are constantly suffering from the sins and neglects of others. If we do right and our neighbour does wrong, both may have to suffer the consequences that result. As in case of infectious diseases. So national troubles reach the evil and the good alike. IV. THE PERILS THAT COME THROUGH WILFUL WRONG DOERS. Represented by the violent "lion," and the insidious, treacherous "adder." The psalmist believes in God as Restrainer of the wrath of men. - R.T. Parallel Verses KJV: They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.WEB: They will bear you up in their hands, so that you won't dash your foot against a stone. |
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