Psalm 91: 1-2, 10-15

This week’s responsorial psalm is from Psalm 91, a prayer of someone who has taken refuge in the Lord.

This psalm expresses confidence that God’s presence will protect the people in every dangerous situation, making it a fitting responsorial for the First Sunday of Lent. This is also the psalm that Satan quotes as he tempts Jesus in the desert.

You who dwell in the shelter of the Most High, who abide in the shadow of the Almighty,

This verse establishes the central theme of divine protection. The image of God’s protective shelter or shade appears throughout the Psalms (e.g. 27:5; 31:21; 61:5), evoking a sense of God’s close and personal care.

The idea also contrasts the harshness of the world (heat, storms, and enemies) with the peace found in God’s shelter (shade, calm, protection).

say to the LORD, “My refuge and fortress, my God in whom I trust.”

Trust in God is key to experiencing this protection.

No evil shall befall you, nor shall affliction come near your tent,

When we trust in God and not man, there is no danger of failure or disappointment.

for to his angels he has given command about you, that they guard you in all your ways. Upon their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone. 

God’s provision includes angelic protection, underscoring the extent of his divine care.

Satan quotes this powerful verse in today’s gospel reading, where he tempts Christ into testing God. Jesus does not deny the truth of these words, but he corrects their misinterpretation and abuse.

You shall tread upon the asp and the viper; you shall trample down the lion and the dragon.

The imagery of overcoming dangerous creatures symbolizes victory over evil. This can be seen as a foreshadowing of Christ’s triumph over sin and Satan.

In fact, Jesus uses similar words to assure his disciples that nothing will harm them: “Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy; and nothing shall hurt you” (Luke 10:19).

Because he clings to me, I will deliver him; I will set him on high because he acknowledges my name. He shall call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in distress; I will deliver him and glorify him.

The narrative shifts; it is now God himself who speaks. The tone becomes more intimate, with God directly affirming his promises of protection, deliverance, and care.

These verses have inspired profound reflection by Christian spiritual writers, including this passage from Saint Bernard of Clairvaux:

“If God says ‘I will be with him in the midst of tribulation,’ why do I seek anything but times of trouble? It is good for me to be at God’s side, and not only that but to have the Lord as my refuge, because he himself says: ‘I will defend him and glorify him. I will be with him in the midst of tribulation.’ He delights, he says, to be with the sons of men. He is called Emmanuel, which means ‘God-is-with-us.’ He comes down from heaven to be close to those whose hearts are troubled, to be with us in our times of trial. […] For me, Lord, it is better to suffer distress with you than to reign as king without you or to live in peace without you or to win glory without you. It is better, Lord, that I unite myself more closely to you in times of trouble, to have you by my side through the tests of fire, than to be without you in this present life or in heaven. For what is the worth of heaven without you? And with you beside me, what on earth can matter to me?” (Saint Bernard, Sermones de tempore, 4, 6)