Psalm 91 Catholic: The Psalm of Protection, Text and Meaning

Psalm 91 is the great psalm of God’s protection: “He that dwelleth in the aid of the most High, shall abide under the protection of the God of Jacob.” Christians have prayed it for centuries in danger, illness and fear, and the Church prays it every Sunday night at Compline. In the Douay-Rheims and other older Catholic Bibles it is numbered Psalm 90. Below is the full Catholic text, what each part means, how the Church uses it, and a prayer.

Psalm 91 in the Douay-Rheims Bible

The praise of a canticle for David. He that dwelleth in the aid of the most High, shall abide under the protection of the God of Jacob.
He shall say to the Lord: Thou art my protector, and my refuge: my God, in him will I trust.
For he hath delivered me from the snare of the hunters: and from the sharp word.
He will overshadow thee with his shoulders: and under his wings thou shalt trust.
His truth shall compass thee with a shield: thou shalt not be afraid of the terror of the night.
Of the arrow that flieth in the day, of the business that walketh about in the dark: of invasion, or of the noonday devil.
A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand: but it shall not come nigh thee.
But thou shalt consider with thy eyes: and shalt see the reward of the wicked.
Because thou, O Lord, art my hope: thou hast made the most High thy refuge.
There shall no evil come to thee: nor shall the scourge come near thy dwelling.
For he hath given his angels charge over thee; to keep thee in all thy ways.
In their hands they shall bear thee up: lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.
Thou shalt walk upon the asp and the basilisk: and thou shalt trample under foot the lion and the dragon.
Because he hoped in me I will deliver him: I will protect him because he hath known my name.
He shall cry to me, and I will hear him: I am with him in tribulation, I will deliver him, and I will glorify him.
I will fill him with length of days; and I will shew him my salvation.

Psalm 91 or Psalm 90?

The Douay-Rheims follows the numbering of the Latin Vulgate and the Greek Septuagint; modern Bibles follow the Hebrew. So the Douay’s Psalm 90 is Psalm 91 in most Bibles today. The Latin begins Qui habitat in adiutorio Altissimi. See how many psalms are there?

What the psalm means

Dwelling in God’s shelter: the psalm begins with trust: whoever makes God his refuge is safe under his shadow.
Under his wings: God protects us like a bird sheltering its young.
No fear by night or day: “the terror of the night,” “the arrow that flieth in the day,” pestilence and destruction, the dangers of every hour.
Angels on guard: “he hath given his angels charge over thee; to keep thee in all thy ways,” words the devil twisted when he tempted Jesus (Matthew 4:6). See the Guardian Angel prayer.
God’s promise: the psalm ends with God himself speaking: “Because he hoped in me I will deliver him… I am with him in tribulation.”

Psalm 91 is a prayer of trust, not a magic charm: it does not promise that believers will never suffer, but that God is with them in every trial and will bring them to salvation.

How the Church uses Psalm 91

At Night Prayer (Compline) on Sundays and solemnities. See Compline.
On the First Sunday of Lent, when the Gospel tells of Jesus’ temptation in the desert, as the responsorial psalm in Year C. See Lent.
In times of danger, war and epidemic, as a prayer for protection. See prayer for protection.

A prayer with Psalm 91

Written for this page:

Most High God, I take refuge in you.
Cover me with your wings and keep me from every danger of body and soul.
Send your angels to guard me in all my ways,
and when trouble comes, be with me, deliver me and show me your salvation.
Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Frequently asked questions

Why is Psalm 91 called the psalm of protection?

Because it promises God’s protection to those who trust in him, under the image of a fortress and of a bird sheltering its young.

Is Psalm 91 Catholic?

It is part of the Bible shared by all Christians, and the Catholic Church prays it every week at Compline.

What Bible verse did the devil quote from Psalm 91?

Verses 11–12, about the angels bearing us up, which the devil quoted to tempt Jesus to throw himself from the Temple (Matthew 4:6).

More psalms and prayers

Texts and sources

Scripture: Psalm 90 (91); Matthew 4:6, Douay-Rheims Bible (Challoner), public domain.
The prayer was written for this page.