Read Psalm 91
“Those who live in the shelter of the Most High
will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
2This I declare about the Lord:
He alone is my refuge, my place of safety;
he is my God, and I trust him.
3For he will rescue you from every trap
and protect you from deadly disease.
4He will cover you with his feathers.
He will shelter you with his wings.
His faithful promises are your armor and protection.
5Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night,
nor the arrow that flies in the day.
6Do not dread the disease that stalks in darkness,
nor the disaster that strikes at midday.
7Though a thousand fall at your side,
though ten thousand are dying around you,
these evils will not touch you.
8Just open your eyes,
and see how the wicked are punished.
9If you make the Lord your refuge,
if you make the Most High your shelter,
10no evil will conquer you;
no plague will come near your home.
11For he will order his angels
to protect you wherever you go.
12They will hold you up with their hands
so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone.
13You will trample upon lions and cobras;
you will crush fierce lions and serpents under your feet!
14The Lord says, “I will rescue those who love me.
I will protect those who trust in my name.
15When they call on me, I will answer;
I will be with them in trouble.
I will rescue and honor them.
16I will reward them with a long life
and give them my salvation.”
Note from the New Believer’s Bible
People often wonder if Christians have guardian angels, which are angels specifically assigned to watch over them. Jesus, speaking of his love for little children, said, “I tell you that in heaven their angels are always in the presence of my heavenly Father” (Matthew 18:10). Even if we don’t have personal angels, both Old and New Testaments do show that angels are active in the lives of believers (for examples, see 1 Kings 19:5; Daniel 6:22; Matthew 18:10; Luke 16:22; Acts 12:7).
Psalm 91 contains some wonderful promises concerning angels: “He will order his angels to protect you wherever you go. They will hold you up with their hands so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone” (Psalm 91:11-12). Yet these promises are conditional. A relationship with God is necessary to receive his promise of angelic protection: “If you make the Lord your refuge, if you make the Most High your shelter . . .” (Psalm 91:9). Once this condition is met, God will command his angels to rescue his followers from threatening situations, according to his will.