Satan Cites Psalms 91

Satan tests Jesus three times in the desert. At one stage, he takes Jesus to the pinnacle of the Temple in Jerusalem, where he tells him to throw himself down from the peak (Luke 4:9-10). Satan quotes the Book of Psalms out of context and says: “He will command his angels concerning you to guard (shomer שׁוֹמֵר) you carefully; they will lift you up in their hands…” (Ps. 91:11-12).

Misinterpretation as a Stumbling Block

Satan tries to trick Jesus by bending words of Scripture and says to him: Go ahead — jump! Despite this, Jesus did not submit to this provocation because he recognized the Scriptures in their true context. Since Jesus was a native Hebrew speaker, he understood that shomer שׁוֹמֵר meant “guard”. In Biblical Hebrew, this powerful word guarantees divine protection in case of danger. However, one should not take life for granted.

Reclaim Biblical Truth

The triumph of Christ over Satan on the roof of the Temple represents the triumph of accurate reading of Scripture over misinterpretation. Too often, we encounter examples of blatant misreading of Scripture which are designed to trap us in ignorance. The time has come for you to avoid the “snare of the fowler” (Ps. 91:3). Dive into the Word of God by enrolling in our live online Biblical Hebrew course today and guard yourself.