He Will Save You from the Deadly Pestilence

Jews and Christians alike have made Psalm 91 one of the most commonly used and cited parts of the Bible. The psalm has shaped theories of politics and government, not to mention influencing medicine and mysticism. In different ages, the psalm has borne many different names: the Song of Evil Spirits, the Soldier's Psalm, and most concisely, the Protection Psalm. As the Song of Plagues, it has gained a whole new relevance in an age of global pandemic. In the New Testament, Satan himself quotes the psalm, and ever since, that text has both reflected and shaped changing concepts of evil and the demonic. It was and still is used for magical and superstitious purposes, including for exorcism and demon-fighting. As perils and threats have changed and evolved in various societies, so interpretations of Psalm 91 have developed to accommodate each new reality. A biography of Psalm 91 is also a history of critical themes in Western religion--