“For He will command His angels concerning You to guard You in all Your ways. On their hands they will bear You up, lest You strike Your foot against a stone.“
(Psalm 91:11-12 ESV)
These are the verses misused by the devil in his efforts to lead Jesus into sin, although Satan left out the important phrase “in all your ways.” It appears that the ancient serpent knows something about Scripture, but is unable to use it honestly. Jesus, in response, rightly used the Word to defeat the evil foe, a lesson for us all.
Our psalm verses are not concerned with fallen angels but with the angels sent by God to guard His people. We do not know everything about our angelic guardians, but Scripture tells us some things. We know that angels are created beings, made by the Lord who created “the heaven of heavens, with all their host” (Nehemiah 9:6b ESV). Angels do God’s will and offer ceaseless praise before His throne. Holy Scripture gives us the names of two angels, Michael and Gabriel.
Angels are “ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation” (Hebrews 1:14b ESV). These ministering spirits guard adult believers as well as the Good Shepherd’s littlest lambs. It appears that angels are talented at disguising themselves since some people “have entertained angels unawares” (Hebrews 13:2b ESV). Although we may be fascinated by these mighty beings, we must never worship them. They are our fellow servants and they serve the same Master we do (see Revelation 19:10).
The writings of the prophets and the good news of our salvation are “things into which angels long to look” (1 Peter 1:12b ESV). These curious, angelic warriors and messengers were deeply involved in the story of our salvation. An angel announced Jesus’ birth to shepherds in the fields and a multitude of the heavenly host filled the night sky with praise. On the night Jesus was betrayed, an angel appeared to strengthen Him. Angels proclaimed the glad news of Jesus’ resurrection: “He is not here, but has risen” (Luke 24:6a ESV), and they will accompany the Lord when He returns on the Last Day.
There is much that we do not know about these unseen and unnamed servants of God, but we know that God commands His angels to guard us in all our ways. Earlier verses of this psalm state: “Because you have made the LORD your dwelling place—the Most High, who is my refuge—no evil shall be allowed to befall you, no plague come near your tent” (Psalm 91:9-10 ESV). We may wonder about the command for the angels to bear us up. Sometimes we do strike a foot against a stone, but a stubbed toe or a trip over a stone does not mean the angels are not paying attention. God, who knows when a single sparrow falls to the earth, surely knows when and where we stumble or fall. The promise of this psalm assures us that we are closely watched and guarded, and even more closely loved.
Prayer: Lord and Savior, I praise You for the watchful care of Your holy angels. Amen.
This Daily Devotion was written by Dr. Carol Geisler.
Originally published in The Lutheran Hour on February 28, 2022
Used by permission from International Lutheran Laymen’s League, all rights reserved
Reflection Questions:
1. Angels are active in the Bible. What are some of the things they do?
2. What does the term “guardian angel” mean to you? Do you believe such an angel looks out for you?
3. Have you ever experienced any situation where you felt like an angel was involved in some way?