John Calvin Commentary Psalms 91:15

"He shall call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble: I will deliver him, and honor him." — Psalms 91:15 (ASV)

He shall call upon me. He now shows more clearly what was meant by trusting in God, or placing our love and delight in Him. For that affection and desire which is produced by faith prompts us to call upon His name. This is another proof in support of the truth, which I previously touched upon, that prayer is properly grounded upon the word of God.

We are not at liberty in this matter to follow the suggestions of our own mind or will, but must seek God only insofar as He has first invited us to approach Him. The context, too, may teach us that faith is not idle or inoperative, and that one test by which we should test those who look for Divine deliverances is whether they have recourse to God in a right manner.

We are taught the additional lesson that believers will never be exempt from troubles and embarrassments. God does not promise them a life of ease and luxury, but deliverance from their tribulations. Mention is made of His glorifying them, intimating that the deliverance which God extends, and which has been spoken of in this psalm, is not of a mere temporary nature, but will ultimately result in them being advanced to perfect happiness.

He puts much honor upon them in the world and glorifies Himself in them conspicuously, but it is not until the completion of their course that He gives them reason for triumph. It may seem strange that length of days should be mentioned in the last verse as promised to them, since many of the Lord’s people are soon taken out of the world.

But I may repeat an observation made elsewhere: that those Divine blessings promised in relation to the present, perishing world are not to be considered as realized in a universal and absolute sense, or fulfilled in all according to one uniform standard.

Wealth and other worldly comforts must be looked upon as affording some experience of Divine favor or goodness, but it does not follow that the poor are objects of Divine displeasure. Soundness of body and good health are blessings from God, but we must not conclude from this that He disapproves of the weak and the infirm.

Long life is to be classed among benefits of this kind and would be bestowed by God upon all His children, were it not to their advantage to be taken early out of the world. They are more satisfied with the short period during which they live than the wicked are, even though the life of the wicked might be extended for thousands of years.

The expression that they are satisfied with length of days cannot apply to the wicked, for however long they live, the thirst of their desires continues to be unquenched. It is life, and nothing more, that they riot in with such eagerness, nor can they be said to have had one moment’s enjoyment of that Divine favor and goodness which alone can provide true satisfaction.

The Psalmist might therefore properly state it as a privilege uniquely belonging to the Lord’s people that they are satisfied with life. They consider the brief appointed term to be sufficient, abundantly sufficient. Besides, longevity is never to be compared with eternity. The salvation of God extends far beyond the narrow boundary of earthly existence, and it is to this, whether we live or die, that we should primarily look.

It is with this in mind that the Psalmist, after stating all the other benefits which God bestows, adds this as a final clause: that when He has followed them with His fatherly goodness throughout their lives, He at last shows them His salvation.