John Calvin Commentary Psalms 91:7

"A thousand shall fall at thy side, And ten thousand at thy right hand; [But] it shall not come nigh thee." — Psalms 91:7 (ASV)

A thousand shall fall at thy side. He proceeds to show that, though the condition of all people may appear to be alike, the believer has the special privilege of being exempted from imminent and impending evils. For it might be objected that he was merely human and, as such, exposed with others to death in its thousand different forms.

To correct this mistake, the Psalmist does not hesitate to assert that when universal ruin prevails, the Lord’s children are the objects of his distinguishing care and are preserved amid the general destruction. The lesson is one that we all need: that, though naturally subject to the common evils that are spread around, we are privileged with a special exemption that secures our safety in the midst of dangers.

In the following verse, more is meant than merely that the believer will personally experience the truth the Psalmist had stated—actually feeling and seeing with his own eyes that God manages his defense. A new argument is also brought forward in support of this truth: as the righteous judge of the world, God must punish the wicked according to their sins and extend protection to his own children.

There is much that is obscure about the state of things in this world. Yet, the Psalmist hints that amid all the confusion that reigns, we may gather from what we see of God’s judgments that he does not disappoint the expectations of his believing people.

The Psalmist must be understood, however, as addressing those who have eyes to see: those privileged with the true light of faith, who are fully awake to the consideration of Divine judgments, and who wait patiently and quietly until the proper time arrives. For most people falter and become confused about this subject by drawing hasty conclusions, and they are prevented from discerning God’s providence because they judge by appearances.

It is also fitting for us to be satisfied with understanding God’s judgments only imperfectly while we remain on earth, leaving to him the deferral of their fuller disclosure until the day of complete revelation.