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Psalm 91 · a question people ask

When the devil quoted this psalm to Jesus, did he quote it right?

In the text

Set them side by side in the WEB. The psalm: "For he will put his angels in charge of you, to guard you in all your ways" (91:11). Matthew: "He will command his angels concerning you" (Matthew 4:6). Luke: "He will put his angels in charge of you, to guard you" (Luke 4:10). Neither Gospel has the psalm's last words, in all your ways. The next verse is close in all three: "They will bear you up in their hands, so that you won’t dash your foot against a stone" (91:12); "On their hands they will bear you up, so that you don’t dash your foot against a stone" (Matthew 4:6); "On their hands they will bear you up, lest perhaps you dash your foot against a stone" (Luke 4:11). The Gospels don't comment on the wording, and these notes don't say why in all your ways isn't there. What the Gospels do record is what the devil did with the words, "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written" (Matthew 4:6), and Jesus' answer: "Again, it is written" (Matthew 4:7), "You shall not test the Lord, your God" (Matthew 4:7).

The verses

“For he will put his angels in charge of you, to guard you in all your ways. They will bear you up in their hands, so that you won’t dash your foot against a stone.”
Psalm 91:11-12 · World English Bible
“and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written, ‘He will command his angels concerning you,’ and, ‘On their hands they will bear you up, so that you don’t dash your foot against a stone.’” Jesus said to him, “Again, it is written, ‘You shall not test the Lord, your God.’””
Matthew 4:6-7 · World English Bible
“for it is written, ‘He will put his angels in charge of you, to guard you;’ and, ‘On their hands they will bear you up, lest perhaps you dash your foot against a stone.’””
Luke 4:10-11 · World English Bible

From Favor's study of Psalm 91

Psalm 91: The shadow of the Almighty

Psalm 91 names God four ways in its first two verses, says deliver three times with three different Hebrew verbs (91:3, 91:14, 91:15), and ends with God himself speaking. Its lines about angels (91:11-12) are quoted in the Gospels by the devil, to Jesus, who answered, "You shall not test the Lord, your God" (Matthew 4:7).

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Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible, which is in the public domain. Every answer cites the verses it rests on. What we believe · All Bible questions