You Will Not Fear the Terror of the Night

PSALM 91 is often called the Soldiers’ Psalm, but the warfare it describes is spiritual rather than physical.The “terror,” “pestilence,” and “destruction” referenced in Psalm 91 were evil entities named Pachad, Deber, and Qeteb who were well-known to the ancient Canaanites. We also note that the “adder” of verse 13 is nachash, the “serpent” of Genesis 3, and “the serpent” of Psalm 91 is a tannin—a dragon!We also note God’s promise to deliver those who hold fast to Him in love, and we explain why verse 16 is a promise of the coming Messiah.Then we move to the first chapter of Joshua, an exhortation of the Israelites to “be strong and courageous” as they prepared for the conquest of Canaan. Notice Joshua 1:3, God’s promise that “every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given to you.” And we discuss the importance of verse 11, and why Joshua’s command to his officers to prepare the people “for within three days you are to pass over this Jordan” is a reversal of a pagan ritual intended to resurrect “those who cross over”—the Rephaim—at dawn of the third day.