Ps.91:3 – For it is He who delivers you from the snare of the trapper (hunter)
And from the deadly pestilence.
This is an interesting verse written from the perspective of one being hunted down. David was familiar with being hunted down like an animal, he had spent years being chased down by king Saul. As a youth certainly David observed animals being hunted down in the wild. The lion would hunt and even set traps for its prey. David felt like one of these animals as he spent years on the run, running literally for his life. David had come to some conclusions in all of those years of exile, the Lord was his hiding place and would always protect him from the traps that had been set by those who were hunting down his soul. Here are some interesting comments from Jerome specifically about this hunter who tries to ensnare us.
“There are many hunters in this world that go about setting traps for our soul. Nimrod the giant was a “mighty hunter before the Lord.” Esau, too, was a hunter, for he was a sinner. In all of holy Scripture, never do we find a hunter that is a faithful servant; we do find faithful fishermen.
“For he will rescue you from the snare of the hunters.” “We were rescued like a bird from the fowler’s snare; broken was the snare, and we were freed.” What snare is this that has been broken? “The Lord,” says the apostle, “will speedily crush Satan under our feet”; “that you may recover yourselves from the snare of the devil.” You see, then, that the devil is the hunter, eager to lure our souls unto perdition. The devil is master of many snares, deceptions of all kinds. Avarice is one of his pitfalls, disparagement is his noose, fornication is his bait.”
I know there are plenty of folks who love to hunt in our part of the country, this is not talking about you. This is just a picture the Psalmist is painting trying to describe the Lord as our refuge and defender no matter who or what is trying to chase us down. If it is sickness, He is my place of healing and recovery. If it is temptation, He knows how to keep me from the traps of temptation. If it is betrayal or false accusation, He is my advocate who always stands in my place. The Lord goes before us, and behind us, and literally surrounds us like a wall of defense. There is no enemy that has a chance of defeating those that belong to the Lord.
