Why Did Satan Cite the Psalms?

[Rella]

When the devil meets Jesus in the wilderness, the two engage in a "Scripture battle." Yeshua quotes from Deuteronomy three times, but Satan cites Psalm 91.

Of all the biblical options, why does the devil draw on this particular text?

 

[complete]

Rella said:-
When the devil meets Jesus in the wilderness, the two engage in a "Scripture battle." Yeshua quotes from Deuteronomy three times, but Satan cites Psalm 91.
Of all the biblical options, why does the devil draw on this particular text?

Matthew 4:1-11
Luke 4:1-13

Hello @Rella,

Satan quotes Psalm 91:11-12 ( -as you say- ):-

'And saith unto Him," If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down:
for it is written, 'He shall give his angels charge concerning thee:
and in their hands they shall bear thee up,
lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. ... ... "'
(Mat 4:6)

'For He shall give His angels charge over thee,
to keep thee in all thy ways.
They shall bear thee up in their hands,
lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.'
(Psa 91:11-12)

* Comparing these two references, we can see that Satan has mis-quoted Psalm 91:11-12, hasn't he? and added and omitted wording to it. The words, 'in all thy ways',are omitted, and the words, 'at any time' are added.

* As to why Psalm 91? I would be interested to know what you have to say. The only thing I can see at the moment is that it (Psalm 91) related particularly to the Messiah.

* It is noteworthy that he does not quote Psalm 91:13, which refers to Satan's head being crushed as prophesied (Genesis 3:15)..


Thank you
In Christ Jesus
Chris

 

[Rella]

Matthew 4:1-11
Luke 4:1-13

Hello @Rella,

Satan quotes Psalm 91:11-12 ( -as you say- ):-

'And saith unto Him," If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down:
for it is written, 'He shall give his angels charge concerning thee:
and in their hands they shall bear thee up,
lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. ... ... "'
(Mat 4:6)

'For He shall give His angels charge over thee,
to keep thee in all thy ways.
They shall bear thee up in their hands,
lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.'
(Psa 91:11-12)

* Comparing these two references, we can see that Satan has mis-quoted Psalm 91:11-12, hasn't he? and added and omitted wording to it. The words, 'in all thy ways',are omitted, and the words, 'at any time' are added.

As to why Psalm 91? I would be interested to know what you have to say. The only thing I can see at the moment is that it (Psalm 91) related particularly to the Messiah.

Thank you
In Christ Jesus
Chris

Good morning, Chris...

This was a question that I read a couple days ago and it gave me pause as I, admittedly, never thought about it nor remember any
"church" teaching on the subject.

My first reaction was that Satan, in trying to entice Jesus quoted scripture... that both knew well... to possibly promote a false belief that he really was not such a bad guy and that he was well aware Jesus would be protected by the angels and therefore
if Jesus would do as he(Satan) said, no harm would come to him......

BUT I as well as we all including Satan would know that Jesus knew perfectly well what he was up against... so that was a dumb thought of mine....

The author of that question had replied to it and I honestly think their reply was as dumb as my idea...
From the Israel Bible Center that is coming to my email these days....

Israel Bible Center

The best place to fully understand the Bible

lp.israelbiblecenter.com

Satan’s Use of Scripture ​

“He will command his angels concerning you... lest you strike your foot against a stone” (91:11-12). This quote from the Prince of Demons is ironic since Jews in Jesus’ day used Psalm 91 as a prayer against demonic forces!

Psalm 91 in Jewish Translations ​

In Hebrew, the psalm says not to fear “the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the destruction that wastes at noon” (91:5-6). The Greek Septuagint teaches not to fear “the thing that walks in darkness… and the demon (δαιμονίον; daimonion) at noon.” (90:5-6 LXX). The later Aramaic translators added even more demons: “You shall not fear the terror of the demon that goes about in the night… nor the company of demons that destroy at noon…. No plague or demons shall come near your tent.” (PsTargum 91:5-6, 10-11).

Satan’s Silly Mistake ​

So, it turns out that the devil’s decision to cite Psalm 91 was the worst possible choice to make. Since Psalm 91 was a prayer that guarded against demons, Satan chooses verses that were meant to drive him away! This comedy of satanic errors would have elicited a hearty laugh from Matthew’s original readers, and it shows that, according to evangelist, the devil is a bit of a dunce!

So, in addition to posting it here and a couple of other places... that has not provided an answer.... I went looking.

This one made sense to me....

The Devil is a Master Scripture Twister

“And he took him to Jerusalem and set him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, for it is written, “‘He will command his angels concerning you, to guard you,’and “‘On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot...

www.letterofmarque.us

“For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways. On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.” (Psalms 91:11–12)

In order to help us better understand the devil's gambit in this temptation, here is what one one Bible commentator wrote regarding Satan's use of scripture on this occasion:


" devil's temptation has in reality two objects: Christ should demonstrate His divine Sonship; He should, in this manner, gain a great number of disciples, probably the entire populace, at one bold stroke. The devil even quoted Scripture to accomplish his purpose, Ps. 91:11-12, omitting, however, the very essential words "to keep thee in all thy ways," which are practically a norm for the proper understanding of the entire passage. But Jesus was fully equal to the occasion. Without going into the matter of falsifying Scripture in his own interest, He tells the devil that there is a passage which reads: Thou shalt not tempt the Lord, thy God, Deut. 6:16. Any attempt to reach the ground below by any means outside of those suggested by a correct understanding of nature's laws would be a challenging of God's protective care, for which there is no promise in the Bible. Note: In a similar way, the devil is always attempting to make us presumptuous, daring, foolhardy, without the promise and command of God. It is the pride of our hearts which he intends to incite, together with the feeling that we are in no need of God's protective care. But the one effective way of meeting all the attacks of the Evil One and vanquishing him quickly and surely is to use the words of Scripture as weapons of defense and offense. Before these powerful onslaughts the devil must give way and be routed completely. - Kretzmann, Popular Commentary

This Gospel passage has faithfully served the church as a warning against the agents of the evil one who skillfully twist and misinterpret the Bible and it is also a sign post that points us to the sixth and seventh petitions of the Lord's Prayer:

But I finally arrived at a seemingly logical conclusion.

Satan was attempting to make Jesus prove he was the Son of God. The Messiah. I think it is as simple as that.

IOW... Satan’s logic went this way: Psalm 91 is talking about the Messiah, so then Jesus of Nazareth, if you really are the Messiah, then Psalm 91 should apply to you. Now prove it.

As to the misquoting of scripture... that is or can be problematic, depending on you choice of translations. Personally I almost never go to KJV because of too many provable oddities that King Jimmy's men came up with in their translation....

I, invarible , go first to the NASB95 translation and they have Psalm 91: 11-12 AS

11 For He will give His angels charge concerning you,
To guard you in all your ways.
12 They will bear you up in their hands,
That you do not strike your foot against a stone.

Then I will check out the Greek/English Interlinear or in this case the Hebrew/ English Interlinear...which says this. (Exactly as written

. your ways in all to keep you over you He shall give charge His angels For 11

(11 Which would read for us today For His angles He shall give charge over you to keep you in all your ways.)

. your foot against a stone you dash lest they bear you up [their] hands In 12

(12 Which would read for us today In [their] hands they bear you up lest you dash your foot against a stone.)

Finally I will check the newest translation... from 2020 the LSV

11 For He charges His messengers for you, || To keep you in all your ways,

12 On the hands they bear you up, || Lest you strike your foot against a stone

and the Septuagint.. which, in this case.. my English version does not have Psalms....so I will defer to what the Israel Bible people say above.

So, as to Satan misquoting by addition or omission or wording.... You would have to have a copy of scripture of the day he was speaking to know how misleading that was.... if it was... and we could have it in our own 2023 American/English wording.... correctly.

Maybe.....!!!! ...?

LOL, Have a blessed day.

 

[paths that cross]

Satan used the scripture against Jesus because he knew that the Scriptures would be the only thing that Jesus would consider as valid truth.

Getting Jesus to accept a perversion of Scripture - was the last resort for Satan. and what Satan does very, very well.....

 

[Curtis]

Jesus never said anything out of his mouth but what he heard His Father say. Jesus never did anything except what He saw His Father do, The Father loved His Son and showed Him everything he does.

What Jesus spoke out of His mouth in His reply was what God the Father spoke through Him.

Mat 4:7 Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.

 

[paths that cross]

The Psalms are the prayers of repentance and sorrowful heartbreak and the breakdown and submitting to God from a man who was repenting of his sins of adultery and murder

The Psalms are the repenting and admission and acknowledgment of guilt by a man who sinned and repented and turned to God in his hour of darkness and horror and accepted his punishment and the justice of God.

This man { David } went on to serve God and being anointed as King and Prophet and continued in prophecy and divination and foretelling the future of God revealed for the future.

Satan used specifically the Psalms as a tool to distract and discourage and attempted to bring uncertainty and doubt upon Jesus who was the son of David.

 

[Curtis]

Satan always tries to transform himself as a (angel of light) minister of righteousness.

2Co 11:13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.
2Co 11:14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
2Co 11:15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.