6, 7. How did Satan use Psalm 91:11, 12 in his trying to tempt Jesus Christ, and why without success?

⁶ For example, in the year 29 of our Common Era, God’s great Adversary applied Ps 91 verses eleven and twelve to a certain man in the Middle East. Satan the Devil, the Tempter, was out to wreck the spirituality of this man, deceptively by the misuse of God’s own inspired Word. In those verses 11, 12 of Psalm 91 the Tempter worked in the idea of physical security. He argued that especially a “son of God” would have such personal bodily protection and safeguarding. In proof of this to the Devil and to the Jewish people, the man should hurl himself down from the battlement of the temple at Jerusalem and let the angels carry him gently to the temple pavement against the laws of gravitation. This would be like a “sign from heaven.”

⁷ Of all persons, this Psalm 91 should fit this man who had recently been anointed with God’s spirit to be the Messiah, the Christ. So the Devil schemed what he thought was a real temptation for this man anointed of God. But the man, Jesus Christ, saw through the trick, saw the wrong thrust given to Psalm 91:11, 12.

[Picture on page 721]

When urging Jesus to hurl himself from the battlement of the temple, the Devil dishonestly quoted Psalm 91 as if it were a guarantee of physical security