Debunking a Psalm 91 Myth: Discovering How Real Divine Protection is Promised in a Famous Passage

The story of “The Soldier’s Psalm” has circulated widely, especially among modern evangelists. According to the tale, the 91st Infantry Brigade of the American Expeditionary Force (AEF) prepared to enter European combat during World War I. Their devout Christian commander reportedly distributed cards printed with Psalm 91—the same number as their brigade—and encouraged his men to recite it daily. As the story goes, the brigade fought in three of the war’s most grueling battles—Château-Thierry, Belleau Wood, and the Argonne—without suffering a single combat-related casualty, while other units endured up to 90% casualties.

A Myth Exposed

However, as captivating as this story is, it is not true. Mary Jane Holt debunked this myth in her article, “The Truth About the 91st Psalm,” citing a communication from Mike Hanlon, Research Editor of Relevance: The Quarterly Journal of The Great War Society. Hanlon clarified, “There was no 91st Brigade with the AEF in World War I. The Brigades’ highest number was 84.” While the story may be fabricated, the principle of divine protection remains a powerful biblical truth. Consider the story of a well-known soldier named Col. George Washington.

A True Account of Protection

In 1755, during the French and Indian War, a young George Washington marched with 1,400 British troops over the Appalachian Mountains to seize French Fort Duquesne. The British, led by General Edward Braddock, adhered to traditional European warfare, marching in bright red uniforms and forming ranks in open fields—an easy target for the enemy. Washington, then a 23-year-old colonel, warned Braddock that this approach would be disastrous against guerrilla tactics used by the French and their Native allies.

The Battle of Monongahela on July 9, 1755, confirmed Washington’s fears. Ambushed in a ravine, the British suffered catastrophic losses. Officers, mounted on horseback, became prime targets. Washington, the only officer still on horseback, repeatedly rode through a storm of musket fire to deliver orders despite being gravely ill. He later wrote to his mother, “By the All-Powerful Dispensations of Providence, I have been protected beyond all human probability or expectation; for I had four bullets through my coat, and two horses shot under me, yet escaped unhurt.”

Fifteen years later, Washington encountered an old Native chief who recalled the battle. Through an interpreter, the chief recounted how his warriors had targeted Washington specifically, firing multiple shots but failing to harm him. “A power mightier far than we shielded you,” the chief declared, adding a prophetic statement: “The Great Spirit protects that man and guides his destinies. He will become the chief of nations.”

While fabricated tales like the myth of the “Soldier’s Psalm” might detract from the historical record, George Washington's story serves as a powerful testament to divine protection. This protection is no gimmick—it is rooted in God's promises, as in Psalm 91.

Psalm 91:1–2 (NLT): 

Those who live in the shelter of the Most High 

will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. 

This I declare about the Lord: 

He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; 

he is my God, and I trust him. 

Moses wrote Psalm 91, a unique psalm that speaks profoundly to the nature of divine protection. What makes it stand out is the fact that God is referred to through four distinct names which are not found this close together in any other psalm:

1. God is called the Most High.
2. God is called the Almighty.
3. He is called Yahweh.
4. And then the psalmist simply calls Him “my God.”

And each of these names is connected to powerful images of divine protection.

1. The Most High provides shelter.
2. The Almighty offers shade in which to hide.
3. Yahweh is a refuge and stronghold.
4. My God reflects a deeply personal relationship.

These names and images are not randomly chosen or repeated for poetic effect. Together, they reveal a remarkable progression that mirrors the deepening relationship between God and His people. But this progression is subtle, and it can be easy to miss if we read over the passage too quickly.

A Surprising Progression

Let’s begin with the first two titles: The Most High and The Almighty. These names would have been familiar to Israel and other cultures in the ancient Near East. “The Almighty” frequently appears in the Book of Job, which is believed to be the oldest text in Scripture. Job’s use of this title points to a time before the covenant with Abraham when God’s name was revealed to Moses. Similarly, “The Most High” is the title used by Melchizedek in Genesis 14, long before the nation of Israel was established. These titles reflect a universal acknowledgment that a deity is supreme and powerful. The names moved easily into the language of Israel to refer to the One True God, who is all-powerful, rules over all creation and is accessible to all humanity.

But then Moses shifts to a name that is uniquely covenantal: Yahweh. This name is tied to the specific relationship between God and the people of Israel. It was revealed to Moses in the wilderness when God appeared in the burning bush. When Moses asked for God’s name, He replied, “I AM THAT I AM,” or Yahweh. This name signifies God’s eternal, self-existent nature, and it became the foundation of Israel’s understanding of their covenant relationship with Him.

The transition from “The Most High” and “The Almighty” to “Yahweh” in Psalm 91 is profound. It reflects the movement from a general acknowledgment of God’s power to the recognition of a specific covenantal relationship. The psalmist is saying, in effect, that the God who shelters and protects is not just a distant deity but the very God who entered into a covenant with His people—a God who is deeply invested in their lives and their well-being.

The final name is “My God." This is where the progression becomes deeply personal. The psalmist doesn’t merely stop at the covenantal name of Yahweh; he moves beyond it to claim God as his own. This is about a collective relationship between God and Israel and the individual believer’s relationship with God.

This progression—from God's universal titles to his covenantal name to this personal claim—reveals a profound truth about God’s nature. He is not just a distant Creator or a covenant-keeping Lord. He desires an intimate, personal relationship with each of us.

What Does This Mean for Us?

The progression of God’s names in Psalm 91 teaches us something essential: divine protection is rooted in relationship. The promises of this psalm—shelter, shade, refuge, and stronghold—are not indiscriminately available. They are for those who dwell in the presence of the Most High, who abide under the shadow of the Almighty, who know Yahweh as their covenant God, and who can personally say, “My God.”

This insight also challenges us to examine the depth of our relationship with God. Have we moved beyond a general belief in a higher power to know God as Yahweh, the covenant-keeping God? Have we gone further still, embracing Him as “my God,” with whom we walk daily in a personal relationship?

A Place of Shelter

Psalm 91 reminds us that God’s protection is not a magic formula but the result of abiding in His presence. Just as Washington attributed his survival to God's providential care, we, too, can trust in the promises of Psalm 91 when we are in a relationship with Him. If you are facing challenges today—whether physical danger, emotional turmoil, or spiritual attacks—remember that God offers shelter, shade, refuge, and stronghold. But these promises are realized only when we dwell with Him.

If you have not yet entered into that relationship through Jesus Christ, do not wait. Accept Him as your Savior and Lord, and watch His promises unfold in your life. To those who know Him, He is not just the Most High or the Almighty. He is Yahweh, and He is your God.