The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.
Ver. 7. The angel of the Lord encampeth round about, &c.] Not one guardian angel only, as some have hence conceited, nor Michael the archangel only, that angel of the covenant, Jesus Christ, as Augustine expoundeth this text, but a host of created angels, those ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation, Hebrews 1:14. For although Christ, the Captain of our salvation, needeth not their help for the safeguard of his people; yet for our comfort he maketh use of the holy angels, who meet us still, as they did Jacob at Mahanaim (where they made a lane for him, as the guard doth for their prince, as the word importeth), Genesis 32:1; they minister many blessings to us, though invisibly; stand at our right hands, Luke 1:11, as ready to relieve us as the devils are to mischief us, Zechariah 3:1; yea, they pitch camp round about us, Sicut hostes sunt in circuitu, (Kimchi), (oh the dignity and safety of a saint in this respect!) fight in battle array against our enemies, Daniel 10:20 (the heathens speak much of their Castor and Pollux fighting for them and Hesiod telleth of thirty thousand demi-gods that were φυλακες μεροπων ανθρωπων, keepers of mankind), and convey them at death, as they did Lazarus, through the enemies' country, the air, into Abraham's bosom, Luk 16:22