Psalm 91 in the Context of 11Q11
Psalm 91 is an usre-psalm[208] The title in the manuscript of 11Q11 attributes it to David. The plagues threatening the righteous are listed in three sequences, each separated by sentences affirming that the plagues are not to smite the righteous.
The three sequences comprise, respectively, three, four, and five names of plagues.3[209] The first and second series mention, among other names, words that refer unambiguously to pestilence: deber (second in the first sequence, and third in the second sequence), and qeteb (fourth in the second sequence)[210]The other plagues in the first series are ph yqws “the fowler's snare” and hwwt “destruction” (Ps 91:3, 11Q11 6.6).[211] The other plagues in the second series are “nocturnal dread” phd lylh and hs yWp ywmm “arrow that flies by day” (Ps 91:5-8). The metaphor of the arrow may refer to sunstroke3[212] or to pestilence.[213] [214] The third series of plagues lists physical dangers (Ps 91:12-13)^1 which are without any obvious demonic connotation. However, deber and keteb are not mere names for illnesses—they are demonic represtentatives of plague, and can be considered to be demon induced illnesses in Psalm 91 and 11Q11[215] The immediate causes of the illness are visualised as physical objects—arrows that smite humans and transfer illness into the body. This may be compared to the prayers offered at the solstices to the Mesopotamian diety Nergal, who was represented by arrows, and was a god of the burning heat of the sun, the netherworld and pestilence.