Before we read the passage you are referring to, let’s read verses 1-2, “He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust” (NKJV). The Psalmist had learned that the secret to “Divine Protection” is dwelling in the “Divine Presence.” We see throughout the rest of the Psalm various ways in which God delivers us from evil forces but for one to be guaranteed deliverance from these evil forces he must remain in uninterrupted communion with God.

Now let’s read verses 9-12, “Because you have made the LORD, who is my refuge, even the Most High, your dwelling place, no evil shall befall you, nor shall any plague come near your dwelling; for He shall GIVE HIS ANGELS CHARGE OVER YOU, TO KEEP YOU IN ALL YOUR WAYS. In their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone.” This is a precious promise to believers of all ages but notice again that His promise of deliverance is based on our making the Lord our “dwelling place”; that is, by “abiding in Him and trusting Him to protect us.” And we learn here that He uses ANGELS to protect us. Did you know that this passage was quoted by Satan when he tempted the Lord Jesus in the wilderness for 40 days? In Luke 4:9-11 we read, “Then he brought Him (Jesus) to Jerusalem, 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 shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you.’ And ‘In their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone.’” Did you notice how Satan MISQUOTED the passage by leaving out “four words?” After referring to God giving “His angels charge over you, to keep you,” he purposely omitted the words “in all your ways.” The promise of deliverance by angels is only valid if “all our ways” are in obedience to God’s will. This even applied to the Lord Jesus, yet we know that He was sinless and always obedient to His Father. The Father had never commanded Jesus to jump from the temple, so Satan was trying to entice Jesus to do something contrary to God’s will. Jesus then rebuked Satan with these words, “It has been said, ‘You shall not tempt the LORD your God’” (verse 12). This teaches us that if we are truly abiding in communion with the Lord and thus making Him our dwelling place, “all our ways” will be in accordance “with God’s ways” (with “God’s will”).

Now to answer your questions directly. These are most definitely REAL ANGELS that God has created to serve Him and one of the ways they “serve God” is to “serve us.” We see this truth in Hebrews 1:13-14, “But to which of the angels has He ever said: ‘Sit at My right hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool’? Are they not all MINISTERING SPIRITS sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation?” We are taught here that angels are SPIRIT BEINGS and SERVANTS. They will never have the privilege to “sit at God’s right hand” (that place has been reserved for the Lord Jesus (Hebrews 1:3), but they have a very special mission in SERVING US on earth until our salvation is complete (when we are taken home to heaven). One good example of angels delivering believers from harm from evil forces is seen in Acts 12:5-10 (which I would encourage you to read) where Peter was delivered from prison and certain death by an angel. When we do get to heaven, we will learn of the many ways in which angels preserved us from PHYSICAL DANGER (as seen in Psalm 91), as well as protecting us from SPIRITUAL HARM when we were being attacked by Satan (as we saw in Luke 4 in connection with the Lord’s temptation by Satan).  Are angels everywhere in the world doing deeds? I can say with certainty, “Wherever there are believers in Christ (who are the ‘heirs of salvation’), angels will be there to serve them.” Of course, there are other “missions” that God has for His angels (such as battling “fallen angels” (see Daniel 10:10-21 and Revelation 12:7), but in Psalm 91 we see their ministry in connection with men.   (DO)  (515.5)