shield
tsin.nah denotes protective equipment used, carried, prepared, or raised in battle, and imagery of protection in Psalm 91:4.
The term most often denotes equipment associated with military preparation and combat: it is carried before a warrior, grasped with weapons, prepared for battle, raised in siege, or made of gold. In Psalm 91:4, the same protective imagery describes truth alongside refuge beneath divine wings.
Senses in use
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Protective equipment in warfare · dominant
The singular absolute form occurs in military settings: in 1 Samuel 17:41 the APB renders a man carrying it before the approaching Philistine, and in 2 Chronicles 25:5 it appears with a spear in the hands of men going out to the army. It is also prepared for battle in Jeremiah 46:3, raised in a siege action in Ezekiel 26:8, and made of beaten gold in 1 Kings 10:16.
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Image of protection and refuge · rare
In Psalm 91:4, the singular absolute form stands in the clause where refuge is sought under wings and truth is presented with protective equipment. The APB renders the clause, “his truth is a shield and buckler,” using military protection as imagery within the verse.
In the Anselm Project Bible: Across the verses, the APB commonly presents the item as “shield,” including one carried before a warrior, prepared for battle, or raised in a siege. It also uses “buckler” alongside “shield” in Psalm 35:2 and Psalm 91:4; These paired English terms do not by themselves distinguish the lemma's contribution.