Psalms 31:20
In the cover of your presence you hide them from the plots of men; you store them in your shelter from the strife of tongues.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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It's easy to read "the secret of your presence" as just a general statement about God's protection, but the verse vividly portrays it as a hiding place within God's very being, specifically from the schemes and loud, divisive words of others. This isn't just about general safety, but a profound intimacy where God actively conceals and shields you from the world’s aggressive plots and gossip.
David is reflecting on God's incredible, hidden goodness and protection for those who trust Him, contrasting it with the arrogance and slander of their enemies. This comes after he has poured out his laments and pleas for deliverance, and it anticipates his declaration of praise for God's faithfulness in verses that follow. He's not just talking about general divine care, but a specific, intimate refuge found directly in God's presence, shielding believers from human schemes and malicious gossip.
Ever feel like the world is just too loud, too proud, too much? David felt it too. But he knew a place of refuge that outshone any physical hiding spot.
This verse paints a picture of ultimate security. It's not about finding a cave or a fortress, but about being hidden 'in the secret of your presence.'
God's Proximity is Protection
The imagery here suggests more than just being near God; it's about dwelling within the very atmosphere of His being. Think of it like being in a king's inner chamber, guarded by his personal presence. This isn't a place anyone can access, but one God grants to His faithful.
Shielded from Human Schemes
What are we shielded from? 'The plots of men' and 'the strife of tongues.' These represent the malicious plans and the sharp, destructive words that can tear us down. God's presence acts as a shield, not necessarily preventing these things from happening, but keeping them from truly harming us in our core. It's a spiritual and emotional safety found only in Him.
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The dangers David faced were real and pressing. Yet, he speaks of a protection that isn't always obvious to the world, or even to himself.
The psalm doesn't promise a life free from trouble, but a life protected through trouble by God's hidden work.
God's Secretive Providence
'You store them in your shelter from the strife of tongues.' This isn't always about silencing the critics, but about God working in unseen ways to preserve us. His 'shelter' can be His providential care, guiding events and people so that the worst is averted, even if we don't see it happening.
The Invisible War
'Strife of tongues' points to slander, gossip, and malicious words. These are powerful weapons. But God's protection operates on a level beyond the reach of mere words. He safeguards our hearts and our ultimate standing with Him, even when people are trying to tear us down.
Understand the original words
paniym · Hebrew Noun
The direct, personal experience of God's intimacy and guidance. To be in His presence is to be in the place of ultimate security, joy, and revelation.
cether · Hebrew Noun
A place of protection or a secret location where God keeps His own safe. It implies divine guardianship and confidentiality in times of trouble.
This passage echoes the idea of God's shelter, describing His pavilion or tent as a place of secret refuge where He hides the righteous from their enemies.
Psalm 91:1It speaks of dwelling 'in the shelter of the Most High' and abiding 'in the shadow of the Almighty,' reinforcing the theme of God's protective presence as a hiding place.
Proverbs 18:10This verse presents the 'name of the Lord' as a 'strong tower,' where the righteous run and are safe, offering a parallel to God's presence being a secure refuge from external threats.
Matthew 13:43Jesus speaks of the righteous shining like the sun in the kingdom of their Father, suggesting a divine vindication and glory that ultimately protects them, much like being hidden in God's presence.
1 Corinthians 1:18This passage highlights that the message of the cross, foolish to the world, is the power and wisdom of God, showing how God's ways and protection are often hidden from worldly understanding but supremely effective.
calvinPsalms 31:19-21: "Oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee; which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men!"
- O how great is thy goodness which thou hast hidden [648] for them that fear thee! which thou hast performed for them that trust in thee before the sons of men! 20. Thou shalt hide them in the secret [or, in the hiding-place] of thy countenance from the pride of man; thou shalt hide them as in a tent from the strife of t…
poolePsalms 31:20: "Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence from the pride of man: thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues."
In the secret of thy presence; or as in the secret of thy presence either, 1. As if they were in thy presence-chamber, where thine own eye and hand guardeth them from all the assaults of their enemies; called his secret, partly because the greatest part of the world are strangers to God and his presence; and partly because it is a safe…
It's easy to read "the secret of your presence" as just a general statement about God's protection, but the verse vividly portrays it as a hiding place within God's very being, specifically from the schemes and loud, divisive words of others. This isn't just about general safety, but a profound intimacy where God actively conceals and shields you from the world’s aggressive plots and gossip.
David is reflecting on God's incredible, hidden goodness and protection for those who trust Him, contrasting it with the arrogance and slander of their enemies. This comes after he has poured out his laments and pleas for deliverance, and it anticipates his declaration of praise for God's faithfulness in verses that follow. He's not just talking about general divine care, but a specific, intimate refuge found directly in God's presence, shielding believers from human schemes and malicious gossip.
David is reflecting on God's incredible, hidden goodness and protection for those who trust Him, contrasting it with the arrogance and slander of their enemies. This comes after he has poured out his laments and pleas for deliverance, and it anticipates his declaration of praise for God's faithfulness in verses that follow. He's not just talking about general divine care, but a specific, intimate refuge found directly in God's presence, shielding believers from human schemes and malicious gossip.
"In the cover of your presence you hide them from the plots of men; you store them in your shelter from the strife of tongues." — It's easy to read "the secret of your presence" as just a general statement about God's protection, but the verse vividly portrays it as a hiding place within God's very being, specifically from th…
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