Psalm 31:20 - Printer Friendly

ESV: 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.

NIV: In the shelter of your presence you hide them from all human intrigues; you keep them safe in your dwelling from accusing tongues.

NASB: You hide them in the secret place of Your presence from the conspiracies of mankind; You keep them secretly in a shelter from the strife of tongues.

CSB: You hide them in the protection of your presence; you conceal them in a shelter from human schemes, from quarrelsome tongues.

NLT: You hide them in the shelter of your presence, safe from those who conspire against them. You shelter them in your presence, far from accusing tongues.

KJV: 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.

NKJV: You shall hide them in the secret place of Your presence From the plots of man; You shall keep them secretly in a pavilion From the strife of tongues.

Over his lifetime, David was threatened by many enemies (1 Samuel 17:44–45; 19:2; 2 Samuel 15:14). In this psalm, he has reflected on God's repeated rescue (Psalm 31:3–5). That leads him to praise the Lord for acting as a safe place in which David can trust. The imagery is of God acting as a cover, or even as a room where David and other righteous people would be safe from harm. One possible inspiration for this was the Holy of Holies, a sacred room in the tabernacle where God's presence dwelled (Exodus 26:32–34). There, in the Lord's presence, David felt free from the violent language his enemies used against him (Psalm 31:11–14).

God's physical presence is often used as a symbol for His protection. Some Old Testament miracles use dramatic rescue from physical danger to encourage faith in God. Undoubtedly, the Lord was present in the fiery furnace that left Daniel's three friends unharmed (Daniel 3:24–27). The fire merely burned off the ropes that bound them. When their persecutor, King Nebuchadnezzar, peered into the furnace, he cried out that he saw a fourth person in the fire, who appeared to be divine (Daniel 3:25). Likewise, Daniel was safe in the pit filled with hungry lions, because the Lord kept him safe. Daniel declared to the king: "My God sent his angel and shut the lions' mouths, and they have not harmed me" (Daniel 6:22). The safest place for a believer is the Lord's presence.

Psalm 31:14–22 comes after David expressed sorrow over persecution and abandonment. Despite hardship, David tells God he still trusts in Him. He regarded the Lord as the foundation of his confidence. David asks the Lord to be forgiving and merciful, preserving him from the enemies who have attacked him. This passage celebrates God's forgiving nature, while looking back on prior instances of rescue.

David mentions dangers and enemies in this psalm. He may have been referring to besieged cities such as Keilah (1 Samuel 23:1–15) or Ziklag (1 Samuel 30). Despite the plots of his enemies and abandonment by friends, David trusts in the Lord, receives an answer to his prayer, and encourages his fellow believers to love the Lord and be strong. This echoes themes also seen in Psalms 4, 25, and 71.

The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.