"Thou art my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble; thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance. Selah."
Psalm 32:7
Psalm 32 is a representative view of sin and its consequences in a person’s life. David knew very well how sin worked in his life, and he also knew that his relationship with God was the answer to his sin issues. Why not take a moment to read Psalm 32 before you read today’s thoughts about verse 7?
“Thou art my hiding place;”
Living for many years in the tropics of the western Pacific Ocean taught us the importance of having a hiding place when the danger of storms threatened our island. Having a substantial shelter was a life saver. The ability to hunker down and hide in the safety of a concrete home when the winds were howling and the rains were lashing out, and the storm surge was rising made the difference between life and death.
David understood how vital a hiding place is when he wrote this psalm. He had many enemies from without that he needed protection from, but in the context of this psalm he is talking about the enemy of his soul that can rage within if left unchecked–his sin. Unfortunately for David, he knew the shame of sin experientially in his life. He understood the dangers and the consequences of his sin. David also understood the protection that God offers His child. “Thou art my hiding place.” God is where he could find shelter from sin.
Our Genesis three nature begs us to run from God when we sin. Adam taught us that. But David shows us that we need to run to God when we are tempted when we have fallen, and when our sin would swallow us up. He is our “hiding place!”
“The LORD also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble,” (Psalm 9:9).
God is the protection from our sin. He forgives us when we do sin. And He is the comfort from the consequences of our sin.
“Thou shalt preserve me from trouble;”
David knew that as long as he was with the LORD, no trouble could harm him. Jesus explained this same principle of abiding in Him to His disciples.
“I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing,” (John 15:5).
“Thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance. Selah.”
And what songs these must be! Praise to Him for His deliverance. It is interesting that the Hebrew word translated here as “songs” is the word that means, a “ringing cry, shout, cry (of joy).”1 (BDB) This reminds me of the greatest shout of deliverance when Jesus cried out, “It is finished!” His victory shout when our deliverance was paid for in full.
“Selah,” take a moment to think about this. He cares for us!
“He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty,” (Psalm 91:1).
1. Brown, Driver, Briggs. Brown-Driver-Briggs’ Hebrew Definitions, the electronic version in eSword.