Psalms 31:20

20 You hide them in the protection of Your presence; You conceal them in a shelter[a] from the schemes of men, from quarrelsome tongues.

Psalms 31:20 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 31:20

Thou shall hide them in the secret of thy presence
That is, those that fear the Lord and trust in him; and therefore they are called his "hidden ones", ( Psalms 83:3 ) ; these the Lord preserves in times of trouble and danger, and when his indignation is out against others; and so the Targum is, "in the time of thine anger"; see ( Isaiah 26:20 ) ; the presence of God is their protection, he himself is a wall of fire round about them, his favour compasses them as a shield, and they are kept as in a garrison by his power; see ( Psalms 91:1 ) ; and that "from the pride of man", which otherwise would at once oppress, bear them down, and destroy them, ( Psalms 124:1-5 ) ;

thou shall keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of
tongues;
which areas a sharp sword, and from whence proceed devouring words, such contradiction of sinners as Christ endured; not that the saints are kept free from the reproaches of men, from the lash of their tongues, but from being harmed by them; and sometimes, through the strivings and contentions of men with one another, they privately escape and are preserved, as the Apostle Paul was, ( Acts 23:9 Acts 23:10 ) .

Psalms 31:20 In-Context

18 Let lying lips be quieted; they speak arrogantly against the righteous with pride and contempt.
19 How great is Your goodness that You have stored up for those who fear You, and accomplished in the sight of everyone for those who take refuge in You.
20 You hide them in the protection of Your presence; You conceal them in a shelter from the schemes of men, from quarrelsome tongues.
21 May the Lord be praised, for He has wonderfully shown His faithful love to me in a city under siege.
22 In my alarm I had said, "I am cut off from Your sight." But You heard the sound of my pleading when I cried to You for help.

Footnotes 1

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