Psalms 31:20

20 You hide them in the safety of your presence from the plots of others; in a safe shelter you hide them from the insults of their enemies.

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 Silence those liars - all the proud and arrogant who speak with contempt about the righteous.
19 How wonderful are the good things you keep for those who honor you! Everyone knows how good you are, how securely you protect those who trust you.
20 You hide them in the safety of your presence from the plots of others; in a safe shelter you hide them from the insults of their enemies.
21 Praise the Lord! How wonderfully he showed his love for me when I was surrounded and attacked!
22 I was afraid and thought that he had driven me out of his presence. But he heard my cry, when I called to him for help.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.