Safety of Abiding in the Presence of God

¹ He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. ² I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.” ¹ 

This is a psalm of trust, does not identify its author, but it is generally thought to be wither David or Moses. The psalm is sufficiently similar to Ps. 90, a psalm of Moses, that it might also be by him. Alternatively, the experiences and ideas of Moses could have been used by an anonymous writer. This poem has a very strong messianic thrust, and God Himself speaks in vv. 14–16 (see also Ps. 12; 60; 75; 87). The development of the psalm is in four main sections: (1) a confession of confidence in the Lord (vv. 1, 2); (2) assurance that those who trust in the Lord need not fear evil (vv. 3–8); (3) promises of God’s protection to the coming One (vv. 9–13); (4) a description of the Lord’s protection of the coming One (vv. 14–16).

Verse 1 - "He who dwells" - The "he" is editorial, not mean to imply males, but rather the whole of humanity.

"Dwells" is to live or stay, i.e., to be in a place for any period of time, usually implying a longer amount of time. It first used of the family of Cain in Genesis 4:16:

16 Then Cain went out from the presence of the Lord and dwelt in the land of Nod on the east of Eden.

Of course, such a common word has a variety of other applications and meanings, many of them metaphorical and non-literal. The idea is to be in a place (there is not necessarily personal relationship implied in every instance) or be with a person. The thing about this verb is the implication of a long amount of time, commitment or settledness.

As a general statement, the verse states the theme of the whole psalm. Those who draw near to God can have peace in Him, however difficult their circumstances. We'll see that as move through the passage. We should take care to look and see the 4 Names for God given:

• Most High (see Gen. 14:18),

• Almighty (see Gen. 17:1),

• Lord (see Gen. 2:4), and

• God (see Gen. 1:1).

This God is the shelter, or hiding place, and protection (shadow), refuge, and fortress for His own.

The "secret place" is a hiding place, or a covered place. The word means a place of shelter and refuge as a location where one can dwell, implying protection from a danger. It is certain that this is not referring to a literal, physical place. No believer runs to a physical, literal place for safety when the world threatens. To interpret this and other passages like in such a fashion (and some have - hence the retreating of Monks and such) is miss the intent of the verse altogether. It is not David's intent to have us withdraw from society, but rather to have us live in society, safe, but yet bold in the assurance that we live , say by day, in the "secret place" of the Most High God. What better assurance could there be?

David said in Psalm 61:3–4:

3 For You have been a shelter for me, A strong tower from the enemy. 4 I will abide in Your tabernacle forever; I will trust in the shelter of Your wings.

Of course, we remember the great assurance of Psalm 90:1

Lord, You have been our dwelling place in all generations.

Isaiah assured Israelites that "He will be as a sanctuary..." (Isaiah 8:14a). Ezekiel said much the same thing when he said

"...yet I shall be a little sanctuary for them in the countries where they have gone." (Ezekiel 11:16b).

Elsewhere, David made mention of God's "secret place":

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. Psalm 31:20

Note that here we get a little more information about that "secret place - it is wrapped up in His "presence", that is, in our interaction with Him on a personal and direct level.

In Psalm 27:5 David again mentions the "Secret Place":

For in the time of trouble
He shall hide me in His pavilion;
In the secret place of His tabernacle
He shall hide me;
He shall set me high upon a rock.

In Psalm 32:7 he spoke of God Himself as that place:

You are my hiding place;
You shall preserve me from trouble;
You shall surround me with songs of deliverance.

In Psalm 64:2, without specifically mentioning the "secret place, David conveys the same idea:

Hide me from the secret plots of the wicked,
From the rebellion of the workers of iniquity,

Jeremiah, in Jeremiah 36:26 records that God Divinely protected he and Baruch:

And the king commanded Jerahmeel the king’s son, Seraiah the son of Azriel, and Shelemiah the son of Abdeel, to seize Baruch the scribe and Jeremiah the prophet, but the Lord hid them.

Of course, ultimately, all of this points to the fulfilled work of Christ as it safely shelters us in rock that is Christ and His finished work on Calvary. Paul told the Colossians in Colossians 3:3:

3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

He is that secret place! The person who trusts in God is the one who lives close to Him.