113. I hate the double-minded,
but I love your law.

114. You are my hiding place and my shield;
I hope in your word.

115. Depart from me, you evildoers,
that I may keep the commandments of my God.

116. Uphold me according to your promise, that I may live,
and let me not be put to shame in my hope!

117. Hold me up, that I may be safe
and have regard for your statutes continually!

118. You spurn all who go astray from your statutes,
for their cunning is in vain.

119. All the wicked of the earth you discard like dross,
therefore I love your testimonies.

120. My flesh trembles for fear of you,
and I am afraid of your judgments.

Our Hiding Place

Read verses 114 and 120 again. Consider the way the protection and hope described in verse 114 is contrasted with the trembling and fear in verse 120. There seems to be a contradiction between the safety David describes in the first case and the dread he describes in the second.

But the fear David describes in verse 120 is the fear of the LORD. In the book of Exodus, Moses describes the fear of the LORD as having the protective purpose “to keep you from sinning” (Ex. 20:20). God had actually informed Moses beforehand that the visitation on Mt. Sinai in fire and smoke and trumpet blasts would be for the expressed purpose of driving people’s trust toward Moses as God’s authorized messenger (Ex. 19:9) and that this was good (see Deut. 4:10, 36; 5:5, 28–29). Proverbs 1:7 and 9:10 further explain the fear of the LORD as the pathway into the protection and presence of God.

The Hebrew word sit’ri (סִתְרִי) opens verse 114, begins with the letter samekh (ס), and comes from the root word meaning “hiding place.” God is David’s hiding place and his shield. Psalm 27:5 uses the same Hebrew word for hiding place to describe God’s tent or tabernacle. Furthermore, Psalm 31:20 uses the same word to describe his hiding place as the very presence of God Himself. Fear and trembling can actually be good if in response to the presence and holiness of God Who alone can satisfy our thirsty souls.

God alone is a trustworthy and protective hiding place where true true safety can be found. Run to Him in prayer, abide in Him through faith, and rest in Him as your hiding place!

Hebrew Treasure excerpt written by Thomas Boehm.
From The Psalm 119 Journey by Steve Allen, ©2022.
Used with permission.