By Bunni Pounds

*This blog is part of our weekly, virtual Bible Study through the book of Psalms. For information on how to participate, please visit this page.

There is a secret place in God that few people know. The way is narrow. It seems like it is hard – but it is really about being diligent to find Him in stillness, worship, thanksgiving, and rest.

I have had many people pray over me and say these words over the last year in different forms – “You have been hidden away with Jesus for a long time, but now God is raising you up as a voice to the nation and in this time in history.”

Humbling? Yes. True?

Probably.

My heart says – yes.

Over years of serving God – I have learned to seek Him and find Him. It is not always easy to be faithful in prayer and in the Word. It takes a heart that is reaching and desperate for Jesus. It is a miracle that He has taught me much about entering in through the gate into His presence. We talked about this reality in Psalm 24.

Jesus said this so clearly – “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.” (Matthew 7:13-14)

Why are their few people who find the right gate? Simply – there are few people in this world that truly see their daily need for God and have the humility to reach out for Him.

We are self-sufficient. We don’t need God when we have all the resources, talents, and abilities to get everything done in our lives, but then something happens….

Trouble comes, adversity hits, our marriage starts having problems or our career takes a dive. What do we do when God is trying to show up on the scene and get our attention?

Here are the key verses of this chapter for me.

“Oh, how great is Your goodness,
Which You have laid up for those who fear You,
Which You have prepared for those who trust in You
In the presence of the sons of men!
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.

Blessed be the Lord,
For He has shown me His marvelous kindness in a strong city!” (verses 19-21)

Maybe I relate to these verses because I do feel like I have been hidden away for a long time – writing Bible Studies and messages for ten years to minister to a small group of people, seeking God to keep my heart full of grace and life in the midst of a hardening culture, and sitting down at my piano pouring out my simple songs to God as prayer before His throne.

There is nothing special about me – I have just learned to run and hide. He has kept me “secretly in a pavilion” and has “shown me His marvelous kindness in a strong city.”

David is surrounded by enemies, and he starts praising God in the middle of all of it and says -

“In You, O Lord, I put my trust;
Let me never be ashamed;
Deliver me in Your righteousness.” (verse 1)

He knew by the Spirit of God that though his adversaries or the enemy of his soul might want to destroy him that God would NEVER let him be ashamed. God’s righteousness was a strong tower that would hold his life together.

And he prayed that God would guide Him.

“For You are my rock and my fortress;
Therefore, for Your name’s sake,
Lead me and guide me.
Pull me out of the net which they have secretly laid for me…” (verse 3-4a)

The name of the Lord is God’s reputation and His power manifest throughout history. His NAME carries His story, His faithfulness, His miracles, and His truth.

When Noah called on the “name of the Lord” and worshipped after getting out of the ark with His family – God met Him. When Abraham built an altar and called on the “name of the Lord” God cut an eternal covenant with Him. When Elijah stood before the priests of Baal and called on the “name of the Lord” – God sent fire from heaven to consume his offering.

When David says that God is his “rock” and “fortress” – he knows it is for an eternal purpose – “for Your name’s sake”.

This is a key point to understand – because when we join with the family of God, we become part of His story and God’s reputation is on the line through our lives. Therefore, David says “lead me and guide me. Pull me out of the net which they have secretly laid for me.” He is calling God to take complete control over his life and his story as part of a greater story of the glory of God.

Proverbs 18:10 “The name of the Lord is a strong tower; The righteous run to it and are safe.”

This should give us a lot of motivation to seek God and to petition Him for our destinies. It is His story on the line.

Did He call us to walk with Him? Did He call us into a relationship with Him as our Savior and Master? Will He “perfect that which concerns me” (Psalm 138:8)?

God is on the hook for His ultimate glory. He is a covenant keeping God. He was faithful to the people of Israel even while they were unfaithful, and He will be faithful to us. He never changes! He is faithful to the end.

Hebrews 13:8 - “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.”

This is the ending promise that we all can cling to from Psalm 31:

“Oh, love the Lord, all you His saints!
For the Lord preserves the faithful,
And fully repays the proud person.
Be of good courage,
And He shall strengthen your heart,
All you who hope in the Lord.” (verse 23 and 24)

Though our hearts might feel weak today and we don’t know what to do with the circumstances of life and the turns in the bends – God will “strength” our hearts. He is doing that even now as you read this. The Word of God provides strength to us.

Every time.

Take courage. Be of good courage. Where’s your courage? – as my father used to say.

Our courage is found in knowing to the depths of our souls that God IS faithfulness and that He “preserves the faithful.” That is who He is – it is part of the nature of God.

Our responsibility is to run to Him today and let Him hide us “in the secret place” of His presence where no enemy can stop us or divert us from our call.

I know that even as I am being pulled from a secret place into more impact for His glory, as He continues to “set my feet in a wide place” (verse 8) that He will guard over my life for “His name’s sake.”

That is who God is – the faithful God full of righteousness.

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