Is Any Place Safe?

“You are a hiding place for me…”

Psalm 32:7a

I have, like many of you, been watching the news reports about the newest terrorist attack in New York City.  A man drove a truck down a bike path killing people as he went.  It’s become an all too familiar tale.  The same thing has happened on a bridge in London, on a beach in France, at a Christmas market in Germany. What’s more, it’s only a few short weeks ago that the awful massacre took place at a music festival in Las Vegas.  As I sat here watching the news reports, a horrible question crept into my mind – “Is anyplace safe?  Is there any place anymore where such things won’t happen? Is there any place left where such people would never attack?”  The reality in an age of terrorism seems to be, “No, every place is vulnerable.  Every place is a target.  There is no hiding place.”

But then I thought of King David’s words from Psalm 32:7.  “You are a hiding place for me; You preserve me from trouble; You surround me with songs of deliverance.”  Let me put those words in context.  Psalm 32 is a psalm of repentance.  David, as you know, had committed adultery, then tried to cover up his sin with murder.  His attempts to hide his sin didn’t work.  He only made himself more miserable.  “Day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as in the heat of summer.”  Only when he acknowledged his sin and confessed the truth to God, was the burden of guilt lifted.  Only in coming out of hiding, was David given a real hiding place for his sin – through the forgiveness and love of God.  That’s the only true hiding place for our sins.  God doesn’t deny our sin.  He pays the cost Himself with the death of His son.  He covers them over, hides them, if you will, with the blood of His Son shed for us.  Our God is the only safe place to go with our sin.

But what does that have to do with safety in an age of terrorism?  Well look again at the words of Psalm 32:7.  “You are a hiding place for me; You preserve me from trouble; You surround me with songs of deliverance.”  David is not limiting God to hiding our sin beneath His forgiving love.  He also is a hiding place who “preserves us from trouble.”    David is telling us that in every area of life, our God is the only truly safe place.  Do you recall the opening words of Psalm 46?  “God is our refuge and strength, an every present help in trouble.  Therefore we will not fear though the earth give way, though the mountains fall into the heart of the sea…” 

Does that mean that if you have faith bad things will never happen to you?  That what happened on that bike path to those innocent victims, could never happen to you?  No!  That’s not at all the meaning.  What David means is that no matter what happens – should we be spared or should we be injured – in either case God will keep us safe. Back in the 1970s there was a movie called “The Hiding Place.”  Yes, it took its title from these words in Psalm 32. It’s the story of Corrie Ten Boom and her sister.  During World War II, Corrie and her family tried to hide Jews in a concealed room in their home.  Eventually they got caught and were sent to a concentration camp where they were made to endure great suffering.  Corrie’s sister died in that camp.  Corrie survived and lived a long good life.  Was God only a hiding place for Corrie and not her sister?  No, He was a hiding place for both.  He preserved Corrie’s life and sent her around the world to tell people that no pit is so deep that God’s love is not deeper still.  He also preserved Corrie’s sister’s life, because nothing they did to her, even taking her life could take from her the eternal salvation Jesus had purchased for her and for us on the cross.

The last verse of Martin Luther’s famous hymn “A Mighty Fortress” expresses what I mean.  “The Word they still let remain nor any thanks have for it; He’s by our side upon the plain with His good gifts and Spirit.  And take they our life, goods, fame, child and wife, though these all be gone, they yet have nothing won; the kingdom ours remaineth!” 

Is any place safe?  Ultimately, in this life and in eternity – only Him.  But He is enough!  Amen.