Psalms 31:20

In the secret of thy presence; or as in the secret of thy presence either,

1. As if they were in thy presence-chamber, where thine own eye and hand guardeth them from all the assaults of their enemies; called his secret, partly because the greatest part of the world are strangers to God and his presence; and partly because it is a safe and secure place, such as secret and unknown places are. Or,

2. As if they were in the secret of God's tabernacle, as it is called, Psalms 27:5, the place of God's special presence, where none might enter save the high priest. Or,

3. With thy secret favour and providence, which works mightily, yet secretly, for them, and saves them by hidden and unknown methods. This is opposed to those caves, or other obscure and unsafe places, where David was forced to hide himself. From the pride of man; from their vain-glorious boasts and threats, and from their bold and insolent attempts. In a pavilion; or, as in thy pavilion, or tabernacle; and so this clause explains the former, and the pronoun thy is here easily and aptly understood out of the foregoing branch. From the strife of tongues, i.e. from the mischief of contentious and slanderous tongues.