Psalm 32:7
Thou art my hiding place*; thou shalt preserve me from trouble...

*hiding place, not something to hide behind, as many believers do... My mom and I had words Friday before last. She copped this attitude about how God knows all and will deal with those who cause others pain (her in particular). I told her God doesn't take sides when it comes to his children. She bristled. I gave up. She was in her usual defense mode, commonly used when someone doesn't do as she wishes, or has a different truth than hers. Not to put her in a box (lol), but she is 'hiding behind' God, instead of hiding in him, when she does this. Am I misinterpreting?


Simply deal with the situation as it stands rather than waste time with why, what and how.
http://www.innerspace.org.uk/

That's been my usual understanding of that passage, Gims, that God is our refuge and rock of safety...I hide in Him when I'm hurt and need safe respite and healing, and I hide in Him when I just need a quiet place to "be". But I know that there are many times when I've hidden behind Him, using Him as an excuse to judge others unfairly, and then to justify my opinions and behaviours and even my withdrawal from the world because of fear and anxiety. I trust that He allows us to do that, because He knows our hearts and loves us enough to give us time to sort those things out while we hide behind Him. But I also think that as we grow in wisdom and truth, we ourselves come to realize that that's not where we're meant to be, that we can't use God to judge, manipulate and control others. There also comes a point in our maturing process when we realize that we can no longer use God to justify to ourselves our fearful withdrawal and disconnection from others and the world at large (I guess I'm speaking from my own tendency to withdraw when hurt and anxious).

I don't recall my Mom ever using God to verbally batter or diminish me, and I'm glad, because throughout my entire childhood of verbal battering, God was often my only refuge - there were endless nights when I DID hide inside of His loving Presence, because without Him to nestle into, I could not have survived.

Gims, Psalm 91, together with Isaiah 40:31, is my favourite Bible passage; they're both about God being our shelter (aka hiding place). The tea cup that I use every morning has Isaiah 40:31 on it. It comforts and inspires me.

This is the song version of it, called "On Eagle's Wings" that I found on YouTube:

You who dwell in the shelter of the Lord,
Who abide in His shadow for life,
Say to the Lord, "My Refuge,
My Rock in Whom I trust."

Refrain
And He will raise you up on eagle's wings,
Bear you on the breath of dawn,
Make you to shine like the sun,
And hold you in the palm of His Hand.

The snare of the fowler will never capture you,
And famine will bring you no fear;
Under His Wings your refuge,
His faithfulness your shield.

Refrain
And He will raise you up on eagle's wings,
Bear you on the breath of dawn,
Make you to shine like the sun,
And hold you in the palm of His Hand.

You need not fear the terror of the night,
Nor the arrow that flies by day,
Though thousands fall about you,
Near you it shall not come.


Refrain
And He will raise you up on eagle's wings,
Bear you on the breath of dawn,
Make you to shine like the sun,
And hold you in the palm of His Hand.

For to His angels He's given a command,
To guard you in all of your ways,
Upon their hands they will bear you up,
Lest you dash your foot against a stone.

Refrain
And He will raise you up on eagle's wings,
Bear you on the breath of dawn,
Make you to shine like the sun,
And hold you in the palm of His Hand.
And hold you in the palm of His Hand.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4rRea9qnjK4