ALPHA MAAMA (A.M.)

 SAPATE SEPITEMA 24

God's Hiding Place

Toitoi‘anga ‘o e ‘Otua

PSALM 27:5

HE WILL HIDE ME IN HIS SHELTER IN THE DAY OF TROUBLE: HE WILL CONCEAL ME UNDER THE COVER OF HIS TENT; HE WILL LIFT ME HIGH UPON A ROCK.

SAAME 27:5

He te ne fufū au ‘i hono malu ‘i he ‘aho ‘o e kovi; Te ne ‘ufi‘ufi ‘i he toitoi‘anga ‘o hono tēniti; Ko e maka te ne hiki au ki ai.

[LILIU FAKA-TONGA]

‘Oku tofanga ‘a Tevita ‘i ha faingata’a lahi faufaua. Ko e kau tuli ki he’ene mo’ui, ‘oku nau hangee ha kau kai tangata, "Ke kai hoku kakano," (Saame 27:2). Ko e loungutu loi ‘o e kau fakamo’oni loi, ‘oku nau hangee ha "fa‘ahinga ‘oku hō ‘aki ‘a e fakamālohi" (v. 12). Pea te tau pehee te ne fie hola ai ki he ngaahi mo’unga, ka ‘oku ‘ikai. ‘Oku ne fie tu’u ma’u, ‘i ha potu pe ‘e taha, ka ko e "fale ‘o Sihova" (v. 4). ‘Io, ke ne ofi ki hono ‘Otua, he ko e malu’anga pe ia; "Te ne ‘ufi‘ufi ‘i he toitoi‘anga ‘o hono tēniti" (v. 5) te ne fufuu ia ‘i ha potu lilo. Ko e satala, ko hono fufuu ‘o ha me’a, ke puli ‘i he liloo. Ko e loto pau’ia ‘o Tevita, na’e ‘ikai tu’u ‘i hono mafai faka-kautau pe taukei faka-politikale ka na’e taafataha pe ‘i he’ene ‘i he malumalu ‘o Satai. Pea neongo na’e ‘ikai lava ‘a Tevita ‘o hu ki he Potu Toputapu ‘oku ‘afio ai ‘a e Sikaina ‘o e ‘Otuaa, ka na’a ne ma’u ha loto lahi mo ha ‘amanaki ‘i he potu Lilo ko ia. 

Ko hotau Takimu’a, ‘a Sisu, kuo ne hu ki Loto Tatau, ki he Potu Toputapu, ‘a ee ‘oku ‘i ai ‘a e Tamai, koe’uhi ke “tau ma‘u mo‘o taula hotau laumālie, ko e taula mālohi mo ma‘uma‘uluta," (Hepelu 6:19). Ko ‘etau mo’ui, "‘oku fufū fakataha mo Kalaisi ‘i he ‘Otua" (Kolose 3:3), ko e mo’ui ‘oku  fufū pea malu’i ‘iate Ia, pea ko hotau taula, ‘oku fakama’u ki he Tamai.

‘Eiki Sisu, “Ke ke tauhi au ‘o hangē ha tama‘imata; Fufū au ‘i he malu ‘o ho kapakau na." (Saame 17:8).

[ENGLISH]

David is in dire straits. His pursuers are like cannibalistic men, ready "to eat up [his] flesh" (Ps. 27:2). The lying lips of false witnesses "breathe out violence" (v. 12). Rather than running for the hills, however, the poet wants to plant his feet in one place and one place only: "the house of the LORD" (v. 4). Close to his God, he is safe, for "he will conceal me under the cover of his tent" (v. 5)-literally, "he will hide me in the hiding place" or "secret me in the secret place." To satar is to hide something, to keep it secret. David's confidence rests not on his military prowess or political wits but entirely on sheltering with God. Even though David could not physically enter the Holy of Holies, that secret, sacrosanct place was where he found courage and hope.

As our forerunner, Jesus has entered into the inner place behind the curtain," into the Father's heavenly Holy of Holies, that we might have "a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul" (Heb. 6:19). Our life, "hidden with Christ in God" (Col. 3:3), is secret and secure in him who anchors us to the Father.

Lord Jesus, "hide me in the shadow of your wings" (Ps. 17:8).