The Lord will set me high upon a rock

Introduction

These are the words of David in Psalm 27.  Recently Psalm 27 came to my attention and verses 5 and 6 are stunning for their application to His church in the end times.  They talk about the “day of evil” or trouble, they talk about the pavilion (suka), they talk about David being kept safe in the hiding place in the Lord’s tent (ohel) and they talk about him being set high upon a rock (sur-Hebrew, petra-Greek).  Of course the primary fulfillment and context was for David thousands of years ago.  He trusted that God would keep him safe from the enemies of the day in which he lived.  He had many enemies including Goliath and the Philistines, the Moabites, and even his own family including his brothers, sons and his father in law, King Saul.

But I would also contend that this psalm has an amazing application if not a secondary fulfillment for his people being kept safe at Petra and southern Jordan (high upon a rock) during the Great Tribulation, the last 3 ½ years, time, times and half a time, or 1290 days.  From the picture above you can see me sitting high upon a rock at the heights of Petra overlooking the Jordan Valley and the Promised Land.  I believe this is the place of safety that we must desire to go to during the “days of evil” when the devil is running rampant throughout the earth.  Edom, Moab and part of Ammon are the only places that the Bible makes clear that escape his clutches.¹  The sad reality however is that I believe only some will escape as explained in my article “Only some of God’s people will escape.”

God does not promise to take away trouble

I like what Pastor David Guzik says in his commentary on this verse: “God never promised that He would prevent trouble even from David.  God doesn’t promise to take away trouble but he promises the believer that he can give security and blessing even in the midst of trouble.  And the experience of believers throughout the centuries has proven that to be true.

“Middle Eastern culture has a strong sense of hospitality and the protection of guests when you would visit a tent in biblical times and you would make yourself the guest of the head of the home/tent.  That head of the home would be absolutely obliged to protect you.  You were in his tent! God is protective of His guests, of those who hide in His pavilion (sukkot).”²

Protection is in a temporary pavilion

Psalm 27 is known to the Jews as Le’David Hashem Ori ve’Ishi (To David: The L‑rd is my light and my salvation.)  This Psalm is read every day during the month of Elul which is the last month before the New Year around September in our Gregorian calendar.  It is read through the holy season of the Feast of Trumpets, Day of Atonement, through the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot) and right through up to Sh’mini Atzeret or Simchat Torah the two days after the Feast of Tabernacles on Tishri 21-22.

According to deClaisse-Walford’s Commentary on the Psalms the two common Hebrew concepts of “hiding place” and “rock” are combined with “shelter” (sukka) as a metaphor for God’s protecting grace. It is the term from which the Jewish festival of Sukkoth (or Booths) draws its name, a reference to the protective shelters in which the people stayed during the wilderness years, as they wandered under God’s protection.  And once again His people will be urged to flee into the wilderness during the days of evil, to the mountains once the Abomination of Desolation is seen standing in the Holy Place³ and when armies are surrounding Jerusalem.⁴  Likewise this will be only a temporary refuge during the darkest days of humanity where the obedient part of the church (five wise virgins) will be in hiding just like the Israelites when they came out of Egypt.  If you like, this hiding place is the wedding chamber, a hidden place where the consummation of the marriage takes place before the last final days of triumphant victory occurs at Jerusalem in the Battle of Armageddon on the Day of the Lord.  Once the days of evil are over Jesus the bridegroom comes bursting forth out of Bozrah (the sheepfold) leading His people out to victory and ultimately to the wedding supper of the Lamb.  See the article, “The wedding of the Lamb in Bozrah.”

We will be set high upon a rock

The “rock” mentioned in verse 5 is literally “petra” in the Greek Septuagint version of the Old Testament.  It likely refers to a cropping of rocks which forms a natural fortress and protection from the enemy.⁵  There is no better natural fortress than Petra and the Jordanian mountains of Edom and Moab.  Even now the residents of the West Bank (Samaria) are fleeing to Jordan to take refuge from the military operations occurring there due to the Oct 7th war.⁶

It’s also interesting to note that Israel took shelter at Kadesh Barnea (Petra) for 38 years where there was sufficient water for a couple of million of people.  Even today the remains of dams and water channels can be seen in the ancient city of Petra.

God will hide His people in the secret place

Just as David in his psalm says that God will hide him in the shelter of his tabernacle or tent during David’s days of evil we too will be hidden away in the secret place if we are willing to flee during the coming 1290 days of evil.  This will be a huge faith test.  I’m not sure that many will do this as who will want to go to Israel and then Jordan thinking that this is the safe place?  The promise in Psalm 91 also says the same thing.  Those who seek refuge will be protected.   It will be contrary to all expectations but isn’t that what faith is?  Read the article, “What will it be like in the safe place for 1290 days” for an exegesis on Psalm 91.