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Answer
Depending on the Bible translation used, the term “secret place” can be found numerous times in both the Old and New Testaments. Some translations substitute the term with shelter, covering, or dwelling instead of “secret place.” In the Old Testament, the term “secret place” is derived from the Hebrew root word cether, which means “to hide or be concealed.” This term is used in Psalm 139:15, “My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place.” Here, it refers to the hidden world of a mother’s womb where a child develops. Additionally, this term is also used in Psalm 32:7: “You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance.”
While a secret place can indicate a physical location, it primarily signifies a state of the soul in its connection with God. Psalm 27:5 states, “For in the day of trouble He will conceal me in His tabernacle; / In the secret place of His tent He will hide me; / He will lift me up on a rock” (NAS). The psalmist is not speaking of an actual tabernacle or tent where he will hide from physical enemies. Instead, he is describing the peace that God provides amidst trials and attacks.
The concept of a secret place originates from God. As He is Spirit and His glory surpasses our comprehension, we must engage with Him in the secret recesses of the heart to communicate with Him. When Moses desired to witness the glory of God, the LORD clarified that no one could see God and live «And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live. », (Exodus 33:20). Therefore, God permitted Moses to behold His glory only from a secret place. In Exodus 33:22, God declared, “When my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by.” Here, God provides insight into what we must do to encounter the p
Presence of God can only be enjoyed when we enter His secret place.
Psalm 91:1 provides a good illustration of the value of a secret place: “He that dwells in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty” (KJV). Think of the secret hiding spots we cherished as children. Imagine being ten years old and discovering a secret hiding place under the stairs or in the honeysuckle bushes. You slipped inside, and it felt magical! You felt safe and protected from the world. You imagined that you could live there all the time and no one could find you. Often, you invited your best friend to share it with you because secret hiding spots are better shared with someone you love and trust.
That is the image the psalmist portrays in Psalm 91. God has a secret hiding place, and He invites each of us to join Him there. Notice that He does not invite us to visit. The promise is to those who “dwell” there. To “dwell” means we live there. It becomes our address. God invites us to pack up and move to His secret place. To do so, we must walk away from the clamor and enticements of the world. We must be willing to quiet our hearts before Him and allow Him to explore those inner recesses we reveal to no one else. Secret places imply honesty and trust. We cannot join God in His secret place unless we are willing to be transparent and honest with Him.
Jesus said in Matthew 6:6, “But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen.” Jesus was not necessarily indicating a physical location because we can pray anywhere at any time. But to truly connect with God, we must enter into the secret place in our own spirits and meet God there. Quiet locations help, and we should seek solitude when we want to spend uninterrupted time with God. It is also helpful to have a designated place we go to spend time with God. Jesus did this while on earth. Although He often prayed in public, He also slipped away from the crowds and even His closest friends.
Jesus often withdrew to spend time alone with His Father in solitude (Mark 1:35; Luke 4:42). However, the secret place described in Psalm 91 is not a physical location. It is a state of spiritual rest that prevails, regardless of outward circumstances.
There are great benefits from dwelling in “the secret place of the Most High.” When we choose to leave behind the world’s delights in favor of a lifestyle of spiritual devotion, God draws near in new ways “Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.”, (James 4:8). We begin to see our sin the way He does (Isaiah 6:1-5). Time spent in the presence of God reveals our true thoughts and selfish motivations that might otherwise go unnoticed. From this secret place, the fruit of the Spirit takes root and grows “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,”, (Galatians 5:22). We start to see our lives from an eternal perspective. Earthly frustrations lose significance.
We do not have to neglect our responsibilities or relationships to dwell in this secret place. The key to moving there is a total surrender to the Holy Spirit and the will of God for our lives. This decision influences our actions and changes our outlook. As we obey, God meets us in His secret place (see John 14:21). He teaches us and encourages us to remain. Our continual choice to surrender fully to Him results in His continued strength to do so. If our lives are to bear lasting fruit, the power to bear that fruit comes from time spent with Him in the secret place (John 15:4-5; 1 Corinthians 3:14).
Read John 15:4-5, 1 Corinthians 3:14-15, and Psalm 92:12-14.
