Charles H. Spurgeon on Psalms 143:9

I flee unto thee to hide me. It may be rendered, "With thee have I hid"; that is, myself: so Arama gives the sense. "I have hid myself with thee." Jarchi, Aben Ezra, and Kimchi interpret it to this purpose, "I have hid my affairs, my straits and troubles, my difficulties and necessities, from men, and have revealed them unto thee, who alone can save." The Targum is, "I have appointed thy Word to be (my) Redeemer." —John Gill.

Verses 9-10. Be persuaded actually to hide yourselves with Jesus Christ. To have a hiding place and not to use it is as bad as to want one: fly to Christ; run into the holes of this rock. Three things must be done by all those that would hide themselves with Christ.

1. You must put away sin by repentance. Jesus Christ will not be a sanctuary for rebels, he will not protect evil doers. Christ will never hide the devil, nor any of his servants. Isa 55:6-7: "Let the ungodly forsake his way", etc. David knew this, therefore he prays that God would teach him to do his will: "Deliver me, etc. I fly unto thee to hide me. Teach me to do thy will." He that will not do the will of Christ shall receive no protection from Christ. Protectio sequitur allegiantiam. You must be his liege people if you will have him to defend you. Job 22:23, 25.

2. You must pray that he would hide you. The promise is made to prayer: Isa 65:10, "Sharon shall be a fold of flocks, and the valley of Achor a place for the herds to lie down in, for my people that have sought me." He that prays most fervently is like to be hid most securely. And then,

3. You must believe in him. Faith is the key that opens the door of this hiding place, and locks it again. One word in the Hebrew signifies to trust and to make a refuge. Ps 57:1. He that doth not make Christ his trust shall not have Christ for his hiding place; he will hide none but those that commit themselves to him: "I will set him on high, because he hath known my name": Ps 91:9,14. —Ralph Robinson.