In the thirty-second psalm, King David sings: "This shall everyone that is godly pray… For when a great flood of trouble comes rushing in, it will not reach those who trust in God." (Psalm 32:6) David's hymn reminds his hearers that in times of disaster, such as a flood, God is often the only true refuge from the storm.

With this as context, the very next verse of the king's psalm declares, God is a "hiding place" from the "troubles" of life, and He is a protector of those who "sing aloud" of His goodness. Commenting on this verse, Saint Augustine (AD 354-430) wrote: "Let those others take refuge with their false gods, or with their demons, or in their own strength, or in defending their personal sins. As for me, I have no refuge in this flood [of mortal trials] except Yourself, as [You are] my refuge in [the] distress that besets me."

While the psalmist tells us God is a refuge in times of trial or danger, Augustine reminds us that such is only true if we make the Eternal God our refuge. However, those who turn to false gods—whether in the form of statues, fame, money, lust, or trusting in their own skills and strengths—will always fail, because their gods are never a refuge from the storm. Rather, they are the very cause of the storms in their lives!