5584. saah
Lexical Summary
saah: Measure, seah

Original Word: סָעָה
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: ca`ah
Pronunciation: sah-ah
Phonetic Spelling: (saw-aw')
KJV: storm
NASB: stormy
Word Origin: [a primitive root]

1. to rush

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
storm

A primitive root; to rush -- storm.

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
a prim. root
Definition
to rush (of storm wind)
NASB Translation
stormy (1).

Brown-Driver-Briggs
[סָעָה] verb (dubious) rush, of storm-wind (compare Arabic (and ), go quickly, run, be energetic; Syriac make an attack upon); —

Qal Participle feminine singular מֵרוּחַ סֹעָה Psalm 55:9 from rushing wind (and) from tempest (סָ֑עַר); Hup (not Now) Gr Dy סוּפָה or סְעָרָה.

סעף (√ of following; apparently = cleave, divide; compare perhaps Arabic , of hand, become cracked around nails etc., Lane1364, palm-branches with leaves on them, Id1365; BaEs 56 GFMJudges 15:8 compare cleft, (forked) branch, compare BuhlLex 13).

Topical Lexicon
Biblical Occurrence

The noun סָעָה appears a single time in Scripture, Psalm 55:8, where David prays, “I would hurry to my shelter far from the raging tempest and storm”. Within the Psalm’s structure this word stands at the crescendo of David’s lament, depicting the swirling violence from which he longs to flee.

Literary Imagery and Poetic Force

David stacks two terms—“tempest” (שַׂעַר) and סָעָה—much as Hebrew poetry often pairs synonyms to intensify feeling. The first pictures a wind-driven maelstrom; the second, by its solitary use, adds a sudden, sweeping force. Together they communicate uproar and disorientation, a world spinning out of control. The poet’s plea for flight highlights the contrast between human frailty and divine refuge.

Theological Themes

1. Human vulnerability: Storm language throughout Scripture reminds hearers of their impotence before creation’s fury (Job 38:1). David’s use of סָעָה personalizes that reality.
2. God as shelter: The Psalmist’s instinct is not to master the storm but to find sanctuary “in the LORD” (Psalm 18:2). The single occurrence of סָעָה thus contributes to the larger biblical testimony that God alone stills or shields from chaos.
3. Moral order: Storms often serve as metaphors for judgment (Nahum 1:3) or societal upheaval (Isaiah 29:6). Psalm 55 situates the tempest inside the city’s betrayal and violence, hinting that unchecked sin invites turbulent consequences.

Relationship to Other Storm Imagery

Psalm 29 celebrates the voice of the LORD over “the mighty waters,” portraying sovereignty above every squall.
Isaiah 25:4 likens God to “shade from the heat” and “refuge from the storm,” echoing David’s desire to escape the סָעָה.
• When Jesus rebukes wind and sea (Mark 4:39), He embodies the same refuge David sought, revealing the LORD’s authority now present in the incarnate Son.

Historical Background

Psalm 55 likely reflects a period of internal unrest—perhaps Absalom’s revolt or Ahithophel’s treachery. Urban political intrigue becomes, in David’s verse, an atmospheric calamity. The rare word choice may have been drawn from ancient Near-Eastern descriptions of dust-storms that sweep through Judean wadis without warning, dramatizing the suddenness of betrayal.

Application for Ministry

• Pastoral care: The imagery allows counselees to name inner turmoil without minimizing it. Preachers can invite congregants to echo David, identifying their own “storm” and directing it toward God’s shelter.
• Intercession: The verse models urgent, honest prayer amid crisis, legitimizing lament as a form of faith.
• Discipleship: By pairing Psalm 55:8 with Mark 4:39, teachers can show continuity in redemptive history—from David’s longing to Christ’s fulfillment.

Christological and Eschatological Echoes

The longing for sanctuary anticipates the ultimate calm secured by the Messiah. Revelation 21:1 foresees “no more sea,” a symbolic end to chaotic threat. The singular סָעָה points forward to the singular victory of the Lamb who not only shelters from storms but eradicates them.

Devotional Reflections

Meditation on Psalm 55:8 invites believers to:
• Recognize the storms—external or internal—that drive them to God.
• Rehearse God’s proven character as refuge.
• Rest in the assurance that every tempest, no matter how singular or severe, remains subject to the Lord who “makes the storm be still” (Psalm 107:29).

In the lone flash of סָעָה Scripture offers a vivid reminder: the fiercest upheaval can be named, faced, and ultimately silenced under the steadfast care of the covenant-keeping God.

Forms and Transliterations
סֹעָ֣ה סעה sō‘āh sō·‘āh soAh
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Interlinear GreekInterlinear HebrewStrong's NumbersEnglishman's Greek ConcordanceEnglishman's Hebrew ConcordanceParallel Texts
Englishman's Concordance
Psalm 55:8
HEB: לִ֑י מֵר֖וּחַ סֹעָ֣ה מִסָּֽעַר׃
NAS: to my place of refuge From the stormy wind
KJV: from the windy storm [and] tempest.
INT: to my place wind the stormy tempest

1 Occurrence

Strong's Hebrew 5584
1 Occurrence


sō·‘āh — 1 Occ.

5583
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