What is the meaning of Psalm 55:7? How far away I would flee! – David’s words are literal: faced with betrayal (vv. 12-15) and the crush of enemies (vv. 9, 23), he truly wants distance. – The phrase continues his cry from v. 6, “Oh, that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away and find rest”. – Cross-currents in Scripture echo the same instinct: • Psalm 11:1, “How can you say to my soul, ‘Flee like a bird to your mountain’?”—the godly instinct to escape danger. • 1 Samuel 19–22 traces David’s repeated flights from Saul, grounding this verse in lived history. • Matthew 10:23 shows even Jesus telling His disciples, “When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next,” confirming that literal flight can serve God’s purposes. – The longing also points forward to the ultimate “escape” God promises: Revelation 21:4 where every tear is wiped away. In the wilderness I would remain. – The wilderness is not merely empty land; it is the classic place where God meets and preserves His people. • Exodus 3:1—Moses, far from Egypt’s pressures, meets the LORD at the burning bush. • 1 Kings 19:4—Elijah flees to the broom tree, and there God feeds him. • Hosea 2:14—God allures Israel into the wilderness “and speaks to her tenderly.” – For David, remaining there means: • Freedom from the treachery inside Jerusalem’s walls (Psalm 55:9-11). • Space to regain perspective and “pour out [his] complaint before Him” (Psalm 142:2). • Trust that God provides: manna, quail, water from the rock—wilderness stories assure him that isolation does not equal abandonment. – When we face betrayal or overwhelming stress, withdrawing to a quiet place—whether an actual retreat or deliberate spiritual solitude—follows the biblical model (Mark 1:35). Selah – The inspired pause invites reflection on what fleeing and wilderness really mean. – It signals: • Stop and weigh the gravity of betrayal. • Let the heart imagine the quiet God gives in lonely places. • Move from anxious wishing to confident trust, preparing for the faith-filled resolve that closes the psalm: “Cast your burden upon the LORD and He will sustain you” (v. 22). – Other “Selah” pauses work the same way (e.g., Psalm 3:4, 46:7), marking moments to shift from fear to faith. summary Psalm 55:7 records David’s literal, heartfelt desire to put miles between himself and treacherous companions and to find safety in the solitary wilderness, the proven meeting place with God. The inserted “Selah” urges every reader to stop, picture that refuge, and let anxiety turn into reliance on the LORD who faithfully sustains all who cast their burdens on Him. |
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