Psalms 55:7 (DBY)

Passage

Behold, I would flee afar off, I would lodge in the wilderness; Selah;

Nearby Context

Psalms 55:5 Fear and trembling are come upon me, and horror hath overwhelmed me.

Psalms 55:6 And I said, Oh that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away, and be at rest;

Psalms 55:7 Behold, I would flee afar off, I would lodge in the wilderness; Selah;

Psalms 55:8 I would hasten my escape from the stormy wind, from the tempest.

Psalms 55:9 Swallow [them] up, Lord; divide their tongue: for I have seen violence and strife in the city.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "behold", "flee", "afar", "lodge", "wilderness", and "selah". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "behold" and "flee", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 6's "And I said Oh that I had..." into verse 8's "I would hasten my escape from the...", so "behold" and "flee" belong inside that flow. In Psalms context, the local focus is worship, trust, the LORD's kingship, and covenant mercy.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "behold" and "flee" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.