Verse of the Day 10/13

Verse of the Day 10/13

Psalm 55:6-7   I said, "If only I had wings like a dove!

I would fly away and find rest.
⁷ How far away I would flee;
I would stay in the wilderness.Selah   Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

Today's verses came up in my daily reading in the Psalms, today in Psalm 55.  As I read them, I was reminded of Southwest Airlines commercials and advertising campaign "Wanna Get Away".  I think that is how David felt when he wrote this psalm, he just wanted to get away from it all and stay in the wilderness.  David couldn't hop on a jet so he used the image of a dove.  We think of it as a symbol of peace, but a dove is fast and agile.  There prowess is known by hunters who have a hard time following their elusive flight.  A secular reference could be something "like a bat out of..." , you know what.  Summing it up you want to get out of there as fast as you can.

Many people, including myself; like to get away to the wilderness (in the form of a national park) for some hiking, camping and "turning it off",  leaving the cell phone and the constant interruptions of our modern world.  But if you're truly in the wilderness, you quickly find that it is no picnic, especially if you are to come up with your own food, boil the water and all else that is involved in wilderness survival.  If you doubt what I'm saying you might check out the series "Alone" on the History channel.  The goal there is to outlast 9 other contestants to win a large sum of money.  At least one contestant that I saw dropped out within hours.  He wasn't ready to truly be away from it all, especially with bears in the area.

David also realized that this flight, this escape to the wilderness was not a long-term solution.  At the end of the psalm he gives us some better advice, summing it up with "I will put my trust in you."  May we do so today instead of trying to get away.

Psalm 55:22-23Cast your burden on the Lord,

    and he will sustain you;
he will never permit
    the righteous to be moved.

²³ But you, O God, will cast them down
    into the pit of destruction;
men of blood and treachery
    shall not live out half their days.
But I will trust in you.  English Standard Version (ESV)

--   In Christ,  Mike    Folllow the Verse of the Day blog at http://mikesvotd.blogspot.com  Ephesians 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins,  in accordance with the riches of God's grace.  NIV

Psalm 55:1-8 English Standard Version (ESV)

Cast Your Burden on the Lord

To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments. A Maskil^[a] of David.

55 Give ear to my prayer, O God,
    and hide not yourself from my plea for mercy!
² Attend to me, and answer me;
    I am restless in my complaint and I moan,
³ because of the noise of the enemy,
    because of the oppression of the wicked.
For they drop trouble upon me,
    and in anger they bear a grudge against me.

⁴ My heart is in anguish within me;
    the terrors of death have fallen upon me.
⁵ Fear and trembling come upon me,
    and horror overwhelms me.
⁶ And I say, "Oh, that I had wings like a dove!
    I would fly away and be at rest;
⁷ yes, I would wander far away;
    I would lodge in the wilderness; Selah
⁸ I would hurry to find a shelter
    from the raging wind and tempest."