Escape
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Psalms 55:1
Give your burdens to the Lord, and He will take care of you. He will not
permit the godly to slip and fall (v.22).
The bold print in a local news story caught my eye:
“Increase in suicide rates in Singapore, male suicides
double that of female.” The report goes on to say,
“According to some psychiatrists, the higher number of
suicides among men is not an unusual trend. . . . When
it comes to dealing with their problems, men don’t tend
to seek help, thus pushing themselves into a deeper
depressive spiral.”
David was once under tremendous pressure as he
endured the relentless attacks of his enemies (Psalm
55:3-5, 9-11). But it wasn’t a nameless enemy who dealt
him a critical, damaging attack. It was the betrayal of
one whom he described as “my equal, my companion
and close friend” (vv.12-14). The pain sharpened and
overwhelmed him as he experienced the full brunt of the
treachery (vv.20-21, 41:9).
David sought release from his terrible plight. His gut
response was to escape. He wanted to run away! “How
quickly I would escape—far from this wild storm of
hatred” (55:6-8). One wonders if David contemplated the
ultimate means of escape—suicide.
Thankfully, David chose a different way, for suicide
is a permanent solution to what is often a temporary
problem. He sought help from God, crying out, “Listen to
my prayer, O God. Do not ignore my cry for help . . . for
I am overwhelmed by my troubles!” (vv.1-2).
Are you oppressed and depressed by life’s pressures and pains? Do you wish
that you had wings to fly to a place of quiet refuge and rest? (vv.6-7). It’s time to
pray and to fly into the loving arms of God, who rescues you and keeps you safe
(vv.16-18). Listen to David’s advice: “Give your burdens to the Lord, and He will
take care of you. He will not permit the godly to slip and fall” (vv.22).
Escape into God’s loving arms. —K.T. Sim
more›
Read about David’s
betrayal by his son
and his close friend
(2 Samuel 15:1,
2 Samuel 16:15). How does
this background help
you understand the
tremendous pressure and
pain he faced?
next›
What pressures or pains
of life are you going
through? How do the
truths found in Psalms 55:1
help you cope with them?
