I take refuge in the Lord. How can you say to my soul, “Flee to your mountains like a bird”?
David answers those who, in a time of danger, considered flight the only way out. The phrase “Flee like a bird” portrays the swift escape of a frightened creature from a hunter. The advice might seem sensible from a human point of view, but David first declares his fundamental stance: “I trust in the Lord.” This does not mean that a believer should never leave a dangerous place or practice caution. David himself also at times withdrew from persecution. Here he rejects the fear that does not take God into account and presents danger as all-powerful. Faith does not ignore danger, but views it under the Lord’s authority. When people suggest that we be guided only by panic, we should ask whether our decision is born of wisdom or of a loss of trust in God.