Bede, on Ps 54:6

“Fear and trembling are come upon me: and darkness hath covered me.”

“Typologically, however, the desert where John [the Baptist] remained separated from the allurements of the world designates the lives of the saints, who, whether they live as solitaries or mingled with the crowds, always reject the desires of the present world with the whole intention of their minds. They take delight in clinging only to God in the secrecy of their heart and in placing their hope in him. This solitude of mind, most dear to God, is what the prophet desired to attain with the help of the grace of the Holy Spirit when he said, "Who will give me wings as of a dove, and I will fly away and rest?" And as soon as he had secured this [solitude] by the Lord's help, he gave thanks, and as though reviling the entanglements of ordinary earthly desires, he continued, "Behold, I have withdrawn afar in flight, and I have remained in solitude."”

Imported from an open dataset — not yet checked against the printed edition.