Psalm 55:1 ¶ «To the chief
Musician on Neginoth, Maschil, A Psalm of David.» Give ear to my prayer,
O God; and hide not thyself from my supplication. 2 Attend unto me, and hear me: I mourn in my
complaint, and make a noise; 3 Because
of the voice of the enemy, because of the oppression of the wicked: for they
cast iniquity upon me, and in wrath they hate me. 4 My heart is sore pained within me: and the
terrors of death are fallen upon me. 5
Fearfulness and trembling are come upon me, and horror hath overwhelmed
me. 6 And I said, Oh that I had wings
like a dove! for then would I fly away, and be at rest. 7 Lo, then would I wander far off, and
remain in the wilderness. Selah. 8 I
would hasten my escape from the windy storm and tempest.
As far as the immediate context this Psalm is most likely
referring to the traitor, Ahithophel, David’s trusted counselor, betraying him
to David’s son, Absalom, when that son rebelled against him.
2Samuel 15:12 And Absalom
sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counsellor, from his city, even from
Giloh, while he offered sacrifices. And the conspiracy was strong; for the
people increased continually with Absalom.
David cries unto God in his outrage and pleads with God not to
turn from David’s plea. He makes an argument against those who have harmed him
and are trying to kill him. He feels isolated and alone except for God. Who can
he trust if he cannot trust his own family, his beloved son, Absalom, and his
once faithful counselor, Ahithophel? David wants to, but cannot, escape who he
is and what he must face in this hour of betrayal. We’ve had songs made about
flying away from our troubles. See what Christ quoted from the Cross, opening
up that Psalm about Him.
Psalm 22:1 ¶ «To the chief
Musician upon Aijeleth Shahar, A Psalm of David.» My God, my God, why hast thou
forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my
roaring?
Matthew 27:46 And about the
ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?
that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
Imagine Christ in His frail humanity offering up prayers in the
Garden of Gethsemane as the Jewish leadership and the mob they controlled
conspired to kill Him. He knew what He had to face but did not look forward to
the pain and suffering of His impending death and was reacting like any of us
would react showing us that it is not wrong to feel repulsion at the prospect
of the process of dying.
Hebrews 5:7 Who in the days
of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong
crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard
in that he feared;
There may have also been times in your own life when you felt
betrayed and alone or seemed to have the whole world against you. You then
wanted to cry out in this type of eloquence.
Psalm 22:12 Many bulls have
compassed me: strong bulls of Bashan have beset me round.
13 They gaped upon me with
their mouths, as a ravening and a roaring lion.
Psalm 55:9 ¶ Destroy, O
Lord, and divide their tongues: for I have seen violence and strife in
the city. 10 Day and night they go about
it upon the walls thereof: mischief also and sorrow are in the midst of
it. 11 Wickedness is in the midst
thereof: deceit and guile depart not from her streets. 12 For it was not an enemy that
reproached me; then I could have borne it: neither was it he that
hated me that did magnify himself against me; then I would have
hid myself from him: 13 But it was
thou, a man mine equal, my guide, and mine acquaintance. 14 We took sweet counsel together, and
walked unto the house of God in company. 15
Let death seize upon them, and let them go down quick into hell:
for wickedness is in their dwellings, and among them.
David calls for his enemies to be hindered from communicating with
each other as they scheme in Jerusalem for his destruction. This reminds me of
what God did at Babel to a mankind that was conspiring to rebel against God’s
authority.
Genesis 11:8 So the LORD
scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left
off to build the city. 9 Therefore is
the name of it called Babel; because the LORD did there confound the language
of all the earth: and from thence did the LORD scatter them abroad upon the
face of all the earth.
And indeed we do see how God did not allow Ahithophel’s counsel to
be heeded. Let’s review some of the events around this.
2Samuel 15:31 ¶ And one
told David, saying, Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom. And
David said, O LORD, I pray thee, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into
foolishness.
Then, read 2Samuel, chapter 17 to see Ahithophel’s counsel
disregarded by the actions of David stalwart, Hushai.
David laments the conspiracy against him going about the city.
Then we move from the direct context of David and Ahithophel to a prophecy of
Christ. It wasn’t a stranger who betrayed either David or Jesus but a friend,
someone close to them.
Psalm 41:9 Yea, mine own
familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up
his heel against me.
John 13:18 ¶ I speak not of
you all: I know whom I have chosen: but that the scripture may be fulfilled, He
that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me.
This entire Psalm appears to be a prophecy of Christ as well as a
prayer of David. Death does follow both Ahithophel and Judas, death by their
own hands.
2Samuel 17:23 And when
Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his ass, and
arose, and gat him home to his house, to his city, and put his household in
order, and hanged himself, and died, and was buried in the sepulchre of his
father.
Matthew 27:3 Then Judas,
which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself,
and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders,
4 Saying, I have sinned in that I have
betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? see thou to
that. 5 And he cast down the pieces of
silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself.
Psalm 55:16 ¶ As for me, I
will call upon God; and the LORD shall save me. 17 Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I
pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice. 18 He hath delivered my soul in peace from the
battle that was against me: for there were many with me. 19 God shall hear, and afflict them, even he
that abideth of old. Selah. Because they have no changes, therefore they fear
not God. 20 He hath put forth his hands
against such as be at peace with him: he hath broken his covenant. 21 The words of his mouth were smoother
than butter, but war was in his heart: his words were softer than oil,
yet were they drawn swords. 22
Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never
suffer the righteous to be moved. 23 But
thou, O God, shalt bring them down into the pit of destruction: bloody and
deceitful men shall not live out half their days; but I will trust in thee.
David has gone from pleading with God to confidence in His
deliverance. Three times per day as set aside times of prayer are revealed
here. This teaches us that we should pray frequently.
Daniel 6:10 Now when Daniel
knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being
open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a
day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.
Paul wants us to always be in a prayerful state, communicating
with God.
Romans 12:12 Rejoicing in
hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;
1Thessalonians 5:17 Pray without
ceasing.
David then describes the traitor, Ahithophel, and the Holy Spirit
may be describing Judas, like we might think
of the Beast of Revelation whom we popularly call the Antichrist whose politician’s
words will be smoother than butter but war will be in his heart, softer
than oil but really will be drawn swords.
God, who dwells in eternity, will deal with this person whose
wealth and success and influence give him no reason in his heart to change his
ways and he has no fear of God.
Then he prophecies of the destruction of wicked men and deceivers.
We understand that prophecies of Scripture, including those found
in the Psalms can refer to multiple events and individuals.
In God should be our trust when we have been betrayed and done
wrongfully by someone in whom we trusted.
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