Psalm 55 — When Betrayal Is Close

Intro |

Last week we talked about being falsely accused. The question was asked, “How do you respond when falsely accused? Do you fight back in your own strength, or do you cry out to the LORD, the upholder of our lives?”

This week, in Psalm 55, we see a similar theme, but with a unique twist. In Psalm 54, David was hiding from Saul and the Ziphites, in our text today he is betrayed by someone close to him.

Ps. 55:20-21 “My companion stretched out his hand against his friends; he violated his covenant. His speech was smooth as butter, yet war was in his heart; his words were softer than oil, yet they were drawn swords.”

Ps. 52, 54, and 55 all deal with David being betrayed.

In 52 by Doeg in regard to the priest at Nob.

In 54 the people of Ziph—his own countrymen.

And in 55 this look at betrayal comes to a climax with David being betrayed by someone close to him.

It is a horrible thing to be falsely accused by a stranger, but it is all together disheartening to be betrayed by someone close to you.

Unlike the other two Psalms, it is difficult to know exactly when this betrayal happened.

A best guess puts this in 2 Samuel 15-17, at the occasion of Absalom’s rebellion and Ahithophel’s betrayal.

Ahithophel was David’s counselor, but he betrayed him by advising to Absalom, David’s son, in his rebellion.

Ahithophel’s counsel and Absalom’s betrayal ultimately didn’t work.

In fact, Absalom was killed and Ahithophel hanged himself when he realized that his counsel was rejected.

Regardless of the exact timing of this Psalm, we can recognize the deep distress and hurt David felt at the rebellion at the hands of someone close to him.

Many of you have been hurt in this way at some point in your life. You have trusted, loved, and cared for someone who ultimately hurt you deeply.

When we are hurt we experience many emotions. One commentator points out that in this Psalm we see David express his fear, fury, and faith.

We are going to look at this Psalm in three sections to best see how to handle betrayal in a way that points us to Christ.

vv.1-8 — Acknowledge My Feelings

vv. 9-15 &20-21 — Assess the Situation

vv. 16-19 & 22-23 — Accept God’s Help

1. (vv.1-8) When I feel hurt and betrayed, I need to honestly acknowledge my feelings.

In this Psalm, David boldly acknowledges his situation and cries out to God.

(v.1) “Give ear to my prayer...hide not yourself from my plea for mercy...”

(v.2) “Attend to me…answer me…I am restless in my complaint (v.4, “my heart is in anguish)…and I moan...

(v.3) WHY? because of the noise of my enemy, the oppression of the wicked. For they drop trouble upon me, and in anger they bear a grudge against me.”

David is not trying to sugarcoat his situation, praying impersonal prayers, putting on a fake smile— No, he is pleading from a place of honesty with the LORD.

David was not simply praying mindful therapeutic prayers. He wanted an audience with God—”hear me, answer me, don’t hide from me!”

When is the last time you were this honest with the LORD?

Often times we pray like God is distant, and doesn’t want to deal with our thoughts, feelings, and emotions.

But when Jesus taught his disciples to pray in Matt 6, he did so in a personal and practical way.

“Our Father in heaven…deliver us from evil” I can almost hear David in this Psalm praying this way.

(v.4)—“Father please listen to me…the terrors of death have fallen upon me. Fear and trembling come upon me, and horrors overwhelm me—Please deliver me from this evil.

Interestingly, the context would suggest that David was no longer on the run in the wilderness. Things should have been good as he established himself in Jerusalem, but they were not.

David’s prayer shows his desire to to flee to the wilderness again.

Ps. 55:6-8 “Oh, that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away and be at rest; yes, I would wander far away; I would lodge in the wilderness; I would hurry to find a shelter from the raging wind and tempest.””

Forest Gump and Jennie knew about this type of prayer.

Jennie’s father was abusive, and in her honest desperation she invites Forest to pray with her, “Dear God, make me a bird so that I can fly far far away from here...”

David, like Jennie, is being honest with God, but in his heart he knew that there was no wilderness far enough removed that wickedness could not reach him.

Often, when we find ourselves in a hard situation, our first thought is “How can I get out of this?” But, the maturing christian asks “what can I get out of this?”

It is only when we honestly acknowledge our feelings, that we can see more clearly what we are meant to get out of difficult situations.

Then we can say with the Psalmist, “I will trust in you, LORD.”

2. vv. 9-15 &20-21 — When I feel hurt and betrayed, it’s important that I assess the situation clearly.

David was being honest with God, but that started with him being honest with himself.

As David learned about Absalom and Ahithophel, he prayed (2 Sam 15:31) “O Lord, please turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.””

In v.9, Having assessed his situation clearly, he prays that the counsel given to Absalom would be like the people at the tower of Babel who experienced the confusion of languages.

(v.9) —“Destory, O Lord, divide their tongues; for I see violence and strife in the city.

God does exactly as David asked, and Ahithophel’s counsel was not well received by Absalom which led to Absalom’s defeat and death.

Can you imagine what David is facing?

Absalom his son was against him, and he dies.

Ahithophel’s David’s advisor— a man who knew him, often gave him counsel— a man who worshipped the LORD alongside him — he had abandoned him.

Ps. 55:12-13 “For it is not an enemy who taunts me— then I could bear it; it is not an adversary who deals insolently with me— then I could hide from him. But it is you, a man, my equal, my companion, my familiar friend.”

David knew how to deal with his enemies, but this betrayal was too deep.

So, by assessing the situations rightly He turned to depend upon God, not his own ability.

Ps. 55:15 “Let death steal over them; let them go down to Sheol alive; for evil is in their dwelling place and in their heart.”

This is an appeal to God and the destruction of Korah (Num.16). In this story the ground under Korah and his followers opened up and swallowed them alive. “They and all that belonged to them went down alive into Sheol.”

David having assessed his situation recognized that he needs the miraculous hand of God to vindicate him, the faithfulness of God to rescue him—left to himself, he was helpless!

3. vv. 16-19 & 22-23—When I feel hurt and betrayed, I should be quick to Accept God’s Help.

David began in v.1 with a plea for God to hear him, and in v.16 he declares “I call on God, and the Lord will save me.”

Do you see the shift?

He moves from desperation and fear to faith that God in fact hears him.

Ps. 55:17 “Evening and morning and at noon I utter my complaint and moan, and he hears my voice.”

It is important to note that David was not ultimately confident in his feelings and his ability to assess the situation.

Too often we can idolize our feelings and never move by faith to trust that God is working all things for good—even in this!

Or, maybe you are tempted to become too confident in your own ability to assess what is going on in your life, and trusting in yourself you never move to trust in the Lord.

A primary example of this was Judas who was caught up in his feelings and his own ability to assess how following the Lord would effect his life.

Ultimately he betrayed Christ because he did not have faith that Jesus was the Son of God who came to redeem sinners like him.

He couldn’t believe that Jesus could/would help him.

Conversely, in this Psalm we can be encouraged by David to continually and constantly look, by faith, to the sustaining help of God, for he will not allow the righteous to be moved.

Look at what David says by faith:

v. 22 — “cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you.”

v.16— “the Lord saves me”

v. 17 — “the Lord hears me”

v. 18 — “the Lord redeems me”

v. 23 — “ he will bring the wicked down.”

Conclusion |

Some of you have faced betrayal, hurt, and abandonment by those closest to you.

Let me remind you that Jesus is a friend who sticks closer than a brother—and as such, he will never leave nor forsake you.

You can call on him, trust in him, rely on him in every situation and at all times!

But, some of you feel betrayed by your own actions.

You are trying to live faithfully, but it seems like you are your worst enemy.

Do you know, the Apostle Paul felt this way.

Rom.7:15 “For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate....(v.18-19) For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. (v.24) Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our LORD!

Later the Apostle Peter, using the language of Psalm 55:22, says (1 Pet. 5:7 ) “cast all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.”

Dear Christian, when you feel abandoned by others or from your own desires…Cast your cares upon the Lord who was betrayed and abandoned too… for he will sustain you, he will never allow the righteous to fall…and he will judge the wicked...

Can you say with David, in whatever you are facing today… “ As for me, I will trust the LORD?”

LORD’S SUPPER

Our Savior was hurt and abandoned by those closest to him, and in the garden of Gethsemane he called upon God to rescue him.

But more important than his rescue, was the glory of the Father. So rather than being delivered in the Garden, he goes to the cross.

On the cross he felt the greatest abandonment of all so that you don’t have to experience the Father turning his face away from you!

“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

He was humiliated, forsaken, his body was broken, and his blood was shed so that you and I can known the eternal acceptance of the Father.

READ 1 Cor. 11