Psalm 55
Dear RTB’ers,
Not long ago one of you commented to me that s/he was “with me” in not understanding the Psalms. They were referring to my July 27 post wherein I spent more than a few sentences explaining the possible sources of my confusion with the Psalms. Today I am not alone in not fully understanding Psalm 55. We read that one of David’s friends has turned against him – but we do not know the friend’s name: For it is not an enemy who taunts me. … But it is you, a man, my equal, my companion, my familiar friend. (v. 13) Scholars have suggested Absalom, but he is David’s son, not his equal and not his “friend”. Others have suggested Ahithophel, one of David’s former advisors who then aligned with Absalom against David. (See II Samuel 15:31; 16:15-23; 17:1-23.) Simply, we do not know who this “friend” is.
David does not speak kindly of this friend. Our STS companion book speaks of the personification of their evil as if it were walking the walls and the streets (Ps. 55:9-11). Still, David’s confidence in God does not fail: But I call to God, and the LORD will save me. …He hears my voice. … God will give ear and humble them, … because they do not change and do not fear God. (vv. 16-17, 19) David leaves us with good advice: Cast your burden on the LORD, and He will sustain you; He will never permit the righteous to be moved. (v. 22) The apostle Peter even cited this verse (I Peter 5:7). Maybe we should listen…?
Blessings!
See also:
I for one am glad that David leaves his “friend” unnamed. Doing so makes it easier for me to make this Psalm my own, to read it not only as David’s situation, but as mine as well. It also lets us read it from Jesus’ perspective, with Judas Iscariot as the friend. Jesus Himself has suffered all the agonies of betrayal from an intimate friend, and that means that I can, indeed, cast all of my own burdens on Him, because He can fully sympathize. (Hebrews 4:15-16)