Psalm 55, Betrayed by a Friend

For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A maskil of David.

Some translate maskil as "a contemplative poem" or "a teaching song". But its meaning is unclear.

Psalm 55: 1-3, Do not ignore my plea!

Listen to my prayer, O God, 

do not ignore my plea;

 hear me and answer me. 

My thoughts trouble me 

and I am distraught

 at the voice of the enemy, 

at the stares of the wicked; 

for they bring down suffering upon me 

and revile me in their anger.

As common, David has an enemy that distresses and frightens him. He reacts by turning to God.

I too, awake at 3 am. frightened and upset.  My thoughts trouble me and I am distraught.

Psalm 55: 4-5,  Assailed

 My heart is in anguish within me; 

the terrors of death assail me.

 Fear and trembling have beset me; 

horror has overwhelmed me.

The traumatic wave of anguish and terror are described. One's heart pounds with fear and despair.

Psalm 55: 6-8, Fly away!

 I said, "Oh, that I had the wings of a dove! 

I would fly away and be at rest--

 I would flee far away 

and stay in the desert;

Selah.

 I would hurry to my place of shelter,

far from the tempest and storm."

David longs to be able to fly for away and leave all behind.  Who has not wanted that? To be a bird and just lift away from the threat and disappear.

Psalm 55: 9-11, Confound

Confuse the wicked, O Lord, 

confound their speech, 

for I see violence and strife in the city.

Day and night they prowl about on its walls; 

malice and abuse are within it.

 Destructive forces are at work in the city; 

threats and lies never leave its streets.

Evil seems to speak and prowl.  David calls for God to confound the wicked and those prowling in the darkness. Here David's thoughts are on the city around him -- the threat is in the city, in the nighttime darkness.

Psalm 55: 12-14, But a friend!

If an enemy were insulting me, I could endure it; 

if a foe were raising himself against me, I could hide from him.

But it is you, a man like myself, 

my companion, my close friend,

with whom I once enjoyed sweet fellowship 

as we walked with the throng at the house of God.

This time the evil comes from a close friend, from betrayal, by a friend who used to walk into the house of God with David. Could this be Absalom or a court councilor supportive of Absalom?

Psalm 55: 15, Surprise of death

 Let death take my enemies by surprise; 

let them go down  

Yes, defeat my enemies, let them be surprised by death, cries David.

Psalm 55: 16-17, Meanwhile...

 But I call to God, 

and the LORD saves me.

 Evening, morning and noon I cry out in distress, 

and he hears my voice.

Meanwhile David cries to God, at all times, evening, morning and noon.  (Note the Jewish order of the day, first evening, them morning then noon.)

Psalm 55: 18-19, Ransomed

 He ransoms me unharmed from the battle waged against me, 

even though many oppose me.

 

God, who is enthroned forever --

Selah --

will hear them and afflict them--

men who never change their ways 

and have no fear of God.

 

Ransomed and saved, unharmed, David rejoices. 

The word selah is in a strange place here -- is it intended to force a pause and contemplation of God's permanent place on the throne?

Psalm 55: 20-21, Violator

My companion attacks his friends;

he violates his covenant.

His speech is smooth as butter, 

yet war is in his heart;

his words are more soothing than oil,

yet they are drawn swords.

David's enemy is a smooth operator, working behind the scenes. I am reminded, again, of Absalom, at the gates of the city, working against the king.

The liar, with smooth speech, seems friendly but is engaged in war.  Indeed he attacks his friends and break his promises. Human nature is unchanged in the almost three millennia since this psalm was written.

Psalm 55: 22-23, Cast your cares

 Cast your cares on the LORD 

and he will sustain you;

he will never let the righteous fall.

But you, O God, will bring down the wicked into the pit of corruption; 

bloodthirsty and deceitful men will not live out half their days. 

But as for me, I trust in you.

As before, David prays for the defeat of his enemy, for their destruction. (I have no problem with that.)

A final sentence summarizes the psalm. David throws all his cares upon YHWH, giving them away, confident that YHWH will sustain him.  (In the New Testament, Peter will echo this in I Peter 5:7)