Betrayal
Psalm 55 begins like many of the Psalms, with an appeal for God to hear a prayer for help from one’s enemies. In this Psalm David has been so affected by his enemies that “fear and trembling have beset me, horror has overwhelmed me.” He just wanted to flee, to get as far away as possible. In verses 12 & 13 we learn that this isn’t just any enemy, this person was “my companion, my close friend” someone he had sweet fellowship and worshipped with. This is the good friend, the Christian coworker, the person at church who worshipped in the pew next to you, who was in small group with you, a person you trusted, perhaps someone you were close to, but has now come against you.
In David’s case, this person he had a close relationship with had now turned on him and become his enemy and was persecuting him, threatening him in their anger. He may have been referring to King Saul or his son Absalom, or someone else entirely, but the pain and hurt was very real.
If you’ve ever felt betrayed by (or are currently experiencing betrayal from) someone close to you who has turned on you, come against you, you can identify with David in these verses. You feel hurt, wounded, like there is no where to go and your only solution is to flee the situation, quit the job, leave the church. The encouragement of this Psalm (a lament) is to follow David’s lead, begin by crying out to the Lord, “evening, morning, and noon I cry out in distress and he hears my voice (Ps. 55:17)”. Share your honest hurt and pain with him, ask him to intervene and bring his perfect justice and resolution. And most importantly to trust in God to care for you and sustain you through it (v. 23), “cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you, he will never let the righteous be shaken (v. 22).” God knows about betrayal, people have been betraying him since the beginning of humanity. One of Jesus’ own disciples betrayed him, selling out for 30 pieces of silver, while all the rest of his disciples abandoned him in his time of need. God knows exactly what you are going through and will help you and lift you up through it if you go to him allow him to carry the burden(s) with you.