Psalms 55:1-16: a reflection

1Listen to my prayer, God. Don’t hide yourself from my supplication. 2Attend to me, and answer me. I am restless in my complaint, and moan 3because of the voice of the enemy, because of the oppression of the wicked. For they bring suffering on me. In anger they hold a grudge against me. 4My heart is severely pained within me. The terrors of death have fallen on me. 5Fearfulness and trembling have come on me. Horror has overwhelmed me. 6I said, “Oh that I had wings like a dove! Then I would fly away, and be at rest. 7Behold, then I would wander far off. I would lodge in the wilderness.” Selah. 8“I would hurry to a shelter from the stormy wind and storm.” 9Confuse them, Lord, and confound their language, for I have seen violence and strife in the city. 10Day and night they prowl around on its walls. Malice and abuse are also within her. 11Destructive forces are within her. Threats and lies don’t depart from her streets. 12For it was not an enemy who insulted me, then I could have endured it. Neither was it he who hated me who raised himself up against me, then I would have hidden myself from him. 13But it was you, a man like me, my companion, and my familiar friend. 14We took sweet fellowship together. We walked in God’s house with company. 15Let death come suddenly on them. Let them go down alive into Sheol. For wickedness is among them, in their dwelling. 16As for me, I will call on God. The LORD will save me.

In this psalm of deep distress, the sharpest pain is not from an enemy, but from a friend. It was not an enemy who insulted me, the psalmist says, then I could have endured it. But it was you, a man like me, my companion, and my familiar friend. We took sweet fellowship together. The wound that cut deepest was the betrayal of a close friend, one with whom he had shared sweet fellowship, who had turned against him. Such a betrayal, from one so trusted and near, wounds more deeply than the hostility of any enemy. And yet the psalmist knows where to bring even this pain: As for me, I will call on God. The LORD will save me.

Notice both the depth of the wound and where the psalmist brings it. The pain of betrayal by a close friend, one with whom he had shared sweet fellowship, was sharper than any enemy's hostility; the nearness and trust made the betrayal cut all the deeper. He does not pretend it does not hurt; he names the depth of it. But he does not let the wound turn him away from God; he brings it to God, resolving, I will call on God, the LORD will save me. The betrayal that wounded him so deeply became a matter he carried to God, trusting God to save him. He brought even this deepest pain to the God who could save.

That is worth taking to heart, for when we are wounded by the betrayal of a friend, we can bring that deep pain to God, who saves. The betrayal of a close friend, one we trusted and shared much with, wounds more deeply than the hostility of an enemy; and such a wound can turn us bitter or drive us into ourselves. But the psalmist, deeply wounded by a friend's betrayal, brought his pain to God, trusting God to save him. Even the deep wound of betrayal can be carried to God. When you are wounded by the betrayal of a friend, do not let the pain turn you bitter or drive you from God; bring it to him, as the psalmist called on God amid his betrayal. Bring the deep pain of betrayal by a friend to God, who saves, rather than letting it turn you bitter or drive you inward, as the psalmist, wounded by his familiar friend, resolved to call on God who would save him; for even the sharpest wound of betrayal can be carried to God, and he can save and sustain us through the pain that a trusted friend's betrayal brings.

Lord, in this psalm of deep distress, the sharpest pain is not from an enemy, but from a friend. It was not an enemy who insulted me, the psalmist says, then I could have endured it; but it was you, a man like me, my companion, and my familiar friend; we took sweet fellowship together. The wound that cut deepest was the betrayal of a close friend, one with whom he had shared sweet fellowship, who had turned against him. Such a betrayal wounds more deeply than the hostility of any enemy. And yet the psalmist knows where to bring even this pain: as for me, I will call on God; the LORD will save me. Show me both the depth of the wound and where the psalmist brings it. The pain of betrayal by a close friend was sharper than any enemy's hostility; the nearness and trust made the betrayal cut all the deeper. He does not pretend it does not hurt; he names the depth of it. But he does not let the wound turn him away from you; he brings it to you, resolving, I will call on God, the LORD will save me. The betrayal that wounded him so deeply became a matter he carried to you. Take that to my heart, for when I am wounded by the betrayal of a friend, I can bring that deep pain to you, who saves. The betrayal of a close friend wounds more deeply than the hostility of an enemy; and such a wound can turn me bitter or drive me into myself. But the psalmist brought his pain to you, trusting you to save him. When I am wounded by the betrayal of a friend, keep me from letting the pain turn me bitter or drive me from you; help me bring it to you, Lord, as the psalmist called on you amid his betrayal, trusting you to save me.