The most pain is the hurt we receive at the hands of those
we trusted most. David knew betrayal from both family and friend. Psalm 55 is a
lesson that reveals 4 approaches to handling pain in the battles of life.
The first approach is that of our trusting our feelings towards
our problems. Listen to David as he tells God how he feels.
Psalm 55:1-5
Give ear to my prayer, O God, and hide not yourself from my plea for mercy! Attend to me, and answer me; I am restless in my complaint and I moan, because of the noise of the enemy, because of the oppression of the wicked. For they drop trouble upon me, and in anger they bear a grudge against me. My heart is in anguish within me; the terrors of death have fallen upon me. Fear and trembling come upon me, and horror overwhelms me.
Give ear to my prayer, O God, and hide not yourself from my plea for mercy! Attend to me, and answer me; I am restless in my complaint and I moan, because of the noise of the enemy, because of the oppression of the wicked. For they drop trouble upon me, and in anger they bear a grudge against me. My heart is in anguish within me; the terrors of death have fallen upon me. Fear and trembling come upon me, and horror overwhelms me.
David finds himself feeling restless, oppressed, in anguish,
and is feeling overwhelmed with fear and horror, which makes him tremble. Who
hasn’t been there? In this state we can develop an attitude of hopelessness.
Not a good place to be.
Because of this hopeless feeling David just wants out. Oh,
how often I have felt that way. The world will sell you the lies of escape. Alcohol,
drugs, sex, pornography, food are just some of the things the world will put in
front of us. Suicide for some becomes the ultimate choice of escape. Escape is the second approach to our problems.
Psalm 55:6-8
And I say, "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; Selah I would hurry to find a shelter from the raging wind and tempest."
And I say, "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; Selah I would hurry to find a shelter from the raging wind and tempest."
The third approach often taken in times of trouble is to
dwell on the circumstances. Every day this world seems to get worse. David’s
writings sound very familiar.
Psalm 55:9-15
Destroy, O Lord, divide their tongues; for I see violence and strife in the city. Day and night they go around it on its walls, and iniquity and trouble are within it; ruin is in its midst; oppression and fraud do not depart from its marketplace. 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. We used to take sweet counsel together; within God's house we walked in the throng. Let death steal over them; let them go down to Sheol alive; for evil is in their dwelling place and in their heart.
Destroy, O Lord, divide their tongues; for I see violence and strife in the city. Day and night they go around it on its walls, and iniquity and trouble are within it; ruin is in its midst; oppression and fraud do not depart from its marketplace. 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. We used to take sweet counsel together; within God's house we walked in the throng. Let death steal over them; let them go down to Sheol alive; for evil is in their dwelling place and in their heart.
Violence and strife in the city, oppression and fraud, evil
seems to lurk at every corner and even those we go to church with cannot often
be trusted. David, like us, could get lost in his circumstances. But David
knows better than to dwell in his feelings, in his pipe dreams of escape, and
in his circumstances. He turns to God through prayer.
Psalm 55:16-19
But I call to God, and the LORD will save me. Evening and morning and at noon I utter my complaint and moan, and he hears my voice. He redeems my soul in safety from the battle that I wage, for many are arrayed against me. God will give ear and humble them, he who is enthroned from of old, Selah because they do not change and do not fear God.
But I call to God, and the LORD will save me. Evening and morning and at noon I utter my complaint and moan, and he hears my voice. He redeems my soul in safety from the battle that I wage, for many are arrayed against me. God will give ear and humble them, he who is enthroned from of old, Selah because they do not change and do not fear God.
Even if our most trusted friends or our own family betray us
or hurt us we have a God who never leaves nor forsakes us.
Psalm 55:20-23
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. Cast your burden on the LORD, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved. But you, O God, will cast them down into the pit of destruction; men of blood and treachery shall not live out half their days. But I will trust in you.
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. Cast your burden on the LORD, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved. But you, O God, will cast them down into the pit of destruction; men of blood and treachery shall not live out half their days. But I will trust in you.
The Lord will sustain you. Jesus promised to help us in
these times. He says this in Matthew
11:28-30, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will
give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and
lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and
my burden is light."
Put your trust in Christ for He is the fourth approach David
considers in this psalm. When you are tempted to look to the hopeless things of
the world “cast your burden on the LORD, and he will sustain you; he will never
permit the righteous to be moved.” God is there. Cry out to Him today.
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