Psalm 55
The Deep Pain of a Friend’s Betrayal
Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Monday, May 22.
When I was in the military, we trained hard to protect against friendly fire. To avoid shooting at their comrades or allies, we instilled into the soldiers the importance of situational awareness, fire discipline, and target acquisition. It is demoralizing to soldiers to learn that their own army was responsible for the damage and death. David experienced friendly fire at a very personal level, as attested in Psalm 55:12-14:
For it is not an enemy who reproaches me, then I could bear it; nor is it one who hates me who has exalted himself against me, then I could hide myself from him. But it is you, a man my equal, my companion and my familiar friend; we who had sweet fellowship together walked in the house of God in the throng.
David was experiencing the attacks of a close friend, the deep pain of a friend’s betrayal. David expressed how the friendly fire affected him personally in today’s psalm:
- Verse 2, “I am restless in my complaint and am surely distracted.”
- Verse 4, “My heart is in anguish within me, and the terrors of death have fallen upon me.”
- Verse 5, “Fear and trembling come upon me, and horror has overwhelmed me.”
How did David respond to the deep pain of a friend’s betrayal? He passed on his response in Psalm 55:22, “Cast your burden upon the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken.” The final words of today’s psalm give us the victory, “But I will trust in You.” (vs 23) When those closest to you cause you the most pain, turn to God, the One who will never betray you (Deuteronomy 31:6; Joshua 1:5; Hebrews 13:5-6)!
Seize the moment and pray Psalm 55, meditating upon God as your safe place in times of conflict – “casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7).
God bless you!
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YOUTUBE:
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