AS FOR ME, I TRUST IN YOU

If an enemy were insulting me, I could endure it; if a foe were rising against me, I could hide. But it is you, a man like myself, my companion, my close friend, with whom I once enjoyed sweet fellowship at the house of God, as we walked about among the worshipers. (Psalm 55:12-14)

King David was no stranger to pain and suffering. The man after God's own heart went through many types of difficulties in his life, but the kind he describes in Psalm 55 was by far one of the worst. He describes his emotional state like this:

My heart is in anguish within me;
    the terrors of death have fallen on me.
Fear and trembling have beset me;
    horror has overwhelmed me. (vv.4-5)

He longs for the ability to just escape it all, proclaiming:

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; 
I would hurry to my place of shelter,
    far from the tempest and storm.” (vv.6-8)

The source of his great suffering was not illness, nor was it some natural disaster, but rather it was the betrayal of a dear friend, with whom he had once shared in deep fellowship before the Lord. This betrayal of trust was a far worse experience than when an enemy, of whom David had many, had attacked him:

If an enemy were insulting me,
    I could endure it;
if a foe were rising against me,
    I could hide.
But it is you, a man like myself,
    my companion, my close friend,
with whom I once enjoyed sweet fellowship
    at the house of God,
as we walked about
    among the worshipers. (vv.12-14)

This deep kind of suffering is, in many ways, the pinnacle of pain because of its sharp contrast. The joy of friendship, suddenly giving way to pain of animosity. The security of trust, suddenly exchanged for uncertainty of betrayal. The sweetness of love, suddenly replaced with the bitterness of hatred. 

In this, David foreshadows the suffering of the Lord Jesus, who endured betrayal at the hands of a friend he had trusted for years.

David describes the actions of his former-friend turned betrayer:

My companion attacks his friends;
    he violates his covenant.
His talk is smooth as butter,
    yet war is in his heart;
his words are more soothing than oil,
    yet they are drawn swords. (vv.20-21)

You see, this friendship was much deeper than enjoying each other's company. It was a covenant friendship before the Lord. Yet, this unnamed friend broke his covenant and his friend's heart. He spoke smoothly, as a betrayer often does (Judas betrayed Jesus with a kiss), but smooth words were only a disguise for drawn swords, ready to inflict pain and suffering.

It is crucial for us, in these days, to learn how to endure such painful trials. This is because the Lord Jesus himself warns us that as this age draws to a close, multitudes of believers will not only turn away from the Lord, but will simultaneously turn from their brothers and sisters in Christ with hatred and scorn:

At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. (Matthew 24:10-13)

At the end of Psalm 55 David gives us the key to enduring this kind of painful suffering:

Cast your cares on the Lord
    and he will sustain you;
he will never let
    the righteous be shaken. (v.22)

We must never associate the unfaithfulness of people, even Christian people, with the Lord. He is the source of all comfort and strength for us, and if we accuse Him of unfaithfulness simply because people have been unfaithful, we cut ourselves off from everything we need to persevere in love and peace.

The Lord cares about our suffering, and He is the faithful Friend we need in times of pain. We can flee to Him and give Him our wounded hearts for care and He will sustain and uphold us.

David also declares the coming judgment of God on the deceitful:

But you, God, will bring down the wicked
    into the pit of decay;
the bloodthirsty and deceitful
    will not live out half their days. (v.23)

But he concludes:

But as for me, I trust in you. (v.23)

Let us do the same, casting our wounded hearts on the One who cares for us, and putting all of our trust and confidence in Him during our time of need. Amen.