Psalm 54
February 26
It is one thing
to be betrayed by an enemy, but to be betrayed by your own? Wow!
Psalm 52 was
written in response to David being betrayed by an Edomite, found in 1 Sam. 22,
but today’s psalm is in response to David being betrayed by his own people,
based on 1 Sam. 23:19 and verses following.
Have you had close friends or coworkers
abandon you or betray you? Join the club of David and of Jesus. Both David and
Jesus were of the lineage of Judah, and yet Judas betrayed Jesus. And the
people of David’s own kin and tribe told King Saul, a Benjamite, where David
was hiding. Earlier in Psalm 41:9, we read this prophetic passage, “Even my own familiar friend in whom I
trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted up his heel against
me,” written by David, but applied to Jesus and Judas Iscariot.
A church I know has
a reputation of terminating more staff members and employees than any other
church I have ever seen. I asked one terminated minister how long it took for
his wife to get over the hurt of his termination and he said, “I don’t think
she’ll ever get over it.” There are worse hurts. Some churches and even entire
denominations have reputations of hurting and abusing children. The hurt from
friends, family members, and family of God members can be one of the most devastating
hurts that there are.
Where did David
turn when his own kin and kind suddenly became “strangers” “oppressors” (54:3)
and “enemies” (54:5, 7)? He turned to God. When you need a friend or a brother,
remember Jesus has called us friends (John 15:15) and if we have God as our
Father, then Jesus is our brother (Matt. 12:50). And He will never betray you.
(This theme continues
in Psalm 55)
