Psa 55:3 | KingComments | STEP | It has been assumed that the occasion for this psalm is the betrayal of Ahithophel ( ). It is an assumption that has good grounds, especially when it comes to the prophetic application. David has to deal with the betrayal of Ahithophel, the Lord Jesus with the betrayal of Judas, and the remnant with the betrayal of the antichrist. Judas and the antichrist are both called “the son of destruction” ( ; ). The background to David’s feelings is the betrayal of a friend. Ahithophel is at first a trusted advisor to David. But after Absalom has seized the throne of David, Ahithophel has defected to Absalom. In this psalm we hear something of David’s intense grief over this betrayal. In this respect there is a parallel with Psalm 41, where David also complains about the betrayal by a friend ( ). We also hear in the psalm Christ’s Spirit in David, that is, David reflects what the Savior felt at the betrayal by Judas. We also hear what the remnant is going through in the end time because of the conspiracy of the antichrist and his followers against them. For “for the choir director; on stringed instruments” ( ) see at Psalm 4:1. This psalm is “a Maskil of David”. It is the last “maskil” or ‘teaching’ or ‘instruction’ in the small row of maskil- or instruction-psalms (Psalms 52-55). In these psalms there are instructions for the whole people of God, that is, the part that is faithful to God, in the time of the great tribulation. These psalms all have to do with instruction about the antichrist. Through this instruction, the wise, the maskilim , will be able to calculate the number of this beast ( ). For “a maskil” see further at Psalm 32:1. David starts the psalm by asking God to give ear to his prayer, to listen to it ( ; ). He also asks if God does not hide from his supplication. God’s not listening to him is the same as God hiding Himself from him. When God hears his prayer, it means that He gives all His attention to David. Therefore, David then asks if God still pays attention to him and prove it by answering him ( ). He points out to God that he wanders restlessly in his “complaint” and that he is “surely distracted”. Surely God does hear his complaining and distraction, doesn’t He? This wandering around and these expressions of distress are caused by “the voice of the enemy” and “the pressure of the wicked that bring down trouble” upon him ( ). This marks the severity of the situation. Injustice is on him by people who “in anger … bear a grudge against” him. By this he means the slander that his enemy throws around loudly about him. The enemy does so with a hatred that is fueled by anger. That enemy is “the wicked”, the man who has no regard for God, but is an instrument of the devil. The grimness with which he rages causes David great fear. His heart trembles in anguish within him because of the grimness ( ). He has no control over it. His heart knows no rest, but goes wild within him, for he is overcome by “terrors of death”. Terrifying visages that represent death appear to him. “Fear and trembling” come upon him, or in him, and “horror has overwhelmed” him ( ). For this reason, he says that he would like to flee the city, in which hatred and violence are coming upon him from all sides ( ). The word “oh” is the sigh that comes from a mind that is in deep distress. He wishes someone would give him “wings like a dove”. A dove is a defenseless animal that seeks its safety in lonely places, where no people live (cf. ; ). David was eager to fly away like a dove – a dove can fly non-stop for up to fifteen hours – to such a region to stay there, to live there and be at rest there. That would not be a region close by. He would “wander far away” ( ), far away from trouble. There he would “lodge in the wilderness” (cf. ). The nights in particular are full of dangers. If he were in the wilderness, he would be safe in the night as well. He would hasten to escape, for the threat of being seized is great ( ). David compares the advancing enemy to “the stormy wind” and “tempest”. He is unpredictable like a stormy wind and destructive like a tempest. This prayer will also be prayed by the believing remnant in the end time. In view of that time, the time of the great tribulation, the Lord Jesus tells His disciples to flee to the mountains ( ). And God will provide the remnant with wings to flee from the dragon, the devil, into the wilderness ( ).

‏ Psalms 55:3

Introduction

It has been assumed that the occasion for this psalm is the betrayal of Ahithophel (2Sam 15:31). It is an assumption that has good grounds, especially when it comes to the prophetic application. David has to deal with the betrayal of Ahithophel, the Lord Jesus with the betrayal of Judas, and the remnant with the betrayal of the antichrist. Judas and the antichrist are both called “the son of destruction” (Jn 17:12b; 2Thes 2:3b).

The background to David’s feelings is the betrayal of a friend. Ahithophel is at first a trusted advisor to David. But after Absalom has seized the throne of David, Ahithophel has defected to Absalom. In this psalm we hear something of David’s intense grief over this betrayal. In this respect there is a parallel with Psalm 41, where David also complains about the betrayal by a friend (Psa 41:6-9).

We also hear in the psalm Christ’s Spirit in David, that is, David reflects what the Savior felt at the betrayal by Judas. We also hear what the remnant is going through in the end time because of the conspiracy of the antichrist and his followers against them.

Prayer in Distress

For “for the choir director; on stringed instruments” (Psa 55:1a) see at Psalm 4:1.

This psalm is “a Maskil of David”. It is the last “maskil” or ‘teaching’ or ‘instruction’ in the small row of maskil- or instruction-psalms (Psalms 52-55). In these psalms there are instructions for the whole people of God, that is, the part that is faithful to God, in the time of the great tribulation.

These psalms all have to do with instruction about the antichrist. Through this instruction, the wise, the maskilim, will be able to calculate the number of this beast (Rev 13:18). For “a maskil” see further at Psalm 32:1.

David starts the psalm by asking God to give ear to his prayer, to listen to it (Psa 55:1b; Psa 34:15b). He also asks if God does not hide from his supplication. God’s not listening to him is the same as God hiding Himself from him. When God hears his prayer, it means that He gives all His attention to David.

Therefore, David then asks if God still pays attention to him and prove it by answering him (Psa 55:2). He points out to God that he wanders restlessly in his “complaint” and that he is “surely distracted”. Surely God does hear his complaining and distraction, doesn’t He? This wandering around and these expressions of distress are caused by “the voice of the enemy” and “the pressure of the wicked that bring down trouble” upon him (Psa 55:3). This marks the severity of the situation.

Injustice is on him by people who “in anger … bear a grudge against” him. By this he means the slander that his enemy throws around loudly about him. The enemy does so with a hatred that is fueled by anger. That enemy is “the wicked”, the man who has no regard for God, but is an instrument of the devil. The grimness with which he rages causes David great fear.

His heart trembles in anguish within him because of the grimness (Psa 55:4). He has no control over it. His heart knows no rest, but goes wild within him, for he is overcome by “terrors of death”. Terrifying visages that represent death appear to him. “Fear and trembling” come upon him, or in him, and “horror has overwhelmed” him (Psa 55:5).

For this reason, he says that he would like to flee the city, in which hatred and violence are coming upon him from all sides (Psa 55:6). The word “oh” is the sigh that comes from a mind that is in deep distress. He wishes someone would give him “wings like a dove”. A dove is a defenseless animal that seeks its safety in lonely places, where no people live (cf. Song 2:14a; Jer 48:28). David was eager to fly away like a dove – a dove can fly non-stop for up to fifteen hours – to such a region to stay there, to live there and be at rest there.

That would not be a region close by. He would “wander far away” (Psa 55:7), far away from trouble. There he would “lodge in the wilderness” (cf. Jer 9:2). The nights in particular are full of dangers. If he were in the wilderness, he would be safe in the night as well. He would hasten to escape, for the threat of being seized is great (Psa 55:8). David compares the advancing enemy to “the stormy wind” and “tempest”. He is unpredictable like a stormy wind and destructive like a tempest.

This prayer will also be prayed by the believing remnant in the end time. In view of that time, the time of the great tribulation, the Lord Jesus tells His disciples to flee to the mountains (Mt 24:16-20). And God will provide the remnant with wings to flee from the dragon, the devil, into the wilderness (Rev 12:13-14).