Obviously David is in a bad place. We think perhaps King Saul had sent another army to bring him in or assassins to kill him. Whatever or whoever was oppressing him, David’s initial response is one we can all relate to: “Oh, that I had the wings of a dove! I would fly away and be at rest…” (v.6)
The surprise turn is in verse 13 when the enemy that
threatens his life is “my companion, my familiar friend”. It was someone he
went to church with that had betrayed him (v.14). It was someone with whom he
shared some sort of covenant (v.20). David opines, “His speech was smooth as
butter, yet war was in his heart; his words were softer than oil, yet they were
drawn swords.” There is no wound as deep as the wound inflicted by a trusted
friend. There is no offense that feels more impossible to forgive than the
offense of a covenant companion.
So David feels the need to escape, but where can he run, or
fly away, to escape the wound he carries in his heart? In the end he realizes
that it is better to “Cast your burden on the LORD, and he will sustain you.”
(v.22) And so it is with us; it is better to cast our cares on the Lord than to
dream about flying away from our troubles and wounds. Peter echoes the psalm
when he admonishes believers, “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares
for you.” (1 Peter 5:7)
Does that mean the offender/betrayer gets off? David
insists, “But you, O God, will cast them down into the pit of destruction…”
(v.23) No one ever “gets off”. No one ever escapes the righteous judgment of
God. Thanks be to God, in Christ there is redemption for even the worst kind of
offender. As Christ followers, we are learning to cast our cares on Christ and
look to him to heal our worst wounds. The healing of wounded heart is completed
when forgiveness is freely given to the offender. So we must learn to pray for
the redemption of our enemy rather than his destruction.
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