Psalms 55:22 – August 1, 2019

Softer than butter is his speech, but war is in his heart. Smoother than oil are his words, but they are unsheathed swords. Psalms 55:22 NABRE     

Psalm 55 has the psalmist concerned about an enemy, someone who wants to end his life. The psalm begins with an appeal to God and goes on to describe the psalmist anguish. The psalmist expresses his wish to escape and find refuge far away and he asks the Lord to confound his enemies. Then he expresses grief how it is a friend who has turned against him and is treating him badly. He wishes his enemies and his friend would be removed from the scene. He goes on to describe how he prays to God and how wicked his enemies are and invites the listener to pray to the Lord for him. He ends addressing God again, telling Him that he trusts in Him. The psalmist is agitated and suffering and hopes in God’s help. In the turning of his friend to an enemy the psalmist provides the quoted verse where he is calling his friend a hypocrite. The friend says nice things but has hate in his heart, his words are smooth and uplifting but in fact he is ready to attack. Even though what is being said seems agreeable, the friend and enemy who is speaking cannot be trusted.

Unfortunately, probably we have had a similar experience. Someone we trust, who is close, turns on us and wishes us failure. It could be a work situation, or neighborhood, or it even happens in churches. They were a friend and now they are not and turn against you. To your face everything seems fine, but you hear them speaking unkindly about you behind your back. This psalm’s message for us is to ask God for help. This is a difficult situation, one we cannot resolve on our own, so the first course of action; go to God and get His help.

When you have a difficult problem do you seek God first? How would you usually handle the betrayal of a friend?

This psalm's message for us is to ask God for help. This is a difficult situation, one we cannot resolve on our own, so the first course of action; go to God and get His help. Click To Tweet

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