 Give ear to my prayer, O God, and hide not yourself from my plea for mercy! 2 Attend to me, and answer me; I am restless in my complaint and I moan, 3 because of the noise of the enemy, because of the oppression of the wicked. For they drop trouble upon me, and in anger they bear a grudge against me. 4 My heart is in anguish within me; the terrors of death have fallen upon me. 5 Fear and trembling come upon me, and horror overwhelms me. 6 And I say, “Oh, that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away and be at rest; 7 yes, I would wander far away; I would lodge in the wilderness; Selah
8 I would hurry to find a shelter from the raging wind and tempest.” 9 Destroy, O Lord, divide their tongues; for I see violence and strife in the city. 10 Day and night they go around it on its walls, and iniquity and trouble are within it; 11 ruin is in its midst; oppression and fraud do not depart from its marketplace. 12 For it is not an enemy who taunts me— then I could bear it; it is not an adversary who deals insolently with me— then I could hide from him. 13 But it is you, a man, my equal, my companion, my familiar friend. 14 We used to take sweet counsel together; within God's house we walked in the throng. 15 Let death steal over them; let them go down to Sheol alive; for evil is in their dwelling place and in their heart. 16 But I call to God, and the Lord will save me. 17 Evening and morning and at noon I utter my complaint and moan, and he hears my voice. 18 He redeems my soul in safety from the battle that I wage, for many are arrayed against me. 19 God will give ear and humble them, he who is enthroned from of old, Selah because they do not change and do not fear God. 20 My companion stretched out his hand against his friends; he violated his covenant. 21 His speech was smooth as butter, yet war was in his heart; his words were softer than oil, yet they were drawn swords. 22 Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved. 23 But you, O God, will cast them down into the pit of destruction; men of blood and treachery shall not live out half their days. But I will trust in you. Meditation The brokenness experienced from the betrayal of close friends and confidants is restored when we are honest with our hurt and turn our hope to the Lord- casting our cares upon Him. David’s psalm of confidence comes from a deep place of brokenness. David pleads for mercy (1-3) from a heart anguishing within him (5). Worse than an enemy taunting him, David had a companion, “a familiar friend,” turn against him (12-15). Historically, the betrayal of David’s son Absalom and the abandonment of trusted counselor Ahithophel fill out David’s context (see 2 Samuel 15-17). Practically, the human soul is shattered by betrayal of family and trusted confidants. Healing includes acknowledgment of the pain in our story, being real with our feelings and grieving the severing of close connections. Then after pain, promise. God’s people move from shattered to strength by putting our hearts in the hands of the Lord- casting our cares upon Him. “But I call to the Lord,” cried David (16). God will redeem (18). God will avenge (19-21). God will take the cares of our hearts, sustain us in our struggles, and secure us in His steadfast love (22-23). Hope in the Lord is characterized by casting our cares upon Him. Jesus Christ makes a way for God’s people to move from hurt to hope. Jesus was betrayed by his disciple Judas and handed over to death, not saved from the betrayal of a close confidant, so we who belong to Him can cast our cares upon Him, knowing He cares for us (1 Peter 5:7). Richly Dwelling -What stands out to you from today’s reading, especially David’s honesty with the pain of his story and the pivot he makes to turn his hope to the Lord? -Where do you turn for healing and hope when someone you know or love or trust turns against you? -How does the substitutionary work of Jesus empower you to turn to Him, casting your cares upon Him, knowing He cares for you? Where, specifically, do you need to trust Him with the hurt of your heart? Key Verse 22 Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved
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