Psalm 55

Once again David has been betrayed, this time by a close friend (v. 13). The pain of betrayal is bitter, especially when the betrayer is someone who has been trusted. At least Jesus saw His betrayal coming. David seems to be taken off guard; so much so that the first eight verses of this psalm are quite angry and emotional. He even expresses a wish to escape his problem and fly away -- something David had never before expressed. Was this an older man, tired of dealing with a life of war and pain?

David calls for God to act in verse 9, to confuse the speech of the wicked in language reminiscent of Babel in Genesis 11. He describes the wickedness of the people in the city: violence and strife, malice and abuse, threats and lies.

Finally at verse 12 we see the reason for David's emotional state -- betrayal. This situation is different for David. He has faced betrayal before, but not by one so trusted. He lament continues to its depth in verse 15 where he calls upon God again to take his enemies -- not simply his betrayer -- to the grave. The language in verse 15 is similar to that of the rebellion in the desert when Korah and his group were swallowed up by the earth.