October 1
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PRAYER FOR PROTECTION FROM BETRAYALS AND EVIL
Confuse, O Lord, divide their tongues,
For I have seen violence and strife in the city.
10 Day and night they go around her upon her walls,
And iniquity and mischief are in her midst. 11 Destruction is in her midst;
Oppression and deceit do not depart from her streets.
12 For it is not an enemy who reproaches me, Then I could bear it;
Nor is it one who hates me who has exalted himself against me,
Then I could hide myself from him.13 But it is you, a man my equal,
My companion and my familiar friend;
14 We who had sweet fellowship together
Walked in the house of God in the throng.
15 Let death come deceitfully upon them;
Let them go down alive to Sheol,
For evil is in their dwelling, in their midst. – Psalm 55:9-15
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David’s lament continues in this part of the psalm. He opens up his heart to God about the pain of the betrayal from someone very close to him as indicated in verse 13-14. It is unknown who David’s friend is, but it must have been someone whom he was very close with, probably someone who was part of his army and fought battles together and fellowshipped with him in the past.
This psalm is a prayer to God to do something to protect him and God’s people as well. Since David is king, we can understand how he wants to protect his people. In verse 9, David has seen violence and conflict amongst his domain and people. They are relentlessly bringing immorality and harm to his people. The most painful part for David was the fact that this person who betrayed him fellowshipped with him and even walked in the house of God together.
You would think that David could easily take revenge on his own hands. He has had many victories before. He could easily win over them, but once again we witness David’s faithfulness to God in this lament. He pours his heart out to God in pain without blaming God. Instead, he depended on God to protect him and his people and asked God to bring down his friend turned foe. Since God is his protector, he is sure God will protect him.
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REFLECTION
• Why is it important to run to God instead of taking revenge in your own hands?