LORD’S DAY, AUGUST 26

Psalm 55:1-23

Proverbs 29:5

“The king’s heart is in the

hand of the LORD …”

ANATHEMA TO THE TRAITOR

In Psalm 41:9, David complained of treachery within the palace. In Psalm 55:9-11, we find him in another urban setting. We are told of plotters prowling around when “deceit and guile” walked the streets. Day and night traitors were perpetrating mischief “upon the walls.” This flared up into “violence and strife” in the city. Evidently, David is describing an advanced stage of the machinations against him when Ahithophel (David’s advisor) openly declared his allegiance for Absalom (2 Sam 15:12; 16:23).

So, David breaks forth into open complaint in Psalm 55:12-15, 19-21. It is not an outside enemy but an inside one. It is his closest friend. He breaks the covenant of loyalty and trust (Ps 55:20). He butters his speech with soothing words, but in his heart are concealed swords drawn ready to strike. In such dire circumstances, David had no recourse but to pray. When one came to tell the king as he was escaping barefoot from Jerusalem that “Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom,” David cried on the spot, “O LORD, I pray thee, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.” No sooner had he uttered this prayer than Hushai met him at the hilltop, God’s agent of counter-espionage whom David sent into Absalom’s headquarters. Now, Ahithophel had planned a blitzkrieg against David by sending 12,000 men against the fleeing loyalists who should swoop down upon the travel-worn king. Once he was smitten, Ahithophel assured Absalom, all Israel would turn to the new king. “And the saying pleased Absalom well, and all the elders of Israel” (2 Sam 17:4).

But as “the king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD” (Prov 21:1), Absalom suddenly turned to Hushai for a second opinion! Hushai counselled a total mobilization of Israel from Dan to Beersheba (north to south) instead. Hushai’s strategy was preferred to Ahithophel’s for “… the LORD had appointed to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel, to the intent thatt he LORD might bring evil upon Absalom” (2 Sam 17:14). Having lost face before Absalom’s own council, the arch-traitor committed suicide.

THOUGHT: How powerful is my God?

PRAYER: Lord, may I choose always to be on Thy side.