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the  Preachers  blog

Blogs are posted every Wednesday

Blog on Psalm 55 by Rev. Kim Salo

5/9/2022

 
Observe: The Psalmist pleas for help from God for his inner turmoil. He wants to flee from his enemy, who was a near friend. The depth of betrayal is very deep, and his reaction is to ask God for revenge. At. V 16, he pleads with God who alone can save him. After more description of the betrayer’s lies, the final stanza is spoken to others: “Cast your cares/burdens on the Lord, and he will sustain you,” ending with a final hope that God will avenge him. 

Interpret: David was betrayed by his own son Absalom, ending in civil war, with the crown of Israel as the prize. Is this the background for this anguished plea for help against an enemy? Certainly David fled, and this Psalm expresses the desire to flee. The inner anguish of betrayal by someone close, “my companion, my close friend,” cuts deep. All this is told honestly to the Lord, mixed with expressions of trust. The final “Cast your cares on the Lord” is mixed with thirst for vindication.

Application: Nearly everyone gets betrayed by someone we trust at some point. A close friend turns her back; a spouse commits adultery; a trusted boss screws you over; a church leader you leaned on turns on you instead; an adult child cuts you off. Examples abound. Psalm 55 is a deep dive into the pain of betrayal: the turmoil, the desire to run away, and the prayers that God will avenge you. Pain slowly gives way to trust in what God will do, although the desire to inflict pain back is not completely gone. The last few verses show that the struggle is ongoing: telling others to trust, even as the desire for vindication lingers. The last verse: “But as for me, I trust in you,” points ahead to a path to resolution, but forgiveness is not yet in sight. 
 
Judas betrayed Jesus; so did Peter. Jesus even saw it coming long before it happened. How did Jesus deal with that? Not by asking God for vengeance, but by trusting in God. For us to get to that point of trust, after deep personal betrayal, requires a long process of honestly dealing with the wounds and what caused them, asking God for help, and accepting that only God acts with perfect justice on our behalf. Key verse: “Cast your cares/burdens on the Lord, and he will sustain you.”

Prayer: “Lord, I have been deeply hurt by betrayal, but I will trust in your justice and your care. Amen.”

Song: “What A Friend We Have in Jesus”

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St Aidan’s Anglican Church
274 Campbell Street | Winnipeg, MB R3N 1B5
Phone: 204.489.3390 Email: staidans.churchoffice@gmail.com
  • Home
  • Worship Online
  • The Preachers Blog
  • Easter Services
  • Bible in a Year
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • The Re-Gathering
  • Youth
  • Cords
  • Prayer Requests
  • Request Pastoral Care
  • Give
  • Grocery Pick Up
  • Statement of Faith
  • Video Archive
    • 2023 Videos
    • Real Lives
    • 2022 Videos
    • 2021 Videos
    • 2020 Videos
  • Sermon Audio Archive
    • 2020 Sermons
    • 2019 Sermons
    • 2019 Sermon Series >
      • Gospel Centered Eternities November 2019
      • The Real Joy of Easter - Holy Week 2019
    • 2018 Sermons
    • 2018 Sermon Series >
      • Gospel Centred Church Spring 2018
      • A Gospel Shaped Church Fall 2018
    • 2017 Sermon Series >
      • The Servant King Christmas 2016
      • The Saviour King Lent 2017
      • The Victorious King Holy Week 2017
      • The Living King Easter 2017
      • The Brother King Fall 2017
      • Worship the King Advent 2017
    • 2016 Sermon Series >
      • Real Obedience Lent 2016
      • Unity of the Church
      • The Servant King Christmas 2016
    • 2015 Sermon Series >
      • Real Gifts 2015
      • Real Mission 2015
      • Mission Discerned
    • 2014 Sermon Series >
      • Real Church 2014
      • Real Lives 2014
    • 2013 Sermon Series >
      • Real God 2013
    • Sermon Archive From 2014 - 2017
  • Christianity 101
  • The Psalms Blog
  • Bible in a Year
  • The Re-Gathering