Psalms 55
McGeePsalms 55THEME: The darkest days under AntichristThis psalm concludes this little cluster of four prophetic psalms that picture the Antichrist. Notice that this is another maschil psalm, which is a psalm of instruction. It pictures what I believe to be the darkest moment of the Tribulation period. The Antichrist, the Man of Sin, is fully portrayed here in a remarkable way, a way that many who are even students of prophecy have never considered. This psalm is inscribed “To the chief Musician on Neginoth, Maschil, A Psalm of David.” We are not told the exact background of this psalm, but I think we can make an educated guess. You will recall that David’s own son, Absalom, led a rebellion against him. David was forced to leave Jerusalem. He found that many people were following his son, and he knew there would be trouble. In order that Jerusalem, his beloved city, would not be destroyed, he left it. He went back to the caves of the earth to hide.
As David left his city, weeping, word was brought to him that Ahithophel, a member of his cabinet and close friend, had gone over to Absalom’s side. He had betrayed David. We are told in 2Sa_15:30-31, “And David went up by the ascent of mount Olivet, and wept as he went up, and had his head covered, and he went barefoot: and all the people that was with him covered every man his head, and they went up, weeping as they went up. And one told David, saying, Ahithophel is among the conspiritors with Absalom. And David said, O LORD, I pray thee, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.” And that is exactly what God didHe turned the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness. Keep these things in mind as we hit the high points of this psalm.
Psalms 55:1
David is like the squeaking wheel that gets the grease. David says, “I am making a noise to Thee, Lord. I am crying out to Thee because I am in a desperate situation. I have been betrayed by a friend.”
Psalms 55:3
David did not know but what he would be slain at that time, especially when those who had been so close to him had deserted him.
Psalms 55:6
At first, David was advised to fly away to his mountain, but he would not do it then. But now all seems lost. Even Ahithophel, his trusted advisor, has betrayed him. Does that remind you of something? It reminds me of Judas Iscariot who betrayed Christ. Also, it foreshadows the time when the nation will be betrayed by Antichrist. Many of us have had the bitter experience of betrayal. I was a pastor for many years, and during those years I have had some wonderful people on my staff; but one or two of them have turned out to be like Ahithophel and Judas Iscariot. They betrayed me. When someone in whom you have placed your confidence betrays you, it hurts.
Psalms 55:13
David is speaking, I believe, of his “familiar friend,” Ahithophel. This is also a picture of the Antichrist who will betray the nation of Israel. He will pretend to be their friend, will make a covenant with them and then will betray them.
Psalms 55:14
These are people who will pray with you and who will pray for you when you are with them. But when your back is turned, they will put a knife in it. There are people like that all around us. And if the Antichrist appeared tomorrow, he would have a following before the sun went down. What David says next is imprecatory, I grant you, but listen to him:
Psalms 55:15
“Let them go down quick into hell” is literally, “Let them go alive down to Sheol!” In our contemporary society we often hear the frightful expression, Go to hell. That is an awful thing to say, and David almost said that relative to Ahithophel. In contrast to him, our Lord Jesus prayed for them who despitefully used Him and instructed us to do likewise.
Psalms 55:16
What a picture that gives of David’s distress"Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud." My friend, one good thing your enemy will do for you is to cause you to pray more than you have ever prayed before! Now notice this picture of Antichristoh, is he a liar! Remember that the Lord Jesus said the devil was a liar from the beginning (Joh_8:44), and Antichrist is right out of the pit of hell.
Psalms 55:21
Ahithophel, pretending to be a friend to David, was plotting against him. He was a little adumbration of Antichrist.
Psalms 55:22
Dear Christian friend, let me say to you: Turn your enemies over to God. “Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord” (Rom_12:19). Turn over those who would betray you to the Lord. I was a pastor for over forty years, and I feel I can speak about this subject with some experience and knowledge. I have found that the Lord does a better job in dealing with my enemies than I can. He knows just how to do it. Cast your burden upon the Lord and He will take care of everything. During the days of the Great Tribulation, Israel will finally turn to the Lord because there will be no place else for them to turn.
Psalms 55:23
What about you today? What about me? How are we going to live in the world today? Are we going to hate people and criticize them for what they do to us? Are we going to cry when we are betrayed and wronged? No! Let’s start trusting in the Lord. That’s the way out.