Psalm 55:9-15 “Confuse them, Lord, and confound their language, for I have seen violence and strife in the city. Day and night they prowl around on its walls. Malice and abuse are also within her. Destructive forces are within her. Threats and lies don’t depart from her streets. For it was not an enemy who insulted me, then I could have endured it. Neither was it he who hated me who raised himself up against me, then I would have hidden myself from him. But it was you, a man like me, my companion, and my familiar friend. We took sweet fellowship together. We walked in God’s house with company. Let death come suddenly on them. Let them go down alive into Sheol. For wickedness is amongst them, in their dwelling.”

David was betrayed by both his son Absalom and his counsellor Ahithophel (2 Sam. 15:1–12; 16:15–23). He longs to have their plans confused and their betrayal punished. His experience with betrayal foreshadows Jesus’ betrayal by Judas.

Luke 22:48 “But Jesus said to him, ‘Judas, do you betray the Son of Man with a kiss?’ ”

Matthew 26:24 “The Son of Man goes even as it is written of him, but woe to that man through whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would be better for that man if he had not been born.”

While we may resonate with David’s viewpoint, what if we turn it around and we’re the traitors?

For additional worship: Traitor’s Look (Michael Card)