It is not an enemy who taunts me— I could bear that. It is not my foes who so arrogantly insult me— I could have hidden from them. Instead, it is you—my equal, my companion and close friend. Psalms 55 :12-13
David is crying out to the lord to rescue him from his enemies, they are threatening him and hunting him down. David is overwhelmed and he is afraid. So afraid that his heart is pounding, he is trembling, and can’t stop shaking. He wants a safe place to rest and he mentions going to rest in the wilderness (Psalms 55:7 NLT).
What is it about the Wilderness?
I think it’s very interesting that David preferred to go to the wilderness to rest. The wilderness is mentioned often in the bible. It’s where Elijah fled to when he was intimidated by Jezebel (1 Kings 19:3), It’s where God got Moses’s attention with the burning bush. God chose Moses to lead the people of Israel out of the land of Egypt. It’s where Moses went to be with God and where the ten commandments were created. On the other end the wilderness is also where Jesus was driven to by the spirit of God to be tempted by the enemy.
So we can pull out 2 truths about the wilderness. The wilderness is a resting place, the wilderness is a place of safety, the wilderness is where you go to meet with God, the wilderness is also where spiritual growth takes place. When I think of the wilderness I think of a dry and dusty place. No grass, no water, no color. Just you and God, there is really no place to hide. You get to spend time with God face to face with no distractions from the world or of your flesh. The wilderness is a vulnerable place, it’s a place where you really do need God to make it out on top. Every believer has wilderness seasons, I believe for some it’s more than once. The wilderness is a place of reconnecting to God, a place of spiritual growth, a place of maturity. It’s where you discover or rediscover that you really do need God. It’s a place where God becomes God again in your life. The wilderness season sounds bad, but it’s a supernatural experience that all believers need to experience to be pruned and perfected in the things of God. God’s glory is in the wilderness, strength is built in the wilderness.
So with David wanting to run to the wilderness he is saying God I want you, I need to be with you. My rock, my fortress, my safety, my ever present help in times of need.
The cutting of a friend
David was a king, a mighty man of God. What was it about David’s enemy that had him shook? The irony is that this was not a real enemy. This was his equal, his companion his close friend. This is shocking and a beautiful twist to this Psalm, it’s jaw dropping. What? Your friend is torturing you, hunting you down, trying to kill you? Your friend has you so overwhelmed and afraid that its causing a mighty man of God to run to God for safety? Yes a friend. Not only a friend but a good friend. You know one of those friends that always have something nice to say (words smooth as butter vs. 21 AMP) . They make you feel good when they are around you, they become your resting place. You trust them. You trust them with the most intimate details of your life.
Bless or Curse those who Curse you?
It turns out that those sweet words were empty because his heart was hostile. David didn’t bless his frenemy he didn’t ask for God to forgive them. David’s request to God was to curse them. I believe that this was permitted because this friend was also an enemy to God. Because in them there has been no change [of heart],
And they do not fear God [at all] (Vs. 19 summarized) . Does this mean it’s okay to curse a frenemy? I believe it’s natural to want to curse a frenemy because of the offense they’ve caused and God does say revenge is mine I the lord will repay (Romans 12:19), however I believe the mature response would be to do what Jesus did on the cross which is to bless them. This blessing doesn’t necessarily mean it’ll be a good blessing. It will be whatever God has in store for them. It frees you from any offense, or unforgiveness and keeps you in right standing with God.
I was brought to this piece of scripture as I myself experienced betrayal by two close friends. Betrayal is disloyalty or the violation of a persons trust. In order for a person to have betrayed you, you had to have placed a level of trust or commitment to them. What makes Betrayal so different from offense is that it cuts deeper. This is a cut from someone who was close to you, so it has more of an impact.
The good side is that God promises that you will not sink or fall, meaning God will make sure you stay on top. He will sustain you and give you the confidence you need to not break from this betrayal. For it is written ” He prepares a feast for me in the presence of my enemies” (Psalm 23:5)
We should choose our friends wisely. The word friend is used a little too loosely because a friend biblically is one that sticks closer than a brother Proverbs 18:24. They can cause goodness in your life or lead to destruction in your life.
What is a Friend?
A friend sticks close to you. A friend is always loyal (Proverbs 17:17) , a friend builds you. A friend fears God and obeys his commands ( Psalms 119:63). A friend wounds you with wise words (Proverbs 27:6), doesn’t flatter you ( hence the frenemy mentioned in the Psalms was one that had smooth words). A friend provides heartfelt counsel. (Proverbs 27:9)Troublemaking, gossip, unforgiveness, offense and arguments separates close friends (Proverbs 17:9). Want more friends? Well a wise person wins friends, being friendly wins friends, and gifts attracts friends. Beware because money attracts “friends” which is fake friends.
The Friend Test
Choose your friends wisely, and your close friends even more wisely. A “good” person isn’t always a good friend. One way of testing whether or not a person is worthy of being labeled as a friend is see how a person responds to you when you are down and out, Wealth makes many “friends”; poverty drives them all away. Proverbs 19:4 NLT. Are they supportive, do they pitch in to help? Or do they make you feel like a burden or even go ghost? Test and trials brings out a persons true intentions and true thoughts towards you. Consider the story of Job, his friends instead of supporting him they pretty much made him feel worse during his test with God. After his test was over God also had his friend bless him with gifts and money at the end. Consider the relationship between Jesus and his disciple Peter. Peter was the one who slashed off the ear of the officers that came to crucify Jesus, he was also the man that swore he would not deny Jesus yet he end up not denying Jesus once, but three times he said that he was not one of Jesus’s disciples (John 18).
So test and trials will reveal a persons true person. It reveals whether a person is really for you or against you. Now Peter’s case was an extreme circumstance. There is a chance that Peter would have been crucified as well if he would’ve spoke up about being a disciple of Jesus. This doesn’t make it okay, but it is proof that sometimes a person can be under extreme pressure that pushes them to say things, or do things they wouldn’t usually do. Later I believe Jesus questioned his loyalty ( John 21). He asks Peter, do you love me? 3 times. He already knew the answers but I believe Jesus asked as a confession from Peter to prove his loyalty to Jesus.
Choosing Friends
Trust is earned and not given. Often we are quick to trust a person especially when they seem nice. Understand that time, tests, and trials reveals a true person. Only then should you decide whether or not to give a person the title Friend in your life. Overtime see a person highs and lows if it aligns with your values and with who you are you may have a friend. Friends should have a general consensus, which means we agree on pretty much everything as it pertains to life. For how can two walk together as one if they don’t agree?
Wise friends make you wise, but you hurt yourself by going around with fools. Proverbs 13:30 CEV. One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. Proverbs 18:24 NIV
Choose your friends wisely.
