David's Enemies and Betrayal in Psalm 55

Psalm 55, a maskil of David, expresses the psalmist's deep distress and plea to God for deliverance from his enemies and a treacherous friend ^{[4, 12]}. Many expositors suggest that David composed this psalm during Absalom's rebellion, with the specific enemy who dealt treacherously being Ahithophel ^{[5, 7]}. Others propose it relates to Saul's persecution or the Ziphites' betrayal ^{[7, 9]}.

The psalm opens with David's earnest prayer: "Give ear, O God, to my prayer, and do not hide yourself from my plea" (Psalm 55:1 LEB) ^[4]. He describes his anguish, stating, "Because of the voice of the enemy, because of the oppression of the wicked: for they cast iniquity upon me, and in wrath they hate me" (Psalm 55:3 KJV) ^[3]. David's heart is in turmoil, and the terrors of death have fallen upon him, leading him to wish for wings to fly away and find rest from the stormy wind and tempest ^[12].

A significant theme in Psalm 55 is the betrayal by a close companion. David laments, "He raises his hands against his friends. He has violated his covenant" (Psalm 55:20 LEB) ^[1]. This individual is not merely an adversary but someone with whom David shared intimacy. The Midrash Rabbah identifies this betrayer with Doeg and Ahithophel, noting that they were not David's traditional enemies but disparaged him ^[11]. John Gill, a Baptist/Reformed commentator, also points to Ahithophel, who had been part of David's privy council and conspired against him, forming a scheme to "smite the king only" ^[8]. Matthew Henry, a Nonconformist/Puritan commentator, similarly suggests that the treacherous enemy could be Ahithophel, drawing a parallel between his treachery and that of Judas ^[5].

The description of the city itself reflects the pervasive wickedness. David states, "Destruction is within it, and oppression and deceit do not depart from its public square" (Psalm 55:11 LEB) ^[2]. Henry notes that Jerusalem, which should have been loyal, "strangely fell in with Absalom and fell off from David," leaving David with few he could trust ^[6]. The enemies are characterized as "of the worst sort of men," and this description aligns well with Absalom and his accomplices ^[6].

The psalmist's complaint against his enemies is not just about their opposition but their deceit and hypocrisy. The betrayer "put forth his hands against such as be at peace with him, or he pretended to be at peace with" ^[8]. This highlights the deep personal wound caused by the betrayal, as it came from someone who had previously been a confidant ^[8]. The psalm's context, whether Absalom's rebellion or Saul's pursuit, consistently involves a sense of being hunted and betrayed by those who should have been allies or subjects ^{[5, 7, 9, 10]}. David's distress is so profound that he seeks divine intervention, praying that God would hear his pleas and not hide from his supplication ^[12].

Sources

Psalms “He raises his hands against his friends. He has violated his covenant. -- Psalms 55:20”
Psalms “Psalms 55:11 (LEB) — Destruction is within it, and oppression and deceit do not depart from its public square.”
King James Version “[KJV] Psalms 55:3 — Because of the voice of the enemy, because of the oppression of the wicked: for they cast iniquity upon me, and in wrath they hate me.”
Psalms “Psalms 55:1 (LEB) — A maskil of David. Give ear, O God, to my prayer, and do not hide yourself from my plea.”
Psalms (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Psalms 55 (introduction): It is the conjecture of many expositors that David penned this psalm upon occasion of Absalom's rebellion, and that the particular enemy he here speaks of, that dealt treacherously with him, was Ahithophel; and some will therefore make David's troubles here typical of Christ's sufferings, and Ahithophel's treachery a figure of Judas's, because they both hanged themselves. But there is nothing in it particularly applied to Christ in the New Testament. David was in great distress when he penned this psalm. I. He prays that God would manifest his favour ”
Psalms (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Psalms 55:9: David here complains of his enemies, whose wicked plots had brought him, though not to his faith's end, yet to his wits' end, and prays against them by the spirit of prophecy. Observe here, I. The character he gives of the enemies he feared. They were of the worst sort of men, and his description of them agrees very well with Absalom and his accomplices. 1. He complains of the city of Jerusalem, which strangely fell in with Absalom and fell off from David, so that he had none there but how own guards and servants that he could repose any confidence in: How has tha”
Psalms (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Psalms 55 (introduction): INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 55 To the chief Musician on Neginoth, Maschil A Psalm of David. The occasion of this psalm was either the persecution of Saul, or the conspiracy of Absalom. Some think it was written when David understood that the inhabitants of Keilah would deliver him into the hands of Saul, Sa1 23:12; and others when the Ziphites attempted a second time to do the same, Sa1 26:1; but since a single person is spoken of that magnified himself against him, Psa 55:12; and Ahithophel seems to be designed; it may be thought rather to be written on acco”
Psalms (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Psalms 55:19: He hath put forth his hands,.... The psalmist returns and describes, in this verse Psa 55:3, the cruelty, perfidy, and hypocrisy of his false friend; who had stretched forth his hands against such as be at peace with him, or he pretended to be at peace with. So Ahithophel put forth his hands against David, by whom he had been admitted into his privy council, and there had taken sweet counsel together, by entering into a conspiracy and rebellion against him, and by forming a scheme to smite the king only, Sa2 17:1; and Judas, though he did not lay hands on Christ hi”
Psalms (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Psalms 54 (introduction): The key of this psalm hangs at the door, for the title tells us upon what occasion it was penned - when the inhabitants of Ziph, men of Judah (types of Judas the traitor), betrayed David to Saul, by informing him where he was and putting him in a way how to seize him. This they did twice (Sa1 23:19; Sa1 26:1), and it is upon record to their everlasting infamy. The psalm is sweet; the former part of it, perhaps, was meditated when he was in his distress and put into writing when the danger was over, with the addition of the last two verses, which expre”
Psalms (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Psalms 54:1: We may observe here, 1. The great distress that David was now in, which the title gives an account of. The Ziphim came of their own accord, and informed Saul where David was, with a promise to deliver him into his hand. One would have thought that when David had retired into the country he would not be pursued, into a desert country he would not be discovered, and into his own country he would not be betrayed; and yet it seems he was. Never let a good man expect to be safe an easy till he comes to heaven. How treacherous, how officious, were these Ziphim! It is we”
Midrash Rabbah (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Midrash Rabbah, Bamidbar Rabbah 18:17: “He took” – his heart took him. “For it is not an enemy who disparages me, which I could bear; nor is it one of my foes who promotes himself over me, from whom I could hide” (Psalms 55:13). This is Doeg and Aḥitofel who would disparage me. 28 David. They were not my enemies, but they disparage me, and do not call me by my name, but rather: “Why did the son of Yishai not come?” (I Samuel 20:27),”; “I saw the son of Yishai” (I Samuel 22:9); “Behold, I saw a son of Yishai” (I Samuel 16:18). That is, “for it is not an enemy who disparages me, which I could be”
Psalms (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Psalms 55:1: In these verses we have, I. David praying. Prayer is a salve for every sore and a relief to the spirit under every burden: Give ear to my prayer, O God! Psa 55:1, Psa 55:2. He does not set down the petitions he offered up to God in his distress, but begs that God would hear the prayers which, at every period, his heart lifted up to God, and grant an answer of peace to them: Attend to me, hear me. Saul would not hear his petitions; his other enemies regarded not his pleas; but, "Lord, be thou pleased to hearken to me. Hide not thyself from my supplication, either a”

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