Episode Transcript
Psalm 55 (NIV)
1 Listen to my prayer, O God,
do not ignore my plea;
2 hear me and answer me.
My thoughts trouble me and I am distraught
3 because of what my enemy is saying,
because of the threats of the wicked;
for they bring down suffering on me
and assail me in their anger.
4 My heart is in anguish within me;
the terrors of death have fallen on me.
5 Fear and trembling have beset me;
horror has overwhelmed me.
6 I said, “Oh, that I had the wings of a dove!
I would fly away and be at rest.
7 I would flee far away
and stay in the desert;
8 I would hurry to my place of shelter,
far from the tempest and storm.”
9 Lord, confuse the wicked, confound their words,
for I see violence and strife in the city.
10 Day and night they prowl about on its walls;
malice and abuse are within it.
11 Destructive forces are at work in the city;
threats and lies never leave its streets.
12 If an enemy were insulting me,
I could endure it;
if a foe were rising against me,
I could hide.
13 But it is you, a man like myself,
my companion, my close friend,
14 with whom I once enjoyed sweet fellowship
at the house of God,
as we walked about
among the worshipers.
15 Let death take my enemies by surprise;
let them go down alive to the realm of the dead,
for evil finds lodging among them.
16 As for me, I call to God,
and the LORD saves me.
17 Evening, morning and noon
I cry out in distress,
and he hears my voice.
18 He rescues me unharmed
from the battle waged against me,
even though many oppose me.
19 God, who is enthroned from of old,
who does not change—
he will hear them and humble them,
because they have no fear of God.
20 My companion attacks his friends;
he violates his covenant.
21 His talk is smooth as butter,
yet war is in his heart;
his words are more soothing than oil,
yet they are drawn swords.
22 Cast your cares on the LORD
and he will sustain you;
he will never let
the righteous be shaken.
23 But you, God, will bring down the wicked
into the pit of decay;
the bloodthirsty and deceitful
will not live out half their days.
But as for me, I trust in you.
CONSIDER
Today’s post is from A Meditative Journey Through the Psalms by Timothy and Julie Tennent. He holds the Methodist Chair of Divinity at Beeson Divinity School and served as president of Asbury Theological Seminary for fifteen years. She is a gifted musician and was one of the driving forces that helped bring to fruition the Seedbed hymnal, Our Great Redeemer’s Praise. We will share some of their writing on the Psalms on Sundays.
Like Psalm 41, this is a psalm about the anguish and deep hurt of betrayal: “If an enemy were insulting me, I could endure it; if a foe were raising himself against me, I could hide from him. But it is you . . . my companion, my close friend, with whom I once enjoyed sweet fellowship as we walked with the throng at the house of God” (vv. 12–14). When we consider the work of Christ on our behalf, we often focus on his taking on our guilt—that is, his substitutionary atonement, whereby he dies in our place. This is, of course, at the heart of the atonement. However, Jesus not only bears our guilt, he also bears our pain and suffering. If the death of Jesus Christ was the only focus of redemption, then we would not have the extended passion narrative found in all four Gospels, which includes the betrayal, the pain of suffering, the false accusations, the loneliness of Caiaphas’s pit, and the sense of being forsaken on the cross before his death. Jesus not only provides the basis for our forgiveness, he also bears our fear, shame, anguish, and the pain of betrayal. This is why the traditional Eucharistic liturgy has enshrined betrayal at the heart of the church’s memory with the words “on the night he was betrayed . . .” (1 Cor. 11:23).
It is only in the context of the raw pain of this psalm that we can really hear the verse of this psalm that is alluded to in the New Testament: “Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you” (Ps. 55:22; 1 Pet. 5:7). This is not some empty promise, disconnected from the deepest challenges of life. This is the sure promise of God in the midst of anguish, pain, and betrayal. This is why David can end this psalm with the words “I trust in you” (v. 23).
For the Awakening,
Timothy and Julie Tennent
HYMN
Sing Psalm 55 with the Seedbed Psalter today. We suggest the tune ABERYSTWYTH ("Jesus, Lover of My Soul"). You can hear the tune played online by Julie here. If you listen to the podcast audio version, we will sing the psalm in this same tune. For your convenience, the words from the Psalter are printed below.
1 Listen to my prayer, O God,
And do not ignore my plea.
2 Hear and answer, for my thoughts
do dismay and trouble me,
3 At the voice of enemies,
At the stares of wicked ones;
They bring suff’ring down on me,
Their sharp taunts are never done.
4 My heart is in anguish sore,
Death’s great terrors assail me.
5 Fear and trembling plague me more,
Horror has o’ertaken me.
6 I said, “Oh, that I could fly
far away and be at rest!
7 I would flee far as the sky, Selah
8 Shelter far from storm’s tempest.”
9 Lord, confuse them and confound
words they speak and deeds they do;
Violent strife is all around,
In the city through and through.
10 Day and night they prowl about
on its walls and all within;
11 They destroy and loot and rout,
Streets are filled with lies and sin.
12 If a foe or enemy
insults me, I’ll take from him
anything he says ’gainst me;
I could hide myself from him.
13 But it’s you, my closest friend—
14 You with whom I walked abroad,
Had sweet friendship without end,
Even in the house of God.
15 Let death take my enemies
by surprise, their life grow dim;
Let the grave their life now seize—
Evil finds its home with them.
16 But I call to God alone;
The LORD saves me in distress.
17 Evening, morning, and at noon,
I cry out—He hears, gives rest.
18 He will ransom me unharmed
from the battle waged ’gainst me;
Though I was opposed, alarmed;
Though my foes were vast, many.
19 God, who is enthroned always,
Will afflict them with His rod; Selah
For they never change their ways
and they have no fear of God.
20 My companion sacks his friends,
Violates his covenant;
His attacking never ends,
Evil from his heart is sent.
21 Speech is smooth as butter sweet,
But his heart is only war;
Words are soothing he repeats,
But they carry a drawn sword.
22 Cast your cares upon the LORD;
He’ll sustain you when you call.
He will ever keep His word;
Never let the righteous fall.
23 But God, You will act always
to bring wicked ones their due;
They won’t live out half their days,
As for me, I trust in You.
