BETRAYED BY A FRIEND
Psa. 41:9
Morning Meditation 4/30/16
David said in Psalm 41:9, “Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me.”
John Phillips speaks of this Psalm as describing David as being afflicted by a disease so serious that his enemies were sure that he would soon be dead (v 5). Then in this weakened condition a friend betrayed him. Let Phillips describe it: “It was bad enough that his friends should abuse him, but there was something worse than that: ‘Yea, mine on familiar friend, in whom I trusted, who did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me.’ That friend was Ahithophel, one of David’s best friends and certainly his most able and persuasive counselor. ‘He broke bread with me!’ gasped David as though unable to believe the news of Ahithophel’s defection. In the East, to eat of a man’s bread carried sacred associations, a covenant bond was formed. One never attacked a man with whom he broke bread in good fellowship.”
“But Ahithophel had gone over to Absalom, and had done so with the added venom of giving David, as it was, a vicious kick. Of course, David knew why Ahithophel had gone over to Absalom—he hoped to be avenged on David for Bathsheba and Uriah the Hittite. For Bathsheba was Ahithophel’s granddaughter and despite his pretended friendship for David he never forgave him for the seduction of his granddaughter and the murder of her husband.” (Exploring the Psalms by John Phillips, Vol. I, p. 318)
If Phillips is right, and I believe he is, Ahithophel had pretended for years after the tragic sin of David, and had given David his wisdom in counsel, waiting for the right opportunity. He saw that opportunity. I see this opportunity as twofold. First, David is weak as a result of his physical illness. Ahithophel wanted a sure thing. Ahithophel probably saw David’s sickness as something that rendered him unable to respond to Absalom’s rebellion. Second, was the popularity of Absalom. He felt that David could not win against Absalom because of his popularity with the people. Again, Ahithophel wanted a sure thing. He felt he had it now.
This is also prophetic of the betrayal of Christ by Judas. Scofield says in his note on this Psalm: “Psalm 41, is the Psalm of the betrayal of the Son of man, as Jesus Himself taught (John 13:18-19).
In the case of Ahithophel and Judas there were things going on in their minds at the time of their professed friendship. Man has a way of hiding his true feelings. He can profess to be your friend and at the same time be your enemy in the making. He can hurt you more than your professed enemies because you take this one into confidence. While he “eats your bread,” he is gathering information. It is not that that information is wrong, but it is wrong the way he will use it. Proverbs 17:17 says, “A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.”
The words, “Yea, mine own familiar friend” describe the closeness of David to his betrayer. The word “familiar” (shalowm) means “completeness, soundness, welfare, peace.” The meaning of this word means that David believed he had a “complete” friend in Ahithophel. He believed their relationship was a “sound” one. He believed his friend was at “peace” with him and was interested only in his “welfare.” Have you ever been betrayed by one who fits this description?
The word “friend” carries this a step further. The word (iysh) means “man” and one of the most common uses is the word “husband.” It is an awful disappointment when a woman discovers that her husband has betrayed her by abandoning her (what Ahithophel did to David) for another woman. This is one of the most cruel betrayals. When you imagine this you can feel the pain of the betrayal. David was hurting when he wrote these words. Jesus was hurting when he told of Judas’ betrayal.
The words “whom I trusted” reveal the extent to which David had given himself in the relationship. Have you ever had a friend that you could trust with your life? I can think of friends with whom I have been associated in my ministry that I could trust with my life. I still believe it. If they had a chance to betray me, they would not. There have been lawyers who have gone to jail for contempt because they would not betray the attorney-client confidence and privilege. This is the kind of friend I want. This is the kind of friend I want to be.
The words “hath lifted up his heel against me” describe the act of betrayal. The words “hath lifted up” (gadal) mean “to grow, become great or important, promote, make powerful, praise, magnify, do great things.” This word probably is used to tell two stories. First, Ahithophel magnified and lifted up David’s faults against him. He certainly knew them. He was a close friend. He knew David’s secrets. Second, in the process, he was exalting himself. The betrayer is always a selfish person with a selfish purpose. The word “heel” (`aqeb) is the hinder part of the foot. It simply means Ahithophel had turned his back on David.
Have you ever had a professed friend turn his back on you? What should you do when this happens. What did David do? He didn’t have to do anything. God took care of it. Ahithophel committed suicide. What did Jesus do about it? Nothing. Judas committed suicide. You say, “My betrayer didn’t commit suicide!” He may have with the Lord. The Lord does not bless men who cannot be faithful to their relationships. God says in Psalm 15:4, “In whose eyes a vile person is contemned; but he honoureth them that fear the LORD. He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not.” The words “He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not” describe the attorney who goes to jail before he will give information that he has promised to keep secret.
Jesus said his followers can expect to be betrayed. Jesus said in Matt 10:36, “And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.”
To be followers of Jesus we must pray for our enemies and do good to those who despitefully use us and persecute us.
