In this psalm, David is again facing opposition which is overpowering him. The attacks have disturbed him to the extent that he is restless, constantly moaning and complaining to God. Yet he senses that God has not yet indicated that he will intervene, and that sense adds to his burden, especially as his opponents are piling on trouble (vv. 1-3). A reminder that trouble often comes in great amounts.
His inner state is overwhelmed by the distress he has. He is in such anguish that he fears he might die. Such is his fear that his body trembles. The circumstances and the prospects bring horror into his soul. What he desires is immediate peace far away from the storm (vv. 4-8) - a dove can fly very fast. Yet that will not happen. So where can he go? To the God who does not seem to be listening.
Therefore, he asks the Lord to divide the opponents. He sees the effects of their decisions and actions. The capital city is in a mess, marked by violence and strife everywhere, with oppression and fraud in the markets where people get what they need to live. The problem is made worse because one of the leaders of the opposition is an old friend who has turned against him, one with whom he used to worship God, with whom he had enjoyed fellowship. David wants God to destroy them because of the damage and trouble that they are bringing on God’s cause because of their evil designs and practices (vv. 9-15).
In verses 16-19, David’s sense of divine help changes because he has now become confident of the Lord’s help. He had prayed frequently, even although his prayer had not been much more than complaining and moaning. In Romans 8, Paul tells us that the Holy Spirit groans along with his people, so often complaints and moans are signs of his involvement. David’s deliverance begins with his soul and then to his circumstances, and not the other way round. The numerical strength of his opponents is not now a problem because the sovereign God, who reigns always, will listen to their evil plans and deal with them by humiliating them. David can now leave his case with God to sort out.
David is still distressed by his former friend’s behaviour (vv. 20-21). Yet he now recognises that his friend had never been true, either in his words or actions. That person’s actions distressed David. So what did he do? He cast his burden on the Lord (v. 22), as he tells us to do when in distressing circumstances, no matter who they are caused by. Only the Lord can keep his people and prevent them from being shaken. In contrast, the prospects of the wicked are short, even when they seem powerful (v. 23).
The proper response in all circumstances is to have the resolve of David in verse 23, which is to trust in the Lord. But sometimes we have to reason and pray our way to this state of mind, which is what David does here.
We live in times where wickedness abounds, where some friendships are fickle, and when the prospects for God’s cause seem low. Yet we should still trust in the Lord because he has the power to change things. But perhaps we need to learn to groan and moan and complain in our prayers!
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