In Psalm 55 he writes:

“He hath redeemed my soul unto peace, that they should not come nigh me, for with many they have been against me.”
Ps 55:19

What could this mean? What can we learn from this? The background to this psalm is probably found in 2 Samuel 15. There David flees from his son Absalom out of Jerusalem. David was still king, but Absalom planned a coup and shortly after David left Jerusalem, Absalom took over the city.

Here is a father on the run from his own son. Not only that. David’s advisor, Ahithophel, joined Absalom. 2 Samuel 15 gives a moving insight into this development. However, David was not alone; there were over 600 people who went out of Jerusalem with him. That was three times as many people as Absalom carried. Absalom, however, had stirred up all Israel against David. David wanted to avoid a bloodbath and left the city.

Intrigue and power games

Various references in the text hint at this situation. David did not flee because of enemies, but because of confidants.

“For not an enemy scorneth me, else would I bear it; not my hater hath magnified against me, else would I hide myself from him; but thou, a man of my own kind, my friend and my confidant, who didst experience the sweetness of fellowship with one another, wentest into the house of God in festive unrest!”
2Sam 15:13-15

Intrigues and power games of Absalom. David, who has to deal with it. Slurs and people taking this side or that side. If you read the text carefully, you will find these and many other references to the whole spectrum of human errors and confusions.

David’s trust in God

In the midst of this story, however, we also read about David with his trust in God.

“But I, I cry out to God, and the Lord saves me!”
Ps 55:17

However, the king does not only think about the harsh reality, but immediately adds:

“In the evening and in the morning and at noon I complain and moan.”
Ps 55:18

That was no small feat. His own son claimed the throne behind his back, stirred up the people against him and took the city and temple. There are very real dramas going on. David, however, places this experience in a larger context:

“And he [Gott] heard my voice. He has redeemed my soul to peace, that they cannot come near me. For with many they have been against me.”
Ps 55:18-19

David was heard

God heard him. This is what he testifies to King here. God heard his voice and redeemed his soul to peace. This was not just a pious saying. Here David spoke from his own painful experience. God has redeemed his soul to peace, although the external situation has not changed yet. He was safe for the time being with all his followers, but he left the city, the throne, the temple behind. David was not in a comfortable situation, but forced to flee by deceit and betrayal. His soul, however, was at peace.

David trusts God

The word “soul” stands for the whole person, for the life we have, for the sensation. Soul here is not a “higher principle” but the summary of what makes us human. David was in “spiritual distress,” out of the challenges of his situation. Here he has turned to his God and now testifies:

“He has redeemed my soul to peace.”

Peace! But not externally. Externally, there was chaos and uncertainty. The word “redeemed” (hb. padah) is used for a ransom. For example, in the first mention of this word in Ex 13:13. There was something done in real terms to buy something free. This is how David learns. God has interceded for him, and has now set his soul free for peace. Active! In the same way, we already read this in an earlier statement by David:

“As the LORD lives, who has delivered (hb. padah) my soul from every trouble.”
2Sam 4:9

This is astonishing, because there are many against David. The king, however, describes it as follows:

“That they cannot come near me, for with many they have been against me. Hearing God will oppress them – indeed he is enthroned from of old, because there is no reliability with them and they do not fear God.”
2Sam 15:19-20

David trusts in God. That’s a whole different set of numbers than they were ganging up on David. With his enemies there is no reliability and they do not fear God. This is how David assesses his situation. This description is only a supplement. In no way does David get carried away with enemy images here. He simply outlines the whole environment as he understands it.

Central, however, is the statement “He has redeemed my soul to peace”. This is the light of which this psalm speaks. Unfortunately, the background for this is pitch black. This is precisely why the testimony in this psalm is so strong.

Let go

I wish us to be able to recognize in our lives like David. David had the courage to leave everything behind, the throne, the temple. He did not want a bloodbath in Jerusalem. He left, full of appreciation for all who went with him, as we can read in 2Sam 15. Priests had also let the Ark of the Covenant go out of the city from the Holy of Holies, but David sends them back with the Ark:

“Bring the ark of God back to the city! If I find favor in the eyes of the LORD, he will bring me back and let me see him and his place again.”
2Sam 15:25

David practices letting go. And letting go in faith happens by not only relinquishing control, but also consciously leaving everything to God. David trusts God. He will do it right, one way or another. David trusts that God will work it out. Whatever comes, David wants to take from God’s hand.

Where you prostrate yourself before God

Then we read how David went out of the city and comes to the Mount of Olives. The situation is almost identical to how Jesus later goes out of Jerusalem and weeps and wrestles with God in prayer in Gethsemane.

“And David went up the hill of the olive trees, and wept as he went; and his head was covered, and he went barefoot. And all the people that were with him, they had every man his head covered, and went up weeping continually.”
2Sam 15:30

The Mount of Olives is described a few verses further with these words, “When David had come to the summit where one prostrates oneself before God (hb. shachah)” (2Sam 15:32). This was seclusion from the city, yet just across the street from the Temple Mount. It was a fitting place to pour out one’s heart before God.

Who will receive you

Peace is an important word in the Bible and an important topic. It is important because often in this world it is not peaceful. The concept gets its power precisely from the contradiction, from the other experience. Peace, or “shalom” in Hebrew, is more than the absence of war. It is well-being, the affirmation of life.

“He has redeemed my soul to peace” thus says more than just a truce. David is at peace, he is safe, he is experiencing well-being. All this only because He trusts in God. The peace that David feels is founded in His God.

“Cast upon the LORD your burden, and He shall sustain you; He shall not suffer the righteous to falter forever.”
Ps 55:23