4. We Can Look Up to God and Trust Him (vv. 16-19, 22-23). While it’s normal for us to hope for a quick way of escape and important for us to understand our feelings and circumstances, it’s far more important to look up to God and ask for His help. David could no longer lead an army into battle, but he was able to pray that God would defeat the rebel forces, and God answered his prayers. David used Jehovah, the covenant name of God, when he said, “The Lord will save me” (v. 16 nasb). The Jews did have stated hours of prayer (Dan. 6:10; Acts 3:1), but “evening, and morning, and at noon” (v. 17) means that David was praying all day long! He no doubt also prayed at night (v. 10). David was certain that the Lord would hear him and rescue him because He was enthroned in heaven and in complete control. David’s throne was in danger, but God’s throne was secure (9:7-8; 29:10; 74:12).

During his difficult years of preparation, David had experienced many changes, and this taught him to trust the God who never changes (Mal. 3:6; James 1:17). Absalom and his friends had lived in luxury and ease and knew very little about the challenge of changing circumstances, so they had no faith in God or fear of God. A prosperous life is an easy life until you find yourself in the midst of the storm, and then you discover how ill prepared you are; for what life does to us depends on what life finds in us.

The pronouns “you” and “your” in verse 22 (niv) are singular, but who is speaking and to whom? Did God speak to David through Nathan or another prophet and then David speak to the person reading the psalm? That’s probably the correct answer. This promise is repeated in 1 Peter 5:7. The word translated “burden” (“cares,” niv) means “that which he has given you,” reminding us that even the burdens of life come from the loving heart and hand of God (Ps. 33:11; Rom. 8:28). When David’s lot was a happy one, it came from the Lord (16:5-6), and when he experienced times of pain and sorrow, the Lord was still in control.

He closed the psalm by speaking to the Lord and affirming his faith (7:1), confident that God would judge his enemies. Was he anticipating the suicide of Ahithophel (2 Sam. 17:23)?

We must remind ourselves that our Lord Jesus Christ also had a traitor who hanged himself (Matt. 27:1-10), that Jesus also crossed the Kidron Valley (2 Sam. 15:23; John 18:1), and that He wept on the Mount of Olives (2 Sam. 15:30; Luke 22:39-44; Heb. 5:7). Rejected by His own people, today He is enthroned in heaven and will one day return to Jerusalem to establish His kingdom (Zech. 14:4ff.).