According to the brief introduction, it was written by “King David on the occasion of his son, Absalom, leading a rebellion to take over the Kingdom.” Some commentators argue that this introduction doesn’t belong here and was added by some later scribe. But I think Williams is right. He says, “Setting this psalm in the context of David’s heartbreak over his son’s civil war lends historical color and concreteness to its interpretation. At the same time, the psalm could easily have been used before any battle by the king or those in command.  Moreover, it is now a psalm for Israel and the church, universalized beyond that fateful day with Absalom. As God’s people, we all have our enemies and battles to fight. So, while we accept the traditional ascription as probable and refer this psalm to David himself, this is our psalm too.”[1]

In verse one, weary of all the opposition he has faced and is still facing in his life, David says, “O Lord, how many are my foes! Many are rising against me.” Absalom had raised an army against David. He had captured the hearts of many of the people in Jerusalem, and many supported his taking over the kingdom from his father. Women were no longer singing songs about the greatness of David, but they were looking at his younger replacement, Absalom. They chase David out of Jerusalem, and a man named Shimei throws dirt at David and calls him “a man of blood.” This might be a reference to his warlike nature or his murder of Uriah. Yes, indeed, there were many in opposition to David at this point in his life.

David was King.  Being King brings opposition and enemies. The more you have, the more people want to take it. But you don’t have to have very much to relate to David’s cry. Boice says, “I am sure that many people can identify with that. Perhaps you are one. You may not be facing an imminent military battle when you wake up most mornings, but you are facing a battle. The climate in the department of the company for which you work may be one of open warfare: Everyone is trying to defeat everyone else. The conditions are cutthroat. The weapons are rumors, lying, gossip, misrepresentation, even violence, bribes, or stealing. A friend told me how he had gone on a vacation, leaving his business in the hands of his partner. When he came back after only two weeks, the partner had managed to steal it away, leaving him with significant debts. How can any honest person survive in such a jungle? Again, you may not be facing thousands of enemies as David was. But how many enemies does it take to make life miserable and possibly lead even to the loss of your job? One will do, if he or she is determined enough. And you probably have more than that! In fact, the more prominent you are, the more enemies you will have and the more vulnerable you will be to them.”[2]

We should not ignore the prophetic nature of this Psalm. It is pointing to the Messiah, the Son of David.  No one had more enemies than He did. The scribes and Pharisees opposed him at every turn in his ministry. The Sadducees plotted together in the Sanhedrin to have Rome execute Him. The soldiers spat on him and mocked him while they tortured him before hanging him on the cross. Even one of his closest friends, Judas, betrayed him to his enemies. And Peter, the closes of all, denied that he even knew him. People are “against” Jesus 61 times in the Gospels.

[1] Williams, Donald, and Lloyd J. Ogilvie. 1986. Psalms 1–72. Vol. 13. The Preacher’s Commentary Series. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.

[2] Boice, James Montgomery. 2005. Psalms 1–41: An Expositional Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books.