We took sweet counsel together, and walked unto the house of God in company.
Psalm 55:14 explains why the betrayal troubling David was so painful. He has already said that he could have borne the reproach of an open enemy, but the offender was “a man mine equal, my guide, and mine acquaintance” (vv.12-13). Verse 14 remembers what their friendship had once contained: pleasant counsel and fellowship in the worship of God. The history of David’s flight from Absalom shows such a friend in Ahithophel, David’s counsellor, who joined the conspiracy against him (II Samuel 15:12,31; 16:23). This is lament poured out before God over betrayed fellowship, remembering both former counsel and former worship.
“We took sweet counsel together.” David does not describe a casual acquaintance. The pronoun “we” joins the two men in remembered fellowship. They had spoken together, advised together, considered matters together, and shared confidence. Their counsel had been “sweet.” Scripture describes the blessing of faithful friendship in similar words: “Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart: so doth the sweetness of a man’s friend by hearty counsel” (Proverbs 27:9). Ahithophel’s place in David’s life shows how highly such counsel had once been regarded: “And the counsel of Ahithophel, which he counselled in those days, was as if a man had enquired at the oracle of God: so was all the counsel of Ahithophel both with David and with Absalom” (II Samuel 16:23). Then this counsellor joined the rebellion: “And one told David, saying, Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom. And David said, O LORD, I pray thee, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness” (II Samuel 15:31). The friendship had been real, and so was the treachery. Former sweetness did not excuse present wickedness.
This warns against making friendship an authority above God. Counsel is sweet only while it is true, faithful, and righteous. Solomon wrote, “Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful” (Proverbs 27:6). A faithful friend may wound by necessary truth, while an enemy may speak and act with apparent affection. The saint must therefore value companionship without surrendering judgment. Affection, history, loyalty, and shared confidence can never make falsehood right. When a friend departs from truth, the believer must remain with God.
“And walked unto the house of God in company.” Their fellowship had included worship. They did not share private conversation and counsel only; they had gone together to the house of God. David elsewhere remembered such public worship with deep affection: “When I remember these things, I pour out my soul in me: for I had gone with the multitude, I went with them to the house of God, with the voice of joy and praise, with a multitude that kept holyday” (Psalm 42:4). The man who later opposed David had once stood beside him in the outward worship of Jehovah. This makes the betrayal especially grievous, but it also gives a solemn warning: walking beside saints into the house of God does not itself prove a faithful heart. Men may hear the same truth, sing the same praise, pray in the same assembly, and share years of religious fellowship, yet afterward depart from truth and turn against those with whom they once worshipped.
This danger must not make saints despise fellowship or forsake the assembly. The sin belongs to the false companion, not to the worship of God. Scripture still declares, “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!” (Psalm 133:1). The New Testament commands, “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching” (Hebrews 10:25). Yet churches must never confuse long association with proven faithfulness. Paul warned elders, “Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them” (Acts 20:30). Years of fellowship, public worship, and private counsel are precious, but Christ and His truth must remain above every human bond.
Jesus Christ also knew betrayal by one who had walked with Him in close fellowship. He said concerning Judas, “I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen: but that the scripture may be fulfilled, He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me” (John 13:18). Judas came to Him in Gethsemane: “And forthwith he came to Jesus, and said, Hail, master; and kissed him” (Matthew 26:49). Jesus answered, “Friend, wherefore art thou come?” and they laid hands on Him and took Him (Matthew 26:50). The kiss of a familiar disciple proved what Solomon had warned (Proverbs 27:6). David knew the wound of a counsellor who turned against him; Christ knew the treachery of an apostle who ate with Him, walked with Him, and betrayed Him with a kiss. Therefore the betrayed saint does not come to a Savior ignorant of such pain. “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:15).
Betrayal by a worshipping companion is especially bitter, but it must still be carried to God. David does not abandon prayer because a friend became false; later he says, “As for me, I will call upon God; and the LORD shall save me” (v.16). When trusted fellowship fails, remain faithful to God, keep His house precious, and be the friend whose counsel and company can be remembered without shame.
We took sweet counsel together, and walked unto the house of God in company.
Psalm 55:14 explains why the betrayal troubling David was so painful. He has already said that he could have borne the reproach of an open enemy, but the offender was “a man mine equal, my guide, and mine acquaintance” (vv.12-13). Verse 14 remembers what their friendship had once contained: pleasant counsel and fellowship in the worship of God. The history of David’s flight from Absalom shows such a friend in Ahithophel, David’s counsellor, who joined the conspiracy against him (II Samuel 15:12,31; 16:23). This is lament poured out before God over betrayed fellowship, remembering both former counsel and former worship.
“We took sweet counsel together.” David does not describe a casual acquaintance. The pronoun “we” joins the two men in remembered fellowship. They had spoken together, advised together, considered matters together, and shared confidence. Their counsel had been “sweet.” Scripture describes the blessing of faithful friendship in similar words: “Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart: so doth the sweetness of a man’s friend by hearty counsel” (Proverbs 27:9). Ahithophel’s place in David’s life shows how highly such counsel had once been regarded: “And the counsel of Ahithophel, which he counselled in those days, was as if a man had enquired at the oracle of God: so was all the counsel of Ahithophel both with David and with Absalom” (II Samuel 16:23). Then this counsellor joined the rebellion: “And one told David, saying, Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom. And David said, O LORD, I pray thee, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness” (II Samuel 15:31). The friendship had been real, and so was the treachery. Former sweetness did not excuse present wickedness.
This warns against making friendship an authority above God. Counsel is sweet only while it is true, faithful, and righteous. Solomon wrote, “Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful” (Proverbs 27:6). A faithful friend may wound by necessary truth, while an enemy may speak and act with apparent affection. The saint must therefore value companionship without surrendering judgment. Affection, history, loyalty, and shared confidence can never make falsehood right. When a friend departs from truth, the believer must remain with God.
“And walked unto the house of God in company.” Their fellowship had included worship. They did not share private conversation and counsel only; they had gone together to the house of God. David elsewhere remembered such public worship with deep affection: “When I remember these things, I pour out my soul in me: for I had gone with the multitude, I went with them to the house of God, with the voice of joy and praise, with a multitude that kept holyday” (Psalm 42:4). The man who later opposed David had once stood beside him in the outward worship of Jehovah. This makes the betrayal especially grievous, but it also gives a solemn warning: walking beside saints into the house of God does not itself prove a faithful heart. Men may hear the same truth, sing the same praise, pray in the same assembly, and share years of religious fellowship, yet afterward depart from truth and turn against those with whom they once worshipped.
This danger must not make saints despise fellowship or forsake the assembly. The sin belongs to the false companion, not to the worship of God. Scripture still declares, “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!” (Psalm 133:1). The New Testament commands, “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching” (Hebrews 10:25). Yet churches must never confuse long association with proven faithfulness. Paul warned elders, “Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them” (Acts 20:30). Years of fellowship, public worship, and private counsel are precious, but Christ and His truth must remain above every human bond.
Jesus Christ also knew betrayal by one who had walked with Him in close fellowship. He said concerning Judas, “I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen: but that the scripture may be fulfilled, He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me” (John 13:18). Judas came to Him in Gethsemane: “And forthwith he came to Jesus, and said, Hail, master; and kissed him” (Matthew 26:49). Jesus answered, “Friend, wherefore art thou come?” and they laid hands on Him and took Him (Matthew 26:50). The kiss of a familiar disciple proved what Solomon had warned (Proverbs 27:6). David knew the wound of a counsellor who turned against him; Christ knew the treachery of an apostle who ate with Him, walked with Him, and betrayed Him with a kiss. Therefore the betrayed saint does not come to a Savior ignorant of such pain. “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:15).
Betrayal by a worshipping companion is especially bitter, but it must still be carried to God. David does not abandon prayer because a friend became false; later he says, “As for me, I will call upon God; and the LORD shall save me” (v.16). When trusted fellowship fails, remain faithful to God, keep His house precious, and be the friend whose counsel and company can be remembered without shame.