Psalms 55:15

THE PRAYER RESUMED

"Let death come suddenly upon them,

Let them go down alive into Sheol;

For wickedness is in their dwelling, in the midst of them."

The very first part of the resumed prayer petitions God to bring the enemies down into Sheol alive, to their "sudden death." One may well ignore all of the "too bad, too bad" comments on verses like this, which speak of personal vindictiveness and horrible private vengeance upon enemies.

David's situation here was exactly that of Moses the great lawgiver of Israel, whose leadership of Israel was challenged by Korah; here David's leadership of Israel was challenged by Absalom. In both instances, there was no middle ground; one only could be the Theocratic Leader; and like Moses of old, David pleaded with God to decide it by the death of the challengers, just as God decided in favor of Moses by the miraculous death of Korah and his group who were swallowed up alive by the earth itself (Numbers 16:30). As Kidner said, "`Let them go down alive into Sheol' is a clear echo of Numbers 16:30, where Moses had called for proof that the people who were resisting him were in fact rebels against God."[16] David was calling for exactly the same kind of decision here.

David was conscious that his earthly kingdom was a type of the Kingdom of Heaven, hence the utmost necessity of God's favorable answer of David's heart-felt prayer. His beloved son Absalom and his best friend Ahithophel were the challengers. Note the prayer for their sudden death was answered at once. Ahithophel committed suicide, and Joab thrust a dart through the heart of Absalom. Sad? Certainly! But the alternative would have frustrated forever the purpose of God in human redemption.