A few days ago, while meditating with someone very special to me, we reflected on Psalm 55. It’s an intensely emotional psalm—David pours out his heart, struggling with the pain of betrayal by someone he deeply trusted. Although he doesn’t name the betrayer, many biblical scholars believe David was referring to either Absalom, his son who led a rebellion against him, or Ahithophel, his trusted adviser who defected during that rebellion.
Ahithophel’s story is particularly compelling. Once considered one of David’s wisest counselors, his advice carried such authority that Scripture says it was as though one were inquiring of the word of God (2 Samuel 16:23). His strategic mind likely played a crucial role in many of David’s military and political victories.
But during Absalom’s uprising (2 Samuel 15), Ahithophel made a shocking choice: he switched allegiance to Absalom. He didn’t abandon his role as adviser—he simply continued it under a new, seemingly promising ruler.
David, understanding just how dangerous Ahithophel’s counsel could be, immediately turned to God in prayer: “O Lord, please turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness” (2 Samuel 15:31). God answered, not by making Ahithophel’s advice foolish—it wasn’t—but by orchestrating events so that Absalom ignored it. When Ahithophel proposed a swift, strategic strike to crush David while he was vulnerable, it was sound military advice. But Absalom chose instead to follow Hushai, David’s loyal spy, who cleverly appealed to Absalom’s pride and delayed the attack, giving David time to regroup (2 Samuel 17).
This rejection devastated Ahithophel. Realizing his advice had been dismissed and perhaps sensing the rebellion would fail, he returned home, put his affairs in order, and took his own life (2 Samuel 17:23). His suicide may have stemmed from humiliation, a sense of purposelessness, or the fear of facing David’s return.
But here’s a thought: what if Ahithophel wasn’t a traitor in the emotional sense? What if he was simply acting out of cold, calculated judgment? Maybe he saw Absalom as the rising power—young, charismatic, and already winning favor across Israel. Perhaps Ahithophel believed he was ensuring national continuity by backing who he thought would be the next king. In Absalom, he might have seen a younger version of David.
What Ahithophel didn’t account for, however, was the God factor. David, flawed as he was, still carried divine favor. No amount of wisdom or strategic foresight could override God’s purpose. And so, even though Ahithophel’s advice was brilliant, it was ultimately rendered ineffective—not by error, but by divine intervention. Feeling discarded and exposed, he saw no future for himself.
His death remains one of the most tragic footnotes in Scripture—a mind undone not by poor decisions, but by the clash between human logic and divine will.
So, what can we learn from this?
- Discern the roles people play in your life.
On the road to destiny, you will encounter people of great value. But not everyone is a true friend—some are simply fulfilling a function. David likely saw Ahithophel as a friend and confidant, but Ahithophel was just doing his job. As Apostle Joshua Selman teaches, there are three types of people in your life: those who love you for who you are, those who love you for what you offer, and those who simply hate who you hate. Learn to discern which is which. - Talk to God—raw and unfiltered.
In Psalm 55, David was broken and at one of the lowest points in his life. Yet he poured out his soul to God without censoring his emotions. And God answered—not necessarily with comfort, but with decisive action. Don’t be afraid to bring your full self before God; He can handle your honesty and respond in power. - Align your brilliance with God’s will.
No matter how gifted, strategic, or wise we are, human plans must be surrendered to God’s purpose. Ahithophel’s intelligence wasn’t the problem—it simply wasn’t aligned with God’s plan. Divine purpose will always prevail over human genius.
What other lessons can you pick up from this story? I will love to see them.
Kindly share in the comment section.
