John Gill Commentary Psalms 55:13

"But it was thou, a man mine equal, My companion, and my familiar friend." — Psalms 55:13 (ASV)

But [it was] you
The Targum is, "but you Ahithophel"; of whom the words are literally to be understood, and so they are in the Talmud ^F21 ; and mystically and typically of Judas;

a man my equal ;
"a man", and not a beast, nor a devil; but a man, from whom humanity, kindness, and tenderness might have been expected; though both Ahithophel and Judas acted the part of a devil; and the latter is expressly called one, (John 6:70) ; "my equal"; or like me; as the Targum. Ahithophel was not equal to David in dignity, as the king of Israel; nor in gifts, as the sweet psalmist of Israel; nor in grace as he; but as a man, a mortal dying man: kings and subjects are of the same blood, equally liable to death, and in the grave will be manifestly on a level: or rather the sense is, that he was in his esteem and affliction as himself; he was his friend that he loved as his own soul: so Judas could not be in every sense equal to Christ who is Jehovah's fellow, and thought it no robbery to be equal with God. Indeed as a man he was like him; a frail, mortal man, though not sinless as Christ. The word (ykrek) may be rendered "according to my appointment" ^F23 , ordination, or constitution; Judas being a man appointed and ordained to be an apostle of Christ with the rest: or, "according to my esteem" ^F24 ; being had in great esteem and familiarity with Christ: or, "according to my order" ^F25 , rank and class; being taken into his family, admitted to his table, where he sat down and ate with him, as if he was his equal;

my guide :
or "governor" ^F26 . Ahithophel was not governor over David; but was made a governor by him: he was one of his dukes or nobles, as the word is rendered in (Genesis 36:15) , was raised to great dignity by him; perhaps was chief minister of state: it is certain he was his counsellor, and his counsel was with him as the oracle of God, (1 Chronicles 27:33) (2 Samuel 16:23) ; he was his guide in civil affairs; he was directed by his advice, and it may be was president of his privy council. Judas was not only the guide of them to Christ who took him, (Acts 1:16) ; but when the apostles were sent out two by two before the face of Christ, to preach where he himself should come, Judas was sent also, (Mark 6:7) (Luke 10:1) ;

and mine acquaintance :
one well known to him, as Ahithophel was to David, and Judas to Christ, his friend and companion, in whom he confided, and who ate of his bread; and all these characters are so many aggravations of his treachery and wickedness.

---

FOOTNOTES:

• F21: T. Bab. Sanhedrin, fol. 106. 2. Pirke Abot, c. 6. s. 3.
• F23: "Secundum dispositionem, sc. ordinationem et constitutionem meam", Calvinus in Michaelis.
• F24: "Juxta estimationem meam", Vatablus, Gejerus, Michaelis; "qui par mihi estimatus est", Piscator.
• F25: "Secundum ordinem meam", Mollerus.
• F26: (ypwla) "dux meus", Pagninus, Tigurine version, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator; "princeps meus", Cocceius.