"Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and He shall sustain thee: He shall never suffer the righteous to be moved."
Psalm 55:22
This is a heavy Psalm. Weighty in the sense that David is being oppressed by his enemies. He has even been betrayed by a close friend. His heart is in turmoil, and he is in pain and feeling low. But even in this, he teaches believers how to respond to the difficult times in our lives. He talks to God about what is happening in his life, and he cries out to God for His help. These are simple thoughts, but how often, when we are in trouble, we neglect them. Please take a few moments and read this Psalm. Finally, at the end of the Psalm, he shows us what to do.
“Cast thy burden upon the LORD.”
Every burden we bear, we need to cast upon the LORD. “Thy burden” is literally your “gift,” it is what God has assigned to you.
“The ‘literal’ rendering would be, ‘Cast upon Jehovah what he hath given (or laid upon) thee; that is, thy lot’ (Gesenius, Lexicon).”[1]
And every burden that the Lord has put upon us, we roll back onto His shoulders. He sustains us in everything that He has given us to carry for Him. What comfort there is in laying all of our burdens upon Him.
“And He shall sustain thee.”
“He shall sustain thee,” He “holds us up,” and literally, He shall “supply your food,” and all your needs will be cared for. The Lord not only bears our burden, but He lifts us up as well.
“He shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.”
The righteous will never lose “the secure position of His favor.” Although the wicked man who thinks he has nothing to worry about has no favor with God, and he will be brought down (be removed).
“His ways [the wicked man’s] are always grievous; thy judgments are far above out of his sight: as for all his enemies, he puffeth at them. He hath said in his heart, I shall not be moved: for I shall never be in adversity” (Psalm 10:5-6).
“But thou, O God, shalt bring them down into the pit of destruction: bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their days, but I will trust in thee” (Psalm 55:23).
David gives the Lord his burden and leaves his enemy in God’s hand, awaiting His verdict. But through all of this, he continues to trust in the LORD. And so, a testimony from the Old Testament Psalms teaches us to give up our burden, whatever it may be, and keep trusting the Lord.
“Casting all your care upon him; for He careth for you” (1 Peter 5:7).
“He shall never suffer the righteous to be moved!”
[1] Gesenius quoted by Barnes. Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible, the electronic version in eSword.