« Back to Blog Posts

Cast your burden on the Lord

Mar 21st, 2020 by Dr. Edward L. Hall

In Psalm 55:22-23, there is a unique statement made by David.  He says: (22) "Cast your burden on the LORD, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved." (23) "But you, O God, will cast them down into the pit of destruction; men of blood and treachery shall not live out half their days. But I will trust in you."

Please be conscience that there are moments of trouble, when pushy and bouldering events may put, even a Christian, in a position of discomfort of heart, anxiety, and unhappiness to throw us off.  There are times when we would rather flee away and get away from it all; but at last our soul is quieted and comforted by taking residence with God in prayer.  Whilst we focus back in on our life of faith into the assurance of the love and righteousness of God, we then are able to regain the courage for the evil presence of the devil, and gain patience to persevere in our sufferings, and hope in the deliverance of God.

When I analyze this writing of God in Psalm 55:22-23, I am taken away by the phenomena of evil times, under the pressure of which David is somewhat dejected, and he does not feel the determination to spring over the walls of the things that were going on in his personal life.  Whenever we are associated or belong to the side of rapid increase and the bold advance of ungodlinessand unrighteousness in all classes of our cultural society; we also then have a less relentless inconsiderate attitude of people where love is taken for hate, friendship into hostility, trust into treachery and hypocrisy --- it is then we know that we are in serious trouble!

We need the sustaining Hand of God's presence to see us through our everyday situations.  The Psalmist states, "Cast thou burden upon the Lord, and He shall sustain thee."  In spoken languages of Hebrew, it was not strange to say "Cast your burden" or "Leave your troubles."  In some languages, however, one may translate, for example --- "Give the Lord your worries."  However, in other languages where it is not possible to speak of transferring such abstract items, one may sometimes say, "The Lord will be a sustainer for you," or "The Lord will take your worries from your place." 

In the Koine Greek, Jesus says, "take my yoke upon you" -- ballo -- "throw all your burdens upon me, and you will find rest" (Matthew 11:29).  We know that God can do just that, but sometimes we don't live the life that we should be convicted about in order to carry out our daily involvement of God for this thought process that has been mentioned above.

Note that the text communicates that the word, "Sustain," which in context means "to support, to maintain firm, or to provide for one's needs" (refer to its use for reference in 2 Samuel 19:32-33).

As frequently used in the Psalms, the righteous are those who obey and follow God's divine order of commandments, and these are those who are considered to be faithful in God.  Do you deem yourself a faithful person in God?  Family of God ---- just remember that God has given us all that we need to be sustained in this life in every spiritual manner and for every difficult task.  Lift your head up and remember the Sustainer is always near us and ready to aid us according to His Power!