Give Up Your Burdens

“Cast your burden on the LORD,

And He shall sustain you;

He shall never permit the righteous to be moved.” (Psalms 55:22 NKJV)

Headed as, “A Contemplation of David,” with the NKJV summarizing it with, “Trust in God Concerning the Treachery of Friends,” this psalm is as current as teenage angst. Any time the Bible is considered as just for stuffy, hoity-toity religious contemplation, a second look is warranted.

There are obviously contemporary and scientific issues not directly contemplated in scripture, but virtually every conceivable personal interaction crisis is addressed in some way in the narrative, the Law or the books of Wisdom. Later life betrayal may have more permanent consequences but abandonment as a youngster can lead to a lifetime of trust issues. Lack of trust is a care which will weigh down even the most study of individuals.

The trust formula in this psalm is echoed in several other scriptural locations in different forms. David stated it a different way in Psalm 37:5.

“Commit your way to the LORD,

Trust also in Him,

And He shall bring it to pass.” (Psalms 37:5 NKJV)

In addition, Jesus expanded the though extensively in His Sermon On the Mount (Matthew 6:25-34 and Luke 12:22-31), essentially telling His disciples, “Don’t worry about stuff, but seek first God’s kingdom; everything else you need will be provided.” In Luke, He continued after this statement and suggested the best way to insulate oneself from such concerns. He said:

“‘Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell what you have and give alms; provide yourselves money bags which do not grow old, a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches nor moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.’” (Luke 12:32-34 NKJV)

When contemplating acquiring new things – a car, a house, a pool, etc. – among the considerations one should include is this – “Anything you think you own owns you.” For each of the acquisitions we make there is a care and concern in tending to them, paying taxes on them, maintaining them, etc. This is the reason that the New Testament church had the policy outlined in Acts.

“Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common. . . . Nor was there anyone among them who lacked; for all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold, and laid them at the apostles’ feet; and they distributed to each as anyone had need.” (Acts 4:32, 34-35 NKJV)

A radical solution? Perhaps; but certainly a freeing one, worthy of contemporary consideration. With that kind of commitment among the members of the body, Peter’s instruction to his readers could more readily be adopted. “Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.” (I Peter 5:7) Trusting God, submitting to those in authority, waiting for Him to work – all these work only if we‘re worried more about His kingdom than our own concerns.

Related Scriptures

“‘Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?

“‘So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

“‘Therefore do not worry, saying, “What shall we eat?” or “What shall we drink?” or “What shall we wear?” For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.’” (Matthew 6:25-34 NKJV)

“Then He said to His disciples, ‘Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; nor about the body, what you will put on. Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing. Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which have neither storehouse nor barn; and God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds? And which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? If you then are not able to do the least, why are you anxious for the rest? Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. If then God so clothes the grass, which today is in the field and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will He clothe you, O you of little faith?

“‘And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind. For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things. But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you.’” (Luke 12:22-31 NKJV)

“Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for

‘God resists the proud,

But gives grace to the humble.’

“Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.” (I Peter 5:5-7 NKJV)