Psalms 55: Cast Your Burden on Him
Crushed by a friend's betrayal and longing to fly away, David learns to cast his burden on the Lord who will sustain him.
Psalms 55 (WEB)
1 Listen to my prayer, God. Don’t hide yourself from my supplication.
2 Attend to me, and answer me. I am restless in my complaint, and moan,
3 Because of the voice of the enemy, Because of the oppression of the wicked. For they bring suffering on me. In anger they hold a grudge against me.
4 My heart is severely pained within me. The terrors of death have fallen on me.
5 Fearfulness and trembling have come on me. Horror has overwhelmed me.
6 I said, “Oh that I had wings like a dove! Then I would fly away, and be at rest.
7 Behold, then I would wander far off. I would lodge in the wilderness.” Selah.
8 “I would hurry to a shelter from the stormy wind and storm.”
9 Confuse them, Lord, and confound their language, for I have seen violence and strife in the city.
10 Day and night they prowl around on its walls. Malice and abuse are also within her.
11 Destructive forces are within her. Threats and lies don’t depart from her streets.
12 For it was not an enemy who insulted me, then I could have endured it. Neither was it he who hated me who raised himself up against me, then I would have hidden myself from him.
13 But it was you, a man like me, my companion, and my familiar friend.
14 We took sweet fellowship together. We walked in God’s house with company.
15 Let death come suddenly on them. Let them go down alive into Sheol. For wickedness is in their dwelling, in their midst.
16 As for me, I will call on God. Yahweh will save me.
17 Evening, morning, and at noon, I will cry out in distress. He will hear my voice.
18 He has redeemed my soul in peace from the battle that was against me, although there are many who oppose me.
19 God, who is enthroned forever, will hear, and answer them. Selah. They never change, who don’t fear God.
20 He raises his hands against his friends. He has violated his covenant.
21 His mouth was smooth as butter, but his heart was war. His words were softer than oil, yet they were drawn swords.
22 Cast your burden on Yahweh, and he will sustain you. He will never allow the righteous to be moved.
23 But you, God, will bring them down into the pit of destruction. Bloodthirsty and deceitful men shall not live out half their days, but I will trust in you.
Psalms 55 (KJV)
1 Give ear to my prayer, O God; and hide not thyself from my supplication.
2 Attend unto me, and hear me: I mourn in my complaint, and make a noise;
3 Because of the voice of the enemy, because of the oppression of the wicked: for they cast iniquity upon me, and in wrath they hate me.
4 My heart is sore pained within me: and the terrors of death are fallen upon me.
5 Fearfulness and trembling are come upon me, and horror hath overwhelmed me.
6 And I said, Oh that I had wings like a dove! for then would I fly away, and be at rest.
7 Lo, then would I wander far off, and remain in the wilderness. Selah.
8 I would hasten my escape from the windy storm and tempest.
9 Destroy, O Lord, and divide their tongues: for I have seen violence and strife in the city.
10 Day and night they go about it upon the walls thereof: mischief also and sorrow are in the midst of it.
11 Wickedness is in the midst thereof: deceit and guile depart not from her streets.
12 For it was not an enemy that reproached me; then I could have borne it: neither was it he that hated me that did magnify himself against me; then I would have hid myself from him:
13 But it was thou, a man mine equal, my guide, and mine acquaintance.
14 We took sweet counsel together, and walked unto the house of God in company.
15 Let death seize upon them, and let them go down quick into hell: for wickedness is in their dwellings, and among them.
16 As for me, I will call upon God; and the Lord shall save me.
17 Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice.
18 He hath delivered my soul in peace from the battle that was against me: for there were many with me.
19 God shall hear, and afflict them, even he that abideth of old. Selah. Because they have no changes, therefore they fear not God.
20 He hath put forth his hands against such as be at peace with him: he hath broken his covenant.
21 The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, but war was in his heart: his words were softer than oil, yet were they drawn swords.
22 Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.
23 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.
Psalms 55 (ASV)
1 Give ear to my prayer, O God; And hide not thyself from my supplication.
2 Attend unto me, and answer me: I am restless in my complaint, and moan,
3 Because of the voice of the enemy, Because of the oppression of the wicked; For they cast iniquity upon me, And in anger they persecute me.
4 My heart is sore pained within me: And the terrors of death are fallen upon me.
5 Fearfulness and trembling are come upon me, And horror hath overwhelmed me.
6 And I said, Oh that I had wings like a dove! Then would I fly away, and be at rest.
7 Lo, then would I wander far off, I would lodge in the wilderness. [Selah
8 I would haste me to a shelter From the stormy wind and tempest.
9 Destroy, O Lord, and divide their tongue; For I have seen violence and strife in the city.
10 Day and night they go about it upon the walls thereof: Iniquity also and mischief are in the midst of it.
11 Wickedness is in the midst thereof: Oppression and guile depart not from its streets.
12 For it was not an enemy that reproached me; Then I could have borne it: Neither was it he that hated me that did magnify himself against me; Then I would have hid myself from him:
13 But it was thou, a man mine equal, My companion, and my familiar friend.
14 We took sweet counsel together; We walked in the house of God with the throng.
15 Let death come suddenly upon them, Let them go down alive into Sheol; For wickedness is in their dwelling, in the midst of them.
16 As for me, I will call upon God; And Jehovah will save me.
17 Evening, and morning, and at noonday, will I complain, and moan; And he will hear my voice.
18 He hath redeemed my soul in peace from the battle that was against me; For they were many that strove with me.
19 God will hear, and answer them, Even he that abideth of old, [Selah The menwho have no changes, And who fear not God.
20 He hath put forth his hands against such as were at peace with him: He hath profaned his covenant.
21 His mouth was smooth as butter, But his heart was war: His words were softer than oil, Yet were they drawn swords.
22 Cast thy burden upon Jehovah, and he will sustain thee: He will never suffer the righteous to be moved.
23 But thou, O God, wilt bring them down into the pit of destruction: Bloodthirsty and deceitful men shall not live out half their days; But I will trust in thee.
Summary
Psalm 55 is a lament born of deep anguish, mingling fear, grief, and the special pain of betrayal. David begs God not to hide from his supplication, confessing that he is restless and moaning, his heart severely pained, with the terrors of death fallen upon him and horror overwhelming him. He longs for wings like a dove so he could fly away and find rest in the wilderness, far from the violence and strife filling the city. The sharpest wound is not from an open enemy but from a familiar friend: it was you, a man like me, my companion, with whom he once took sweet fellowship and walked in the house of God. This intimate treachery has been read by many as foreshadowing the betrayal of Christ by Judas. David prays for God to act against the deceitful and bloodthirsty, whose words were smooth as butter while their hearts were war. Yet the psalm rises to confident faith: As for me, I will call on God, and Yahweh will save me. Evening, morning, and noon he will cry out, and God will hear his voice. The psalm's enduring counsel comes near the end: Cast your burden on Yahweh, and he will sustain you; he will never allow the righteous to be moved. The believer's response to overwhelming sorrow is to keep trusting the God who hears.
Voices
- David — The anguished psalmist, overwhelmed by terror and the betrayal of a close friend, who learns to cast his burden on the Lord and keep calling on him.
- The treacherous friend — A former companion who shared sweet fellowship and worshiped alongside David, but turned against him with words smooth as butter and a heart of war.
- Yahweh who hears and sustains — The LORD enthroned forever, who hears the cry of his servant evening, morning, and noon, and upholds those who cast their burdens on him.
Key Verse
Psalm 55:22 (WEB)
Cast your burden on Yahweh, and he will sustain you. He will never allow the righteous to be moved.
Lessons Learned
- It is right to bring our fear, grief, and even our longing to escape honestly before God.
- Betrayal by a trusted friend is among the deepest of wounds, but God still hears the betrayed.
- Steady, repeated prayer, evening, morning, and noon, anchors the soul in overwhelming distress.
- We are invited to cast our burdens on the Lord, who promises to sustain and steady the righteous.
- God welcomes our honest anguish. "I am restless in my complaint, and moan" (Psalm 55:2, WEB); we may pour out raw distress, not just polished prayers.
- The deepest wounds often come from those closest to us. "But it was you, a man like me, my companion, and my familiar friend" (Psalm 55:13, WEB); betrayal by a friend cuts deeper than open enmity.
- Persistent prayer steadies the troubled soul. "Evening, morning, and at noon, I will cry out in distress. He will hear my voice" (Psalm 55:17, WEB); regular crying out to God anchors us.
- We can cast our burdens on the Lord. "Cast your burden on Yahweh, and he will sustain you" (Psalm 55:22, WEB); God invites us to hand over what is crushing us.
- God keeps the righteous from being shaken. "He will never allow the righteous to be moved" (Psalm 55:22, WEB); those who trust him are ultimately secure.
- How does David describe the depth of his distress in verses 4-5?
- What makes the betrayal in verses 12-14 so especially painful?
- How might this betrayal by a close friend point us toward the experience of Christ?
- What is the significance of David praying "evening, morning, and at noon" (55:17)?
- What burden do you most need to cast on the Lord, and what holds you back from handing it over?
- David says his heart is severely pained, the terrors of death have fallen on him, and fearfulness, trembling, and horror have overwhelmed him (55:4-5). He even longs for wings like a dove to fly away and be at rest. The language captures a soul pressed to the breaking point by fear and grief.
- The pain is sharpest because the betrayer is not an open enemy but a close companion and familiar friend with whom David shared sweet fellowship and even worshiped in God's house (55:12-14). Treachery from someone trusted and loved wounds far more deeply than hostility from a known foe.
- Jesus, too, was betrayed by a close companion, Judas, who had shared meals and ministry with him. The intimate treachery David laments anticipates the suffering of Christ, who knew the grief of being handed over by a friend, and who in his sorrow still entrusted himself to the Father.
- Praying at evening, morning, and noon shows steady, persistent prayer through the whole day rather than a single desperate cry. In overwhelming distress, David keeps returning to God again and again. Regular, repeated prayer becomes the rhythm that anchors his soul until deliverance comes.
- This is the personal-application question. Invite members to name, even silently, a specific burden they are carrying. As leader, gently explore what keeps us gripping our burdens, such as pride or fear, and encourage a concrete act of casting it on the Lord, trusting verse 22's promise that he will sustain them.