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Illustration for Psalm 55: Cast Your Cares on God

Psalm 55

Cast Your Cares on God

When AfraidComfort

David was betrayed by one of his closest friends and felt crushed inside. He wished he could fly away like a dove to escape the pain! But he found a better answer: cast all your burdens on God, and He will take care of you.

  1. 1Listen to my prayer, O God; do not ignore my plea.
  2. 2Hear me and answer me. My thoughts trouble me and I am distraught
  3. 3at the voice of the enemy, at the stares of the wicked; for they bring down suffering upon me and revile me in their anger.
  4. 4My heart is in anguish within me; the terrors of death assail me.
  5. 5Fear and trembling have beset me; horror has overwhelmed me.
  6. 6I said, "Oh, that I had the wings of a dove! I would fly away and be at rest.
  7. 7I would flee far away and stay in the desert; Selah
  8. 8I would hurry to my place of shelter, far from the tempest and storm."
  9. 9Lord, confuse the wicked, confound their words, for I see violence and strife in the city.
  10. 10Day and night they prowl about on its walls; malice and abuse are within it.
  11. 11Destructive forces are at work in the city; threats and lies never leave its streets.
  12. 12If an enemy were insulting me, I could endure it; if a foe were rising against me, I could hide.
  13. 13But it is you, a man like myself, my companion, my close friend,
  14. 14with whom I once enjoyed sweet fellowship at the house of God, as we walked about among the worshipers.
  15. 15Let death take my enemies by surprise; let them go down alive to the realm of the dead, for evil finds lodging among them.
  16. 16As for me, I call to God, and the LORD saves me.
  17. 17Evening, morning and noon I cry out in distress, and He hears my voice.
  18. 18He rescues me unharmed from the battle waged against me, even though many oppose me.
  19. 19God, who is enthroned from of old, who does not change— He will hear them and humble them, because they have no fear of God. Selah
  20. 20My companion attacks his friends; he violates his covenant.
  21. 21His talk is smooth as butter, yet war is in his heart; his words are more soothing than oil, yet they are drawn swords.
  22. 22Cast your cares on the LORD and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous fall.
  23. 23But You, God, will bring down the wicked into the pit of decay; the bloodthirsty and deceitful will not live out half their days. But as for me, I trust in You.

What it means

David was hurt by a close friend, and he honestly wished he could grow wings and fly far away from it all. Wanting to escape is a normal feeling. But he found something better than running: he handed the whole heavy load to God, who is strong enough to carry it.

A little prayer

Lord, sometimes I just want to run away from things that hurt. Instead I am handing them all to You, because You are strong enough to carry what I cannot. Thank You for taking care of me. Amen.

Memory verse

“Cast your cares on the LORD and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous fall.”

Psalm 55:22 (BSB)

It gives the burden a destination, which is the difference between putting it down and just dropping it.

Talk about it

Questions with no single right answer — for a family table or a Sunday-school circle.

  1. David says it would be easier if an enemy had hurt him — but it was a close friend. Why is that worse?
  2. He wishes he could fly away like a dove. Where would you go?
  3. The psalm says to cast your cares on God. What does casting look like — putting down gently, or throwing?
  4. What is one care you could throw rather than carry?

Try this

Cast it

Write a worry on a paper ball. Go outside and throw it as far as you can, then say the memory verse. Pick the litter up afterwards — the worry is God's, the paper is yours.

You will need: Paper, and somewhere to throw.

Scripture from the Berean Standard Bible (BSB)