Psalm 55:22
“Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.”
King James Version (KJV)
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Psalm 55 pours out anguish over betrayal by a close friend and the dread of enemies. Verse 22 closes with the assurance that casting one's burden on God brings his sustaining care.
What Does Psalm 55:22 Mean?
This verse invites the weary to hand their burdens to God, with the promise that he will sustain them and never let the righteous be permanently shaken. After a psalm full of betrayal, fear, and distress, David arrives at this settled counsel -- the answer to a crushing load is to give it to the One who can carry it.
"Cast thy burden upon the LORD" pictures lifting a heavy weight off one's own shoulders and placing it on God. The word for "burden" can mean whatever has been given to a person to carry -- their lot, their cares, their trouble. The promise attached is rich: "he shall sustain thee." God does not merely take the load; he holds up the one who was carrying it. The final line, "he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved," assures lasting stability -- not that the faithful will never be shaken at all, but that they will never be utterly toppled. This is the fruit of casting one's burden upward: a sustaining grip and a steady footing. The verse speaks directly to the exhausted, those bowed under more than they can bear, offering both a command and a comfort -- let it go to God, and be held.
In the Original Language
The Hebrew yehav ("burden") refers to one's lot or what is given to carry, and kul ("sustain") means to hold up, support, or provide for.
Cross References
“Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.”
- Psalm 37:5
“He hath delivered my soul in peace from the battle that was against me: for there were many with me.”
- Psalm 55:18
“Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah.”
- Psalm 62:8
Application
When life's weight grows too heavy, deliberately place your cares on God in prayer and trust him to sustain you and keep you from being toppled.