Psalm 55:22
“Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken.”
Explanation and Commentary on Psalm 55:22
The Psalmist is in great distress because a trusted friend has betrayed him and set his face against him. He claims that a known enemy could not have had such an effect on him, but because this was his friend his emotional guard was down.
No matter what the cause of our cares and anxiety, God calls us to cast our cares upon him. Jesus Christ rose every morning in order to do just that. Even in his greatest trial in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus managed to move from sweating blood, to perfect peace in the face of horrific circumstances (Lk 22:42).
Whatever you are going through, it is not too much for God to bear. He doesn’t just want your very great cares, but all of them. Living in Christ is to walk free from burden with his easy yoke. Even in great trial, you will find rest for your soul (Mt 11:20).
Breaking Down the Key Parts of Psalm 55:22
#1 “Cast your cares on the Lord…”
The ideal is that we would start our day with the Lord, walk in the Spirit, abiding the Vine (Jn 15:1). In this way, our felt cares will be few. But since even Jesus experienced cares, we should not be surprised if in a fallen world where the devil prowls (1 Pt 5:8) we sometimes get caught off guard. Then we must go to God and lift our cares from our shoulders and cast them onto the one who is infinitely able to carry it.
#2 “and he will sustain you;”
Not only is God able to carry our cares and burdens, but he is able to carry us too. He will fill you with his Holy Spirit and give you strength and perfect peace when you trust in him.
#3 “he will never let the righteous be shaken.”
The righteous are those who love God, love what is right and do what is right. A key element of being righteous is casting all cares on God. It dishonors God for us to do his job, and do it without him. His burdens on our shoulders will crush us. It is pride and self-importance that cause us to disobey this command. But if we die to self (Mt 16:24-25) we will walk in him alone, righteous and whole, and never able to be shaken by anything.
Hit the play button below to watch a deeper commentary on Psalm 55:22.
Biblical Translations of Psalm 55:22
NIV
Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken.
NLT
Give your burdens to the Lord, and he will take care of you. He will not permit the godly to slip and fall.
ESV
Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved.
KJV
Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.
NKJV
Cast your burden on the Lord, And He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved.
Natalie Regoli is a child of God, devoted wife, and mother of two boys. She has a Master's Degree in Law from The University of Texas. Natalie has been published in several national journals and has been practicing law for 18 years.