Love goes both ways Pt 24: Cast your cares
Psalm 55:16-19, 22 16As for me, I call to God, and the LORD saves me. 17Evening, morning and noon I cry out in distress, and he hears my voice. 18He rescues me unharmed from the battle waged against me, even though many oppose me. 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…. 22Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken.
I cry out in distress
Psalm 55 is an emotionally charged prayer of lament from David, a man under intense stress from betrayal and persecution. By verse 16, the psalmist shifts from complaint to confidence. "But I call to God, and the Lord saves me". This is a deliberate act of faith. David chooses to cry out—not just in the morning, but "evening, morning and noon" (v. 17)—a poetic way of saying he’s in constant communication with God. This frequency isn’t about religious ritual; it’s a reflex of desperation. The same man who once killed Goliath now finds his only refuge in unceasing prayer. Interestingly, David doesn't say that God might save him. He declares it: "He hears my voice" (v. 17). His assurance doesn't come from a change in his situation, but from the character of God. This reinforces a crucial spiritual truth: prayer is not only the act of venting our hearts; it’s the act of anchoring our hearts in God’s unchanging mercy.¹
One of the things we know about king David is that he was no stranger to conflict or to fear. After his anointing by Samuel, he had been pursued by King Saul for years, but now, apparently David himself is on the throne. Saul must be dead, and all should have been ‘peaches and crème’. But David is still troubled and weary. This is one of the ways the psalm intersects with our lives today.
By this time David is getting old; he is tired of fighting the good fight. I certainly find myself thinking, “Does it ever end? Are my ending years going to be just as troubled?” Taxes are still high; felony rates high; family troubles persistent. Will the struggle ever end?
He rescues though many oppose
Verse 18 adds another layer: "He rescues me unharmed from the battle waged against me, even though many oppose me." The image is battlefield vivid—David is surrounded by opposition, yet he anticipates deliverance that leaves him "unharmed." The Hebrew phrase can also imply “in peace,” which suggests not only physical safety but inner calm amid chaos.²
This verse invites us to consider: can God bring peace even when we’re still in the war zone? David’s answer is yes. The presence of opposition doesn’t negate the presence of God. This is the essence of biblical hope. God doesn't always remove the conflict, but He brings us through it without spiritual ruin.³
David is rising above the struggle and putting his anguish behind him.
This is a prayer in which the psalmist unburdens himself of his anguish, describes the terrors he is facing, reflects on the evil of his foes, asks God for help, and then persists in laying the same things before God again and again, stanza after stanza. This psalm is a lesson in perseverance[1]
He will humble them
Verse 19 is bold: "God, who is enthroned from of old, who does not change—he will hear them and humble them." David appeals to God's eternal reign and immutability. This is not just a personal vendetta; it's a trust in divine justice. The people who threaten him "have no fear of God," and David believes that God will deal with that arrogance in due time.⁴
This verse serves as a strong reminder of God's authority. He is not indifferent to evil. While human power plays can cause real pain, they are never ultimate. God remains sovereign, and eventually, He brings the proud low. David's confidence lies not in vengeance but in the certainty that God will act righteously.⁵
Cast your cares and He will sustain
Finally, David offers a profound piece of care to any who will listen: "Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken." This verse is a treasure of comfort. The command to "cast" implies an intentional release—letting go of the weight we often try to carry ourselves.
The promise is not that God will eliminate all our burdens, but that He will sustain us under their weight. He will provide the strength needed to endure. And the phrase “never let the righteous be shaken” doesn’t mean life won’t tremble; it means our faith won’t collapse.⁶ This is echoed in 1 Peter 5:7, where believers are similarly urged to cast all their anxieties on God because He cares for them.
1Peter 5:6-7 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
Psalm 55:16–19, 22 reminds us that prayer is our lifeline, opposition is not the end, justice belongs to God, and surrender is the path to stability. In a world full of betrayal, burdens, and fear, this psalm teaches us to keep crying out, keep trusting, and keep casting our cares on the One who sustains.
What about me?
In our performance-oriented society we might think ‘cast all your anxiety on Him’ might be pure escapism. We are taught the only solution to struggle is personal effort. But this psalm teaches us to go in another direction—we can stand tall for God and be steadfast in our determination to worship him and praise Him in all things. Struggles always seem impossible when we enter them, but when we exit that season, we often are surprised that we made it through.
1Corinthians 10:12-13 12So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! 13No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.
This is the hard part of faith—trusting that God actually means what He says. Sometimes all we can do is push through the struggle. David’s opening words in v16 are, “As for me, I will trust God.” I trust God, but it is very hard. Sometimes I have to repent for not doing that. Believer, if you struggle with trusting God, you are not alone. Just pick yourself up, dust yourself off, repent, hit delete, and move on.
1 James Montgomery Boice, Psalms 42–106: An Expositional Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2005), 463.
² Brueggemann, Walter. The Message of the Psalms: A Theological Commentary. Minneapolis: Augsburg, 1984.
3Alter, Robert. The Book of Psalms: A Translation with Commentary. Kindle edition. New York: W. W. Norton, 2007.
4 Kidner, Derek. Psalms 1–72: An Introduction and Commentary. Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries. Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2008.
5 Wilson, Gerald H. Psalms Volume 1. The NIV Application Commentary. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2002.
6 Wright, N. T. The Case for the Psalms: Why They Are Essential. New York: HarperOne, 2013.
7 Ibid.