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#21. "Cast thy burden upon the Lord,
and He shall sustain thee" (Psa. 55: 22).
pp. 157 - 159
Here we have a very gracious word, which knows no bounds of dispensational
distinction, but remains "present truth", until the "former things pass away". Let us pass
it in review, and as we do so may the Spirit of all truth minister the rich fulness of Christ
to our hearts and minds. What are you invited to do?
"Cast thy burden upon the Lord."
There is something very vigorous about the word "cast". It is used of the casting
down of the fallen cherub (Ezek. 28: 17), of the casting of sins behind the Lord's back
(Isa. 38: 17). We are not invited to share the burden with the Lord, He rather bids us
get rid of it, not in part, but as a whole.
"Thy burden."--If we would speak truth it is impossible to avoid being personal. Sin
is so personal, aye, death is so personal too, with its forerunners, sorrow and vanity and
vexation of spirit. The Lord does not speak of burdens generally, but of "thy" burden in
particular. Now we will grant at once that "thy burden" is peculiar. It is connected so
intimately with yourself. It concerns you private life, it is involved with your tears and
your griefs, with your hopes and your disappointments; you feel that it is hardly the thing
to cast that upon the Lord, yet that is what he says. "Cast THY burden upon the Lord."
Then this word burden is rather a peculiar one. It is not the usual word for burden in
the O.T. The margin shows that the word is "gift", and the literal meaning is, "which He
hath given thee, i.e., thy lot". He therefore knows all about it, and has given it to thee, so
that having tasted of its bitterness, and felt its sting, having realized its sorrow, you may
be led to the Lord Himself to find your all in Him.
To contemplate the idea that the "burden" which we carry has been "allotted" by the
Lord may cause us either to rebel or to bow according as the truth holds sway over our
hearts. Look at a portion of the burden that the Psalmist was bearing:--
"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. Cast thy burden upon
the Lord" (Psa. 55: 21, 22).
This surely is a grievous trial. Nothing seems so base as betrayal, yet as we think of
that word we think of Judas, and we think of Christ, and all His gracious forbearance and
longsuffering. Is there no echo of Psa. 55: 22 in the words of that betrayed One? When
facing the rejection that had come, He said:--
"Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."
"Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart"
(Matt. 11: 28-30).