Cast Your Anxieties on God

As I read today’s Bible readings* I was impressed with the assurances that the Psalmists had in knowing that God would come through with answers to their prayers. All of the prayers were offered to a covenant-making, covenant-keeping God. In Psalm 55:22, David includes in this Maskil an encouragement for the worshiper to cast their anxieties on God, promising that God would sustain those who do. Your Bible may use the word burden. The word is rarely used in the Hebrew Old Testament.

Peter had this verse in mind when he wrote, “… casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:7 (ESV)

God cares for His people. He is not indifferent to their pain and anxieties. David says that God will sustain those who cast their anxieties on Him. The verb sustain means to support and to nourish.

When David tells the worshipers to cast their anxiety on God, he’s using a word that means to throw or fling. When Peter uses the Greek word, it’s the same word that’s used in Luke 19:35 to describe the disciples throwing their cloaks onto the donkey for Jesus to ride on.

Application

When David and Peter speak of casting burdens and anxieties on the Lord, they’re telling us to throw onto Him those things that weigh on us, those things that make us anxious. And both David and Peter promise God’s care and sustenance for us if we will.

Paul tells us that if we will exchange our anxieties for prayer, God will give us His peace. (Philippians 4:6-7) And as we entertain Godly thoughts and put into practice Godly behavior, we will not only have the peace of God, we will have the God of peace. (Philippians 4:8–9)

Those are some rich and comforting promises that you can take to the bank!

* Chapters covered in today’s reading:
Psalms 3
Psalms 4
Psalms 13
Psalms 28
Psalms 55