You Don’t Have to Carry It Alone (Psalm 55:22 Explained)

Cast your burdens on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken. Psalm 55:22

We all have burdens, worries that keep us up at night, stress that wears us down, pain we try to push through. And if we’re honest, most of us try to handle it on our own. We hold onto our struggles, convinced that we have to figure it out, fix it, or just push through.

But what if God never intended for you to carry it alone? What if the very thing weighing you down is something He’s asking you to give to Him?

The truth is, we were never meant to shoulder the weight of life by ourselves. God offers us a different way, one that brings peace instead of pressure, rest instead of exhaustion.

And that’s exactly what we see in Psalm 55:22. It’s a powerful invitation, a promise that no matter what you’re facing, God is ready to carry it for you.

I believe this verse can bring hope into whatever you are facing.

The Context Of Psalm 55:22 

To really understand this verse, we need to look at what was happening when David wrote it, because this wasn’t just a general thought about trusting God. It came from a place of deep pain.

Psalm 55 is a raw and honest prayer. David isn’t just struggling, he’s desperate. He starts the Psalm by crying out to God, pleading for Him to listen:

“Listen to my prayer, O God, do not ignore my plea; hear me and answer me. My thoughts trouble me and I am distraught.” Psalm 55:1-2

What’s causing this distress? Betrayal. Not from an enemy, but from someone close.

“If an enemy were insulting me, I could endure it… But it is you, a man like myself, my companion, my close friend.” Psalm 55:12-13

We don’t know for sure who betrayed David, but some believe it was Ahithophel, his trusted counselor who turned against him during Absalom’s rebellion (2 Samuel 15:31). Others think it could be someone else. But whoever it was, this wasn’t just political betrayal, this was personal.

And if you’ve ever been betrayed by someone you trusted, you know how deep that wound goes. David’s response? He wants to escape. He literally says: “Oh, that I had the wings of a dove! I would fly away and be at rest.” Psalm 55:6

Have you ever felt that way? Just wanting to run, to disappear from the pain? That’s where David is. But instead of giving in to despair, he makes a choice, a choice that leads to the verse we’re focusing on.

Rather than running away, David runs to God. He shifts his focus from the pain of betrayal to the faithfulness of God.

David wasn’t writing this as someone who had everything figured out. He was in the middle of his pain, yet he still chose to trust God. And that’s what makes this verse so powerful. It’s not just a theoretical idea—it’s a battle-tested truth.

The Meaning Of Psalm 55:22

As David often does in his poetry he ends by placing his hope in Christ. Even in the middle of a painful betrayal he shows that he trusts in God. 

That’s what’s happening in Psalm 55:22. To help us better understand the meaning of Psalm 55:22 we are going to break down the key parts of this verse. 

Cast all your cares upon the Lord… 

Some translations say “cast your burdens on the Lord.” The reality is we all have things we care about that we are worried about. They result in burdens we bear. 

For David his burden was the betrayal by his close friend. For you it might be something different. Whatever is weighing you down we are called to cast it, or give it, to God. 

Notice that David says to cast ALL your cares upon the Lord, not some or the big ones, but each and everyone of them. God doesn’t just want your big burdens, he wants all of them. Give all your cares, big or small, to God. 

We should start each day by giving God our cares. Whatever it is that we are worrying about, that is weighing us down, we should give it straight to God. 

I find that I am often tempted to bear the burdens of this world on my own shoulders. That’s why it’s so important for me to daily cast my cares upon God. It’s not a one time event, rather a daily surrender. 

He will sustain you… 

If you cast all your cares upon the Lord, David reveals what will happen. God will sustain you. 

When you are overwhelmed with your burdens it can feel like you are sinking further and further each day. But when we give them to God he will sustain us.

Jesus says it this way: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

God never intended for you to carry that heavy load. He has something better for you. 

Psalm 55:22 teaches us that peace is possible even in the middle of storms. David is pointing out that God will sustain him even though he’s struggling. 

For each of us, we can face the storms of this life and find peace when we keep our eyes on God. 

He will never let the righteous be shaken…

Though the betrayal probably felt to David like the end of the line, like things would never recover, he ends this verse with this incredible declaration: The righteous will never be shaken.

We will all face trials and difficulties in this life. Jesus never promised us an easy life, he actually promised the opposite. 

But for those who trust God those difficulties will not shake us, they will not destroy us. That’s what the Bible promises over and over. Whatever happens to us, if we trust in God he will bring us through it. 

Following Jesus is not easy. But he is faithful to sustain you. He will not let you fall. Though he doesn’t promise you an easy life, he has promised to never leave you or forsake you. 

How To Cast All Your Cares Upon The Lord

So how do we actually live out Psalm 55:22? How do we move from just knowing this verse… to experiencing the peace it promises? Here are four practical steps you can take:

1. Give Each Of Your Cares To God 

David says, “Cast all your cares on the Lord.” Not just the major ones. Not just the ones you can’t handle. All of them.

That means the stress at work, the thing your friend said that’s been bothering you, the bill that’s due next week, the relationship that feels off. If it weighs on you—it matters to God.

So be honest with Him. Speak it out. Write it down. Pray it. However you need to, release it to Him. And do it daily—because burdens tend to creep back in if we’re not intentional.

Look at David’s example in Psalm 55. Throughout this Psalm he is giving his burdens to God, he’s not holding anything back. 

We should give each of our cares to God. We don’t need to sugarcoat our words or downplay our pain. He wants your heart where it’s at. So give him each burden you have. 

2. Remember The Past

When life gets heavy, we tend to forget the ways God has carried us in the past. Take time to reflect. Think back to moments when He showed up, provided, gave you peace, or carried you through something you didn’t think you’d make it through.

Those reminders build trust. They help us believe, again, that if He sustained us then, He’ll sustain us now.

3. Choose Faith—Even If the Situation Hasn’t Changed

David didn’t wait for everything to be fixed before he trusted God. He chose trust in the middle of the pain.

Sometimes, faith means taking a step forward before you feel ready. It means praying even when the answer hasn’t come. It means showing up, surrendering, and saying: “God, I trust You with this—even if I don’t see the outcome yet.”

Faith doesn’t ignore reality. It chooses to rely on God through it.

4. Make Space to Rest

We live in a world that tells us to hustle, push through, and figure it out. But God offers something different: rest.

If you’re going 100 miles an hour, it’s really hard to cast your cares on God. Slow down. Step away from the noise. Take time to breathe, to pray, to just be still.

Rest isn’t weakness, it’s trust. It’s where we remember that God is in control, and we don’t have to be. You weren’t meant to carry that weight alone.

Whatever burden you’re holding, God wants it. He can handle it. He’s ready to sustain you, strengthen you, and remind you that you’re not alone.

So today, right now, cast your cares on Him. Not because everything is okay, but because He is.