Laying Down Anxiety · Day 2
Psalms 55:16-23 — a devotion
Psalms 55
- 16나는 하나님께 부르짖으리니 여호와께서 나를 구원하시리로다As for me, I will call upon God; and the LORD shall save me.As for me, I will call on God. The LORD will save me.
- 17저녁과 아침과 정오에 내가 근심하여 탄식하리니 여호와께서 내 소리를 들으시리로다Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice.Evening, morning, and at noon, I will cry out in distress. He will hear my voice.
- 18나를 대적하는 자 많더니 나를 치는 전쟁에서 저가 내 생명을 구속하사 평안하게 하셨도다He hath delivered my soul in peace from the battle that was against me: for there were many with me.He has redeemed my soul in peace from the battle that was against me, although there are many who oppose me.
- 19태고부터 계신 하나님이 들으시고(셀라) 변치 아니하며 하나님을 경외치 아니하는 자에게 보응하시리로다God shall hear, and afflict them, even he that abideth of old. Selah. Because they have no changes, therefore they fear not God.God, who is enthroned forever, will hear and answer them. Selah. They never change and don’t fear God.
- 20저는 손을 들어 자기와 화목한 자를 치고 그 언약을 배반하였도다He hath put forth his hands against such as be at peace with him: he hath broken his covenant.He raises his hands against his friends. He has violated his covenant.
- 21그 입은 우유기름보다 미끄러워도 그 마음은 전쟁이요 그 말은 기름보다 유하여도 실상은 뽑힌 칼이로다The 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.His mouth was smooth as butter, but his heart was war. His words were softer than oil, yet they were drawn swords.
- 22네 짐을 여호와께 맡겨 버리라 너를 붙드시고 의인의 요동함을 영영히 허락지 아니하시리로다Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.Cast your burden on the LORD and he will sustain you. He will never allow the righteous to be moved.
- 23하나님이여 주께서 저희로 파멸의 웅덩이에 빠지게 하시리이다 피를 흘리게 하며 속이는 자들은 저희 날의 반도 살지 못할 것이나 나는 주를 의지하리이다But thou, O God, shalt bring them down into the pit of destruction: bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their days; but I will trust in thee.But you, God, will bring them down into the pit of destruction. Bloodthirsty and deceitful men shall not live out half their days, but I will trust in you.
KJV and World English Bible — Public Domain · 개역한글 ⓒ Korean Bible Society
Background
Psalm 55 is a psalm of lament written by David. Though David was king of Israel, he was suffering deep anguish over the betrayal of a close friend. Many scholars connect this background to the betrayal of Ahithophel, David's trusted counselor, during the rebellion of his son Absalom (2 Samuel 15-17). David longed to escape so desperately that he said if only he had wings like a dove, he would fly away and be at rest. The Psalms are Israel's book of worship and prayer, a genre that brings humanity's honest emotions before God. This psalm moves from lament to a confession of trust, showing the journey from suffering toward faith.
Reflection questions: 1. If there is a burden weighing on my heart right now, what would it actually look like to cast it upon the Lord? 2. If, like David, I prayed honestly to God evening, morning, and at noon, how might my day be different?
Today's reflection
In Psalm 55, David pours out his fear and trembling directly to God. In verse 16, David declares that he will call upon God, and he confesses that the LORD will save him. His resolve to pray evening, morning, and at noon expresses his intent to lean on God without ceasing, all day long. Verse 22 — "Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee" — is the heart of this psalm.
The Hebrew word yehab conveys the act of throwing a burden, something heavy, over onto another. This is not a passive handing-off but an active transfer of the weight of my anxiety onto God. Theologically, this verse shows that prayer is God's own prescription for anxiety. David was not a man without anxiety. Rather, he was a man who cried out honestly to God even in the midst of intense anxiety.
And God is the One who hears such cries. The same is true for us. The feeling of anxiety itself is not the problem — what matters is where we take that anxiety. Prayer is not magic that makes anxiety vanish; it is the pathway where we meet God in the middle of it. If your heart feels heavy right now, try throwing that weight honestly onto God, as David did. He will sustain you.
In the app
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