Give your burdens to the Lord, and he will take care of you. Psalm 55:22a
There is a reason human beings have emotions, thoughts, and feelings rather than being robots. The answer is simple: God created us as emotional people with opinions and reactions to the interactions we have and events we face in our lives. Because God created us in this manner, it stands to reason that we do not have to come to Him stoically, hiding or numbing our emotions. We can be honest with Him when we are happy, sad, excited, hurt, or confused. After all, He already knows what we are thinking and feeling, and, as a result, we do not have to hide from Him.
King David, the author of many Psalms, understood that he did not need to hold back his emotions as he prayed to God, so he did not. In fact, some of us might say that many of the Psalms written by him seem almost uncomfortably honest. They may seem uncomfortably honest to us, but they were not to God. One of these Psalms, in which David honestly expressed all of his feelings and emotions to God, was Psalm 22. There is a note at the beginning of this chapter of Psalms that says that this Psalm was meant “to be sung to the tune of ‘Doe of the Dawn.’” We may not know the tune of the song, “Doe of the Dawn,” but this note points out that this Psalm was meant to be sung to God. David began this Psalm by honestly lamenting his feelings of abandonment. He wrote, “My God, my God, why have You abandoned me? Why are you so far away when I groan for help? Every day, I call to You, my God, but You do not answer. Every night I lift my voice, but I find no relief” (verses 1-2). As he wrote this Psalm, David made his extraordinary grief and loneliness known. He also felt unheard as He cried to God for help. Have you ever been there? Have you ever wondered if God is present and at work in your life amidst struggles, pain, and grief? If so, you are not alone. David felt this, too. These feelings may tempt us to hide our emotions, but there is an infinitely better way to respond that David modeled for us: turning to God with our questions, frustrations, and feelings of abandonment.
Why did David turn to God even as he had questions for Him and felt abandoned? I think he knew that God takes care of His people, which led him to write these words in Psalm 55: “Give your burdens to the Lord, and He will take care of you” (verse 22). Notice the assurance that David wrote these words with. He did not say that the Lord “might take care of you.” He wrote that the Lord “will take care of you.” He had experienced God’s care and provision first-hand amidst his hardships in the past, which gave him confidence to turn to God again and again.
Throughout the Psalms, David shows us the way to approach God and turn to Him: honestly. How remarkable that the God of the universe cares so deeply about us that He invites us to come to Him just as we are, questions, struggles, imperfections, and all. Come to Him today just as you are; “He will take care of you.”
Your challenge today is to be honest with God. Talk to Him about whatever is on your mind, even if what is on your mind are questions for Him or sadness. You are invited to come to Him just as you are. Let this practice become a habit for you, coming to Him honestly and authentically each and every day.
“God, I know You care about me. I love You for…”
Psalm 55:1-23
1 Listen to my prayer, O God. Do not ignore my cry for help! 2 Please listen and answer me, for I am overwhelmed by my troubles. 3 My enemies shout at me, making loud and wicked threats. They bring trouble on me and angrily hunt me down.
4 My heart pounds in my chest. The terror of death assaults me. 5 Fear and trembling overwhelm me, and I can’t stop shaking. 6 Oh, that I had wings like a dove; then I would fly away and rest! 7 I would fly far away to the quiet of the wilderness. Interlude 8 How quickly I would escape— far from this wild storm of hatred.
9 Confuse them, Lord, and frustrate their plans, for I see violence and conflict in the city. 10 Its walls are patrolled day and night against invaders, but the real danger is wickedness within the city. 11 Everything is falling apart; threats and cheating are rampant in the streets.
12 It is not an enemy who taunts me— I could bear that. It is not my foes who so arrogantly insult me— I could have hidden from them. 13 Instead, it is you—my equal, my companion and close friend. 14 What good fellowship we once enjoyed as we walked together to the house of God.
15 Let death stalk my enemies; let the grave swallow them alive, for evil makes its home within them.
16 But I will call on God, and the Lord will rescue me. 17 Morning, noon, and night I cry out in my distress, and the Lord hears my voice. 18 He ransoms me and keeps me safe from the battle waged against me, though many still oppose me. 19 God, who has ruled forever, will hear me and humble them. Interlude For my enemies refuse to change their ways; they do not fear God.
20 As for my companion, he betrayed his friends; he broke his promises. 21 His words are as smooth as butter, but in his heart is war. His words are as soothing as lotion, but underneath are daggers!
22 Give your burdens to the Lord, and he will take care of you. He will not permit the godly to slip and fall.
23 But you, O God, will send the wicked down to the pit of destruction. Murderers and liars will die young, but I am trusting you to save me.
©2026 Sagebrush Church
