Psalm 55:22 Cast your burden on the LORD, and he shall sustain you: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved. Every man's "burden" is just the one fitted to the individual man. It is suited for his present discipline — a selected, ordained, adjusted thing — "thy burden," "your burden." It is a celebrated thought of an old-world moralist (Socrates) that, if all the misfortunes of mankind were cast into a public stock, to be equally distributed among the whole species, those who now think themselves most unhappy, would prefer the share they are already-possessed of before that which would fall to them by such a division; and an old-world poet (Horace) carries the thought even further when he says, "that the hardships or misfortunes which we lie under are more easy to us than those of any other person would be in case we could change conditions with him." And this is the moral of the old-world fable, which tells us that Jupiter made a proclamation that every mortal should bring in his griefs and calamities and throw them into a heap. This was done in a plain appointed for the purpose, and the heap became a prodigious mountain that seemed to rise above the clouds. The heap was at last distributed among the two sexes, who made a most piteous sight as they wandered up and down under the pressure of their several burdens. The whole plain was filled with murmurs and complaints, groans and lamentations. Jupiter at length taking compassion on the poor mortals, ordered them a second time to lay down their loads, with a design to give every one his own again. They discharged themselves with a great deal of pleasure. But the phantom which had led them into error was replaced by a goddess of quite a different figure — her motions were steady and composed, and her aspect serious but cheerful. Every now and again she cast her eyes towards heaven, and fixed them upon Jupiter: her name was Patience. She took her stand by the mount of sorrows, which at once contracted to one-third of the size. She then returned every man his own proper calamity, and teaching him how to bear it in the most commodious manner, he marched off with it contentedly, being very Well pleased that he had not been left to his own choice as to the kind of evils which fell to his lot. Thus far the fable. What is all this but St. Paul's teaching (Galatians 6:5). It is what the psalmist says, "thy burden." It is what St. Peter means, "All your care" (M. Fuller.). Parallel Verses KJV: Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.WEB: Cast your burden on Yahweh, and he will sustain you. He will never allow the righteous to be moved. |
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