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Cast Your Burden upon the LORD

(2 Samuel 17:15-29)

¹ For the choirmaster. With stringed instruments. A Maskil of David. Listen to my prayer, O God, and do not ignore my plea.² Attend to me and answer me. I am restless in my complaint, and distraught³ at the voice of the enemy, at the pressure of the wicked. For they release disaster upon me and revile me in their anger.⁴ My heart murmurs within me, and the terrors of death assail me.⁵ Fear and trembling grip me, and horror has overwhelmed me.⁶ I said, “Oh, that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away and find rest.⁷ How far away I would flee; in the wilderness I would remain. Selah⁸ I would hurry to my shelter far from this raging tempest.”

⁹ O Lord, confuse and confound their speech, for I see violence and strife in the city.¹⁰ Day and night they encircle the walls, while malice and trouble lie within.¹¹ Destruction is in the midst; oppression and deceit never leave the streets.¹² For it is not an enemy who insults me—then I could endure; it is not a foe who rises against me; from him I could hide—¹³ but it is you, a man like myself, my companion and close friend.¹⁴ We shared sweet fellowship together; we walked with the crowd into the house of God.¹⁵ Let death seize them by surprise; let them go down to Sheol alive, for evil is with them in their homes.

¹⁶ But I call to God, and the LORD will save me.¹⁷ Morning, noon, and night, I cry out in distress, and He will hear my voice.¹⁸ He will redeem my soul in peace from the battle waged against me, even though many oppose me.¹⁹ God will hear and humiliate them—the One enthroned for the ages—Selah because they do not change and they have no fear of God.²⁰ My companion attacks his friends; he violates his covenant.²¹ His speech is smooth as butter, but war is in his heart. His words are softer than oil, yet they are swords unsheathed.²² Cast your burden upon the LORD and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous be shaken.²³ But You, O God, will bring them down to the Pit of destruction; men of bloodshed and deceit will not live out half their days. But I will trust in You.