February 1

1 Give ear to my prayer, O God; and hide not thyself from my supplication.

2 Attend unto me, and hear me: I mourn in my complaint, and make a noise;

3 Because of the voice of the enemy, because of the oppression of the wicked: for they cast iniquity upon me, and in wrath they hate me.

4 My heart is sore pained within me: and the terrors of death are fallen upon me.

5 Fearfulness and trembling are come upon me, and horror hath overwhelmed me.

6 And I said, Oh that I had wings like a dove: for then would I fly away, and be at rest.

7 Lo, then would I wander far off, and remain in the wilderness. Selah.

8 I would hasten my escape from the windy storm and tempest.

9 Destroy, O Lord, and divide their tongues: for I have seen violence and strife in the city.

10 Day and night they go about it upon the walls thereof: mischief also and sorrow are in the midst of it.

11 Wickedness is in the midst thereof: deceit and guile depart not from her streets.

12 For it was not an enemy that reproached me; then I could have borne it: neither was it he that hated me that did magnify himself against me; then I would have hid myself from him:

13 But it was thou, a man mine equal, my guide, and mine acquaintance.

14 We took sweet counsel together, and walked unto the house of God in company.

15 Let death seize upon them, and let them go down quick into hell: for wickedness is in their dwellings, and among them.

16 As for me, I will call upon God; and the LORD shall save me.

17 Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud, and he shall bear my voice.

18 He hath delivered my soul in peace from the battle that was against me: for there were many with me.

19 God shall bear, and afflict them, even he that aloudeth of old. Selah. Because they have no changes, therefore they fear not God.

20 He hath put forth his hands against such as be at peace with him: he hath broken his covenant.

21 The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, but were torn in his heart: his words were softer than oil, yet were they drawn swords.

22 Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.

23 But thou, O God, shall bring them down into the pit of destruction: bloody and deceitful men shall not live on: half their days; but I will trust in thee.

This Psalm clearly relates to that mournful era in David's life when he was flying from his treacherous son Absalom. David wakes up to the awful surprise that he is environed by a vast and thoroughly organized rebellion, led on by his own son. Something must be done immediately. Now how he sings of it all in verses 4, 5, 9, 10, 11. Besides this, Ahithophel, his trusted counsellor, has deserted him. David goes on to wail concerning him, in verses 12, 13, 14, and 20. Surely he had trouble enough. "Oh!" cries David, "let me get out of this; let me go somewhere, anywhere, that I may be delivered from this dinning trouble" (verses 6, 7, 8).

How natural is all this! what a constantly longed-for remedy for various assaulting trouble is this to-day—just to get away from and leave it behind! But the remedy does not lie that way. There is a better remedy for trouble. Steadily, as this Psalm goes on, we see David himself turning toward this better remedy. In verses 16, 17, he says, "As for me, I will call upon God"—there is prayer. In verse 22 he says, "Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and He shall sustain thee: He shall never suffer the righteous to be moved"

—there is commitment of trouble to God. In verse 23 he says, "But I will trust in thee"—there is faith. Here is the true remedy for trouble.

Closet Promise.—Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and He shall sustain thee.—Psalm lv. 22.

To every one on earth God gives a burden, to be carried down The road that lies between the cross and crown; No lot is wholly free, He giveth one to thee

Some carry it aloft, Open and visible to any eyes, And all may see its weight and form and size, Some hide it in their breast, And deem it thus unguessed.

Thy burden is God's gift, And it will make the bearer calm and strong; Yet, lest it press too heavily and long, He says: Cast it on Me, And it shall easy be.

And those who heed His voice, And seek to give it back in trustful prayer, Have quiet hearts that never can despair; And hope lights up the way Upon the darkest day.

Take thou thy burden thus Into thy hands, and lay it at His feet; And whether it be sorrow or defeat, Or pain, or sin, or care, Oh leave it calmly there.

It is the lonely load That crushes out the life and light of heaven! But, borne with Him, the soul restored, forgiven, Sing out through all the days Her joy, and God's high praise. —Marianne Farningham.