“Blessed be the Lord, Who daily loads us with benefits,
the God of our salvation! Selah.” – Psalm 68:19
In the journey of the Christian life, there are many things that require our daily attention and engagement. For example, your need to spend time in prayer, Bible study, meditation on the truths of Scripture and God’s commands, as well as individual and family worship are at the top of the list of daily importance. Taking care of the daily needs and necessities of you and your family is also essential. Diligence in high-quality work in both job and school are also daily responsibilities that need to be done. What else would you add to this list?
As you meditate on the truth of the Word today, consider these words that David sang in v. 19 above, and actively engage in what selah calls you to do as you pause and ponder their glorious meaning. What is one of the many reasons that we are to kneel down, praise, and adore our great covenant Lord? He is the great-giver of daily benefits to His people. He truly is the God of our salvation. David goes on to press this in v. 20, when he says, “Our God is the God of salvation; And to God the Lord belong escapes from death” [emphasis added]. Praise the Lord! Clearly, our salvation is a daily benefit.
What else is in view here regarding divinely given benefits? We know that this is worthy of pondering as we are called to “forget not all His benefits” (Psalm 103:2). We also know, and are comforted by, all of the benefits and spiritual blessings that we have in the heavenly places in Christ (Eph. 1). But notice how in Psalm 68:19, David speaks of God “daily loading” us with benefits. What does this mean? The Hebrew word for “load” means “to load, or carry a load”. David here wonderfully proclaims the God of our salvation as the One who daily, literally day after day, loads His people with benefits in His daily bearing our burdens, in His daily bearing us up. He is your Lord Who gives you continued proofs of His kindness as He cares for you, is constantly in touch with your needs, and renews the evidence of His care and kindness to you each and every day.
Be refreshed by His mercies to you and your family every morning (Lam. 3:22-23), which is stark contrast to the total inability of false gods and idols to care for their worshipers. A good example of this is in Isaiah’s words in Isa. 46:1-4, “Bel bows down, Nebo stoops; Their idols were on the beasts and on the cattle. Your carriages were heavily loaded, a burden to the weary beast. They stoop, they bow down together; They could not deliver the burden, but have themselves gone into captivity. “Listen to Me, O house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the house of Israel, who have been upheld by Me from birth, who have been carried from the womb: Even to your old age, I am He, and even to gray hairs I will carry you! I have made, and I will bear; Even I will carry, and will deliver you” [emphasis added].
Hear, and be blessed by, the words of your Lord regarding the heavy burden of the idols from which there was no deliverance, contrasted with the glorious burden bearer and deliverance, that is clear in the person and work of Jesus Christ, by the hand of the true and living God Who created, upholds, and carries His people from beginning to end, from birth through old age. Again, praise the Lord!
Considering all of this, lift up your head this day unto your Savior with great joy and thankfulness! Lift up your head this day and, like David, praise and adore the God of your salvation, casting your cares upon Jesus, who daily carries you and bears your burdens!