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Commentary on Psalms 68 verses 15–21
David, having given God praise for what he had done for Israel in general, as the God of Israel (Psa 68:8), here comes to give him praise as Zion's God in a special manner; compare Psa 9:11. Sing praises to the Lord who dwelleth in Zion, for which reason Zion is called the hill of God.
I. He compares it with the hill of Bashan and other high and fruitful hills, and prefers it before them, Psa 68:15, Psa 68:16. It is true, Zion was but little and low in comparison with them, and was not covered over with flocks and herds as they were, yet, upon this account, it has the pre-eminence above them all, that it is the hill of God, the hill which he desires to dwell in, and where he chooses to manifest the tokens of his peculiar presence, Psa 132:13, Psa 132:14. Note, It is much more honourable to be holy to God than to be high and great in the world. "Why leap you, you high hills? Why do you insult over poor Zion, and boast of your own height? This is the hill which God has chosen, and therefore though you exceed it in bulk, and be first-rates, yet, because on this the royal flag is hoisted, you must all strike sail to it." Zion was especially honourable because it was a type of the gospel church, which is therefore called Mount Zion (Heb 12:22), and this is intimated here, when he said, The Lord will dwell in it for ever, which must have its accomplishment in the gospel Zion. There is no kingdom in the world comparable to the kingdom of the Redeemer, no city comparable to that which is incorporated by the gospel charter, for there God dwells and will dwell for ever.
II. He compares it with Mount Sinai, of which he had spoken (Psa 68:8), and shows that it has the Shechinah or divine presence in it as really, though not as sensibly, as Sinai itself had, Psa 68:17. Angels are the chariots of God, his chariots of war, which he make use of against his enemies, his chariots of conveyance, which he sends for his friends, as he did for Elijah (and Lazarus is said to be carried by the angels), his chariots of state, in the midst of which he shows his glory and power. They are vastly numerous: Twenty thousands, even thousands multiplied. There is an innumerable company of angels in the heavenly Jerusalem, Heb 12:22. The enemies David fought with had chariots (Sa2 8:4), but what were they, for number or strength, to the chariots of God? While David had these on his side he needed not to fear those that trusted in chariots and horses, Psa 20:7. God appeared on Mount Sinai, attended with myriads of angels, by whose dispensation the law was given, Act 7:53. He comes with ten thousands of saints, Deu 33:2. And still in Zion God manifests his glory, and is really present, with a numerous retinue of his heavenly hosts, signified by the cherubim between which God is said to dwell. So that, as some read the last words of the verse, Sinai is in the sanctuary; that is, the sanctuary was to Israel instead of Mount Sinai, whence they received divine oracles. Our Lord Jesus has these chariots at command. When the first-begotten was brought into the world it was with this charge, Let all the angels of God worship him (Heb 1:6); they attended him upon all occasions, and he is now among them, angels, principalities, and powers, being made subject to him, Pe1 3:22. And it is intimated in the New Testament that the angels are present in the solemn religious assemblies of Christians, Co1 11:10. Let the woman have a veil on her head because of the angels; and see Eph 3:10.
III. The glory of Mount Zion was the King whom God set on that holy hill (Psa 2:6), who came to the daughter of Zion, Mat 21:5. Of his ascension the psalmist here speaks, and to it his language is expressly applied (Eph 4:8): Thou hast ascended on high (Psa 68:18); compare Psa 47:5, Psa 47:6. Christ's ascending on high is here spoken of as a thing past, so sure was it; and spoken of to his honour, so great was it. It may include his whole exalted state, but points especially at his ascension into heaven to the right hand of the Father, which was as much our advantage as his advancement. For, 1. He then triumphed over the gates of hell. He led captivity captive; that is, he led his captives in triumph, as great conquerors used to do, making a show of them openly, Col 2:15. He led those captive who had led us captive, and who, if he had not interposed, would have held us captive for ever. Nay, he led captivity itself captive, having quite broken the power of sin and Satan. As he was the death of death, so he was the captivity of captivity, Hos 13:14. This intimates the complete victory which Jesus Christ obtained over our spiritual enemies; it was such that through him we also are more than conquerors, that is, triumphers, Rom 8:37. 2. He then opened the gates of heaven to all believers: Thou hast received gifts for men. He gave gifts to men, so the apostle reads it, Eph 4:8. For he received that he might give; on his head the anointing of the Spirit was poured, that from him it might descend to the skirts of his garments. And he gave what he had received; having received power to give eternal life, he bestows it upon as many as were given him, Joh 17:2. Thou hast received gifts for men, not for angels; fallen angels were not to be made saints, nor standing angels made gospel ministers, Heb 2:5. Not for Jews only, but for all men; whoever will may reap the benefit of these gifts. The apostle tells us what these gifts were (Eph 4:11), prophets, apostles, evangelists, pastors and teachers, the institution of a gospel ministry and the qualification of men for it, both which are to be valued as the gifts of heaven and the fruits of Christ's ascension. Thou hast received gifts in man (so the margin), that is, in the human nature which Christ was pleased to clothe himself with, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God. In him, as Mediator, all fulness dwells, that from his fulness we might receive. To magnify the kindness and love of Christ to us in receiving these gifts for us, the psalmist observes, (1.) The forfeiture we had made of them. He received them for the rebellious also, for those that had been rebellious; so all the children of men had been in their fallen state. Perhaps it is especially meant of the Gentiles, that had been enemies in their minds by wicked works, Col 1:21. For them these gifts are received, to them they are given, that they might lay down their arms, that their enmity might be slain, and that they might return to their allegiance. This magnifies the grace of Christ exceedingly that through him rebels are, upon their submission, not only pardoned, but preferred. They have commissions given them under Christ, which some say, in our law, amounts to the reversing of an attainder. Christ came to a rebellious world, not to condemn it, but that through him it might be saved. (2.) The favour designed us in them: He received gifts for the rebellious, that the Lord God might dwell among them, that he might set up a church in a rebellious world, in which he would dwell by his word and ordinances, as of old in the sanctuary, that he might set up his throne, and Christ might dwell in the hearts of particular persons that had been rebellious. The gracious intention of Christ's undertaking was to rear up the tabernacle of God among men, that he might dwell with them and they might themselves be living temples to his praise, Eze 37:27.
IV. The glory of Zion's King is that he is a Saviour and benefactor to all his willing people and a consuming fire to all those that persist in rebellion against him, Psa 68:19-21. We have here good and evil, life and death, the blessing and the curse, set before us, like that (Mar 16:16), He that believes shall be saved; he that believes not shall be damned.
1.Those that take God for their God, and so give up themselves to him to be his people, shall be loaded with his benefits, and to them he will be a God of salvation. If in sincerity we avouch God to be our God, and seek to him as such, (1.) He will continually do us good and furnish us with occasion for praise. Having mentioned the gifts Christ received for us (Psa 68:18), fitly does he subjoin, in the next words, Blessed be the Lord; for it is owing to the mediation of Christ that we live, and live comfortably, and are daily loaded with benefits. So many, so weighty, are the gifts of God's bounty to us that he may be truly said to load us with them; he pours out blessings till there is no room to receive them, Mal 3:10. So constant are they, and so unwearied is he in doing us good, that he daily loads us with them, according as the necessity of every day requires. (2.) He will at length be unto us the God of salvation, of everlasting salvation, the salvation of God, which he will show to those that order their conversation aright (Psa 50:23), the salvation of the soul. He that daily loads us with benefits will not put us off with present things for a portion, but will be the God of our salvation; and what he gives us now he gives as the God of salvation, pursuant to the great design of our salvation. He is our God, and therefore he will be the God of eternal salvation to us; for that only will answer the vast extent of his covenant-relation to us as our God. But has he power to complete this salvation? Yes, certainly; for unto God the Lord belong the issues from death. The keys of hell and death are put into the hand of the Lord Jesus, Rev 1:18. He, having made an escape from death himself in his resurrection, has both authority and power to rescue those that are his from the dominion of death, by altering the property of it to them when they die and giving them a complete victory over it when they shall rise again; for the last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. And to those that shall thus for ever escape death, and shall find such an outlet from it as not to be hurt of the second death, to them surely deliverances from temporal death are mercies indeed and come from God as the God of their salvation. Co2 1:10.
2.Those that persist in their enmity to him will certainly be ruined (Psa 68:21): God shall wound the head of his enemies, - of Satan the old serpent (of whom it was by the first promise foretold that the seed of the woman should break his head, Gen 3:15), - of all the powers of the nations, whether Jews or Gentiles, that oppose him and his kingdom among men (Psa 110:6, He shall wound the heads over many countries), - of all those, whoever they are, that will not have him to reign over them, for those he accounts his enemies, and they shall be brought forth and slain before him, Luk 19:27. He will wound the hairy scalp of such a one as goeth on still in his trespasses. Note, Those who go on still in their trespasses, and hate to be reformed, God looks upon as his enemies and will treat them accordingly. In calling the head the hairy scalp perhaps there is an allusion to Absalom, whose bushy hair was his halter. Or it denotes either the most fierce and barbarous of his enemies, who let their hair grow, to make themselves look the more frightful, or the most fine and delicate of his enemies, who are nice about their hair: neither the one nor the other can secure themselves from the fatal wounds which divine justice will give to the heads of those that go on in their sins.
This, according to David, is God’s chariot. “The chariot of God,” he says, “is multiplied ten times a thousand times”; that is, it is incalculable, infinite, immeasurable. Under the yoke of the natural law that was given to all, some things are checked, as though they were drawn back by reins; whereas others are driven forward, as though they were urged on by slackened reins. “The world, this chariot of God and all that is therein, is guided by the angels” and the stars. Although their movements are varied—bound, nevertheless, by fixed laws—we see them guided to their goals according to the time measured out to them. So may we deservedly cry out with the apostle as we admire the Maker and his works: “Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and the knowledge of God; how inscrutable are his judgments and how unsearchable his ways,” and the rest of the passage.
It does not escape our notice that some copies have likewise, according to Luke: “How much more shall your heavenly Father give a good gift to them that ask him.” This good gift is the grace of the Spirit, which the Lord Jesus shed forth from heaven, after having been fixed to the gibbet of the cross, returning with the triumphal spoils of death deprived of its power, as you find it written: “Ascending up on high he led captivity captive, and gave good gifts to people.” And well does he say “gifts,” for as the Son was given, of whom it is written: “Unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given,” so, too, is the grace of the Spirit given. But why should I hesitate to say that the Holy Spirit also is given to us, since it is written: “The love of God is shed forth in our hearts by the Holy Spirit, who is given to us.” And since captive hearts certainly could not receive him, the Lord Jesus first led captivity captive, that our affections being set free, he might pour forth the gift of divine grace.
Whence he that was singing of these things, in the Spirit foreseeing them, even he too being fulfilled with joy has burst forth a hymn, saying, "The Lord God is blessed, blessed is the Lord God from day unto day" [Psalm 68:19]. Which some copies have, "by day daily," because the Greeks have it thus, ἡ μ
But what are we to make of the fact that an eagle often snatches away its prey and often takes the prey belonging to another? But not even in this respect is the Savior unlike the eagle. In a manner of speaking, he indeed took away the prey when he carried mankind to heaven, whom he bore after snatching them away from the jaws of hell; he brought to the heights the captive slave out of his captivity, whom he rescued from the lordship of another, that is, from the devil’s power, as it is written in the prophet, “When he ascended on high, he led captivity captive and gave gifts to mankind.” At any rate, this sentence is understood in this way, namely, that the Lord by rescuing mankind took captive for himself the captivity of mankind, whom the devil had taken captive for his benefit, and thus, just as he says, he took captivity itself captive and brought it to the heights of the heavens. Therefore, both captivities are designated by the one word, but they are not equal. For the captivity of the devil subjects one to slavery, but the captivity of Christ restores one to freedom.
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SUMMARY
Psalms 68:19 stands as a profound declaration of God's unceasing and abundant provision for His people, identifying Him not only as the ultimate source of daily sustenance but also as the sovereign God of salvation. This verse serves as a powerful call to worship, acknowledging the Lord's continuous, gracious care and His unwavering identity as the deliverer from all forms of distress, inviting believers into a posture of perpetual gratitude and unwavering trust in His faithful character.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Psalm 68:19 employs several powerful literary devices to convey its message with impact. The opening "Blessed be the Lord" is an act of Apostrophe, directly addressing and praising God, inviting the audience into worship. The phrase "daily loadeth us with benefits" utilizes a vivid Metaphor, portraying God as one who generously "loads" or "burdens" His people, not with hardship, but with an overflowing abundance of good things. This can also be seen as a form of Hyperbole, emphasizing the sheer magnitude and continuous nature of God's provision, underscoring His boundless generosity. The structure of the verse, moving from a general declaration of praise ("Blessed be the Lord") to a specific description of God's actions ("who daily loadeth us") and then to His ultimate identity ("even the God of our salvation"), demonstrates a form of Climax or progressive revelation, building from adoration to the profound theological truth of His character as the Deliverer. The inclusion of "Selah" functions as a Rhetorical Pause, inviting deep contemplation and emphasizing the weight and significance of the preceding statement, allowing its truth to resonate deeply within the worshiper's heart.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Psalm 68:19 beautifully encapsulates the dual nature of God's care: His grand, overarching plan of salvation and His meticulous, daily provision. This verse affirms God's unwavering faithfulness, demonstrating that the same mighty God who orchestrates cosmic victories is intimately involved in the mundane details of His children's lives. It connects the concept of daily sustenance directly to His salvific character, implying that every blessing, whether great or small, is an outflow of His redemptive love and purpose. This truth counters any notion of a distant or disengaged deity, instead presenting a God who is both transcendent in power and immanent in His tender care, constantly pouring out His goodness upon His beloved. It grounds our daily gratitude in the profound reality of His saving grace, reminding us that His provision is an extension of His very nature as Savior.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Psalm 68:19 calls believers to cultivate a profound and ongoing awareness of God's active presence and bountiful provision in their lives. It challenges us to move beyond a transactional view of blessings to a deep appreciation for God's inherent character as a generous Giver and a faithful Savior. Recognizing that God "daily loadeth us with benefits" should transform our perspective, turning our attention to the countless, often overlooked, mercies we receive each day—from the breath in our lungs to the provision for our families, the warmth of the sun, and the comfort of community. This verse encourages a posture of continuous gratitude, reminding us that every good and perfect gift comes from Him (James 1:17). It fosters a spirit of humble dependence, knowing that the God of our salvation is utterly trustworthy to meet our needs, not just in times of crisis, but in the steady rhythm of everyday life. Embracing this truth empowers us to live with greater peace, less anxiety, and a heart overflowing with praise, even amidst challenges, because our God is perpetually faithful to "load" us with His goodness and grace.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What does "daily loadeth us with benefits" truly mean in the context of the original Hebrew?
Answer: The KJV phrase "daily loadeth us with benefits" beautifully captures the essence of the Hebrew verb ‘amas (עָמַס, H6006), which literally means "to load" or "to bear." In this context, it doesn't imply God burdening us with difficulties, but rather "loading us up" or "heaping upon us" an abundance of good things. The word "benefits" is supplied in the English translation to clarify the positive nature of this "loading." It conveys a continuous, overflowing, and generous outpouring of divine favor, provision, and blessings, far beyond what is merely sufficient. It speaks to God's lavish and consistent care for His people, providing for their needs day after day, demonstrating His profound and ongoing commitment to their well-being.
What is the significance of "Selah" at the end of the verse?
Answer: "Selah" (סֶלָה, H5542) is a common term found throughout the Psalms and Habakkuk, appearing 71 times in the Psalms. While its exact meaning is debated among scholars, it is widely understood to be a musical or liturgical notation. It likely indicates a pause for reflection, a musical interlude, or a moment of emphasis, encouraging the reader or listener to meditate deeply on the profound truth or statement that precedes it. In the case of Psalms 68:19, "Selah" prompts the worshiper to ponder the incredible reality of God's daily, abundant provision and His identity as the God of salvation, allowing the truth to sink deeply into the heart and mind, fostering a moment of worshipful contemplation.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Psalm 68:19 finds its ultimate and most profound fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. He is the very embodiment of God's daily provision and the ultimate "God of our salvation." While the Old Testament speaks of God "loading us with benefits" through manna in the wilderness and daily sustenance, Jesus declares Himself to be the true "bread of life" (John 6:35), providing not just physical nourishment but eternal life and spiritual sustenance for all who believe. He teaches His disciples to pray for "daily bread" (Matthew 6:11), assuring them that the Heavenly Father knows their needs and will provide, far exceeding the care for birds and lilies (Matthew 6:25-34). Through His atoning sacrifice on the cross, Jesus became the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29), securing our ultimate salvation from sin, death, and the power of darkness, fulfilling the deepest meaning of "the God of our salvation." In Christ, we are not merely loaded with temporal benefits, but "blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places" (Ephesians 1:3). He is the inexhaustible wellspring of grace, mercy, and provision, ensuring that "my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:19). Thus, the daily benefits and salvation spoken of in the psalm are perfectly and eternally realized in the person and redemptive work of our Savior, Jesus Christ, who continues to lavish His people with His goodness.