Blessed Be the Lord Who Daily Bears Our Burden

by Whitney V. Myers

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Woman Praying Alone with God - Psalm 68:19 - Can Stock Photo - Used under license

"Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears our burden, The God who is our salvation."  (Psalm 68:19)

This lesson explains how God, our majestic Lord, willingly comes beside us and invites us to cast our burdens upon him.

     Consider.  What burdens, or load, are you carrying today?  God is willing to share your burdens.  Will you cast your burdens upon God today? 

God as Our Majestic Lord

     The same God who is willing to carry our burdens is also our majestic Lord.  In the first half of Psalm 68 (Psalm 68:1-18), we see David's emphasis describing the majesty and power of God.  The name, Lord, is the English translation of the Hebrew word, Adonay (ad-o-noy'), and is a proper name for God (Psalm 68:17-19, Ref. 1).  See in your mind the image of God leading his people in the wilderness, with cloud by day and fire by night (Psalm 68:7, Exodus 13:21).  See in your mind thousands upon thousands of angels and chariots attending God in holiness at Sinai (Psalm 68:17, Deuteronomy 33:2).  See in your mind the day the Bible describes in Psalm 68:18 and Ephesians 4:8 when Christ ascended on high leading a host of captives.

God as Our Burden Bearer

     Notice the abrupt change in verse 19 to the wonderful thought, "Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears our burden" (Psalm 68:19).  God, the Lord (Adonay), is blessed (adored with bended knees) and daily (day by day, continually) bears our burden (carries our load) (Ref. 1, Ref. 2, Ref. 3, Ref. 4).  The same God who majestically led his people through the wilderness comes beside us today and willingly carries our baggage.  "What a thought that is - a God that carries men's loads!" (Alexander MacLaren, Ref. 5, Ref. 6).

The ultimate fulfillment of "Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears our burden" (Psalm 68:19), occurs in God's Son, Jesus Christ.  Isaiah prophesied, "Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows" (Isaiah 53:4).  The Apostle Peter writes, "He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross" (1 Peter 2:24).  Jesus invites us, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened (weighted down), and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28, italics added, Ref. 7, Ref. 8).  For those who trust in him, Jesus Christ is our Lord and our burden-bearing Savior.

What We Should Do with Our Burdens - Cast and Release them onto the Lord

     God lovingly invites us to cast our burdens onto him.  God wants us to cast our burdens on him because he cares.  Psalm 55:22 says, "Cast your burden upon the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken."  1 Peter 5:7 says, "Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you." 

In both the Old Testament and the New Testament cast means to throw or fling (Ref. 9, Ref. 10).  The two disciples who brought the colt to Jesus cast (threw) their outer garments (cloaks, robes) onto the young animal in their reverence and love for their Lord before Jesus rode into Jerusalem
(Luke 19:35, Ref. 10, Ref. 11, Ref. 12).  Unlike fishing where we cast our weighted line into the sea and then pull it back to cast it again, casting our burdens on the Lord should be a one-way trip -- "cast and release," not "cast and retrieve."

Let God help you.  Cast (throw) your burdens onto the Lord, and release them to him.  Trust him to carry your load (Psalm 68:19).  He will care for you (1 Peter 5:7).  He will sustain you (Psalm 55:22).  He will give you rest (Matthew 11:28).

     Apply.  Whatever your burdens are, take them to the Lord in prayer.  Cast all of your burdens upon him, and trust him to carry your load. 

Related Lesson
"Jesus' Invitation - Come to Me and Rest" (Matthew 11:28-30)

References
1.  https://biblehub.com/hebrew/136.htm
2.  https://biblehub.com/hebrew/1288.htm
3.  https://biblehub.com/commentaries/hastings/psalms/68-19.htm
4.  https://biblehub.com/hebrew/6006.htm.
5.  https://biblehub.com/commentaries/maclaren/psalms/68.htm
6.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Maclaren
7.  https://biblehub.com/greek/5412.htm
8.  http://www.scriptureway.com/home/jesus-invitation-come-to-me-and-rest
9.  https://biblehub.com/hebrew/7993.htm
10.  https://biblehub.com/greek/1977.htm
11.  https://biblehub.com/greek/2440.htm
12.  https://biblehub.com/commentaries/vws/luke/19.htm