The psalmist praises the Lord for his provident care and salvation. For Blessed be see 18.46 and comment. Bears us up translates the verb “carry a load.” And daily also can be understood to modify Blessed be the Lord (so Anderson, Bible en français courant); but it is best to follow Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation here.

Salvation in verse 20a translates a word found only here in the Old Testament, literally “saving actions,” a word that is related to the verb “to save,” which is often used in the psalms (see comments on “Help” in 12.1).

In verse 20b the Hebrew is “Yahweh the Lord” (Dahood “the Lord Yahweh”); he is spoken of as the one to whom belong “the escapes from death,” which Bible en français courant translates “he has ways of allowing us to escape from death.” Traduction œcuménique de la Bible has “the gates of death belong to GOD the Lord.” By this is meant that the Lord has the power to save his people from death in battle at the hands of the enemy.

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Reyburn, William D. A Handbook on the Book of Psalms. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1991. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .