fringe ben·e·fit
an extra benefit supplementing an employee's salary, for example: a company car, subsidized meals, health insurance...usually negotiated.
Emphasis on extra and negotiated...
in the 103rd Psalm, where we are reminded "as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us" (v 12), David starts his meditation with praise (see below) and in the second verse, tells us to "forget not all His benefits" (italics added).
Here's the list that follows (adapted for the list people, personalized for impact)
God forgives all my sins
God heals all my diseases
God redeems my life from the pit
God crowns me with love and compassion
God satisfies my desires with good things
We know the list goes on and on, throughout Scripture, and yet it is the word benefit that captures my attention when reading this. It's kind of not a Bible-y word. It's a word we use in lots of other ways.
Maybe here, the point was not to say "blessings", (which these clearly are) because blessed and blessing are too familiar to me in my spiritual vocabulary. But, the benefit word made me stop and list them and reflect on them.
Wherever reading God's Word takes us, when He gives us a pause word or concept, it is worth taking a moment to stop and reflect. Journaling, writing, drawing, memorizing, circling in our Bibles, highlighting on our devices, and praying God's word are all ways He pours more of Himself into us.
If God only forgave my sins, that would be enough...but God goes above and beyond: heals, redeems, crowns and satisfies. And God is in business to benefit others through us and so He's piling on the benefits...for His glory.
Psalm 103 of David.
1 Praise the Lord, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. 2 Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits—3 who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, 4 who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, 5 who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
