Down to Earth But Heavenly Minded

What does Psalms Chapter 34 mean?

Psalm 34 opens with something David expresses several times: a vow to constantly praise and honor God (Psalm 61:8; 145:1–2). David’s comment about his “boast” being in God relates to Paul’s similar references in the New Testament (2 Corinthians 10:17; Galatians 6:14). David’s song appeals to others to join him in this worship (Psalm 34:1–3).

The preface to this psalm refers to David escaping from Abimelech by altering his behavior. This event is recorded in 1 Samuel 21:10–15. There, facing capture by the Philistines, David pretended to be insane. In that culture, those suffering insanity were thought to either be cursed by the gods, or specially touched with divine messages. In either case, most people wanted no contact, at all, with such people. What could have become a disaster for David ended in his safety. In this psalm, David gives thanks to God for hearing his prayers, and for protecting him (Psalm 34:4–7).

After thanking God for rescue, David turns to appeal to others to trust in the Lord. To “taste” means something more than a superficial experience. Those who fully engage in God’s will find that He is powerful and merciful. As a former shepherd, David would have been familiar with lions, and knew that even those powerful creatures would suffer without food and shelter. David fully recognizes that faith in God does not make a person immune to hardship (Psalm 34:19). Still, he notes that God provides all that His people truly need (Psalm 34:8–10).

The next passage of the psalm is like the words of Solomon: promoting godly wisdom and the relative safety it provides (Proverbs 1:7–8). Obedience to God is not a magical defense against all harm (Psalm 34:19), but it keeps a person away from unnecessary consequences. Those who want the best outcomes in life are wise to pursue godliness and goodness, rather than sin (Psalm 34:11–14).

In keeping with those ideas, David then notes that God is aware of the struggles of His people. He is also aware of the sins of the wicked. Where God’s attention for those who love Him is focused on compassion and mercy, His attention to those who are evil is centered on judgment (Psalm 34:15–18).

In the final section of this psalm, David both acknowledges the reality of suffering and the ultimate rescue provided by God. God’s rescue of His people is not always in a physical sense (Hebrews 11:13–16; 2 Corinthians 12:7–10; John 16:1–4, 33), but He promises ultimate salvation (John 10:28) to those who follow Him (Psalm 34:19–22).

Another interesting comment in this last passage is the reference to broken bones. Verse 20 mentions God preventing the bones of the righteous from being broken. In immediate context, this is clearly hyperbole: an exaggeration for effect. David’s main point is that God is infinitely capable of protecting His people. However, this statement also serves as a prophecy about the death of the Messiah. Passover lambs were to be prepared without breaking the bones (Exodus 12:46), and Jesus was crucified without suffering any such injury (John 19:33–37). Paul notes that Jesus serves as the fulfillment of the Passover lamb type (1 Corinthians 5:7)—this comment by David is part of that foreshadowing.

Chapter Context
David composed this psalm after he escaped from the Philistines at Gath. He accomplished this by feigning insanity and later sheltered in the cave of Adullum. This experience is recorded in 1 Samuel 21:10—22:1. Like Psalm 25, this is an acrostic psalm. Every verse except the final one begins with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet. First Peter 2:3 alludes to the psalm’s eighth verse, and 1 Peter 3:10–12 quotes verses 12–16 of Psalm 34. John 19:36 refers to Psalm 34:20.

Verse by Verse

Verse 1. I will bless the Lord at all times;his praise shall continually be in my mouth.

David promises to praise the Lord, using a Hebrew phrase which literally means “at every time.” No matter what the situation, David would praise God. This is the most prominent source of the scriptural concept of a writer’s praise for the Lord being “on my lips.” David had experienced deliverance by the Lord from the Philistines at Gath (1 Samuel 21) and praised the Lord for that deliverance. His escape from a dangerous situation is probably what motivated him to write this psalm.

However, he was determined to praise the Lord in every situation. The Lord is good all the time. Whether a given moment is difficult or delightful, we ought to praise the Lord. Even in dire circumstances we can see His hand of grace and mercy. He comforts us in our sorrow, and He helps us withstand every adversity.

When Paul wrote to the Philippian believers, he was under house arrest and chained to Roman soldier around the clock, but he regarded his adversity as serving to advance the gospel (Philippians 1:12). Not only did he rejoice in prison (Philippians 1:18), but he also called upon the Philippians to rejoice in the Lord always (Philippians 4:4).

Context Summary
Psalm 34:1–7 expresses David’s determination to extoll God constantly. He invites the humble to hear his praise and join him in magnifying the Lord. God answered David’s prayer for deliverance; this is probably about David’s escape from the Philistine king, Abimelech (1 Samuel 21:10–15). Thanks to this and other experiences, David is confident the Lord protects and delivers all who fear Him.

Verse 2. My soul makes its boast in the Lord;let the humble hear and be glad.

A champion warrior, David had survived many battles. For example, 1 Samuel 18:5 states that “David went out and was successful wherever Saul sent him [into battle].” In verses 6–7 we learn that when David was returning home from defeating the Philistines, the women came out of all the cities singing and dancing. They joyfully sang, “Saul has struck down his thousands, and David his ten thousands.”

However, David remained humble. He did not boast about his past victories. Nor did he boast about his recent escape from the Philistines at Gath. Instead, he boasted in the Lord, and encouraged the humble to hear his praise of the Lord and rejoice. Perhaps David was addressing his men as “the humble.” This is likely meant as a teaching, or an admonition, for his men to take on that characteristic. The apostle Paul wrote that God had chosen the low and despised so no human being might boast (1 Corinthians 1:26–31). He said, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord” (1 Corinthians 1:31).

Verse 3. Oh, magnify the Lord with me,and let us exalt his name together!

In this verse David appeals to his men or the congregation of Israel to join him in praising God and exalting His name.

The Bible places a high value on believers joining over matters of truth and goodness (Psalm 133:1; John 17:20–23; Ephesians 4:1–6; Philippians 2:1–11; 1 Corinthians 1:10–17). Acts 2:42–47 describes the togetherness of the believers at Jerusalem as they bonded together to form the earliest congregations of the Christian church. They shared their goods and money. They attended the temple together. They broke bread together, and they praised God together. When the Jewish council released Peter and John, the two apostles went to their friends and told them what the chief priests and elders had commanded them. Then, when their friends had heard it, “they lifted their voices together” and prayed (Acts 4:23–31).

Romans 12:15 calls upon Christians to “rejoice with those who rejoice.” And Hebrews 10:24 tells us to “consider how to stir up one another to love and good works.” Verse 25 instructs us to encourage one another.

Verse 4. I sought the Lord, and he answered meand delivered me from all my fears.

David tells us in this verse that he sought the Lord and the Lord answered him. Apparently, before David prayed, he experienced fear; probably he feared what his enemies would do to him. In other places, David makes it clear he has no reason to be afraid (Psalm 27:3). Prior experience and knowledge told him God would still be in control. Psalm 27:1 says, “The LORD is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” That did not mean David was immune to anxiety, and so he prayed. Graciously, the Lord removed all his fears.

Believers today might fear anything from physical injury or illness, to job insecurity, to difficulties in relationships, to political collapse, to the threat of incoming nuclear missiles, and everything in between. However, faith replaces fear. The apostle Paul did not fear an upcoming trial that might result in execution, but he knew the Lord can remove all anxiety when we pray. He counseled in Philippians 4:6–7: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

The prayer of faith and fear are mutually exclusive. While believers are not guaranteed to be taken “out of” harm’s way, God has promised to see us “through” any harm (John 16:33; 17:15; Matthew 6:25–34).

Verse 5. Those who look to him are radiant,and their faces shall never be ashamed.

Those who seek the Lord in prayer are described as “radiant.” The root word in Hebrew is nahar, which indicates cheerfulness; another possible English translation is “beaming.” The same word is found in Isaiah 60:5, used to describe Israel’s joy at seeing her sons and daughters returning to the homeland.

There is no reason to be downcast if we look to the Lord in prayer. In Psalm 42:3 the psalmist describes his depression. He says, “My tears have been my food day and night,” and he describes his soul as “cast down” (Psalm 42:5, 6, 11), but then he decides to talk to God and place his hope in Him. The result is praise instead of pity (Psalm 42:11).

David adds in Psalm 34:5 that those who look to the Lord will have faces that “shall never be ashamed.” This expression means their faces will never blush. If we take our eyes off of the Lord we may commit an embarrassing sin, but if we keep our eyes on the Lord, we will never be defined by our shame (1 Peter 2:6; 1 Corinthians 6:9–11).

Verse 6. This poor man cried, and the Lord heard himand saved him out of all his troubles.

When David was in trouble at Gath among the Philistines, he cried out to the Lord to deliver him. He describes himself in this verse as a poor man, indicating he humbly cried out to God. Referring to himself as “poor” reflects an awareness that he has nothing to offer God in return for assistance. As a result of praying urgently and humbly, David found deliverance from all his troubles. The Lord rescued him from the Philistines.

No one is exempt from trouble (John 16:33), but no Christian must face trouble alone (Matthew 28:20). The Lord is always near, and if He chooses to deliver His child from trouble, He will do so. However, we cannot dictate to the Lord. When we pray, we should do so humbly, and pray as did our Lord in the garden of Gethsemane: “Your will be done” (Matthew 26:42). The apostle James counseled: “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you” (James 4:8–10).

Verse 7. The angel of the Lord encampsaround those who fear him, and delivers them.

David notes that the angel of the Lord is present with those who fear God, and He delivers them. This use of the word translated “fear” implies deep respect and reverence, not terror. This statement is David’s personal testimony.

“The” Angel of the Lord in Old Testament times was the preincarnate Jesus Christ, the second person of the Trinity. When Jacob camped at Mahanaim and feared for his life, “the angels of God met him” (Genesis 32:1). When Elisha was threatened at Dothan by a vast Syrian military force, he did not fear because a powerful angelic host lined the mountain outside the city to protect him (2 Kings 6:15–17).

Today, Jesus is always with us (Matthew 28:20), and no amount of trouble we encounter can drive him from us (Romans 8:38–39). Further, angels are God’s servants who minister to us in various ways (Hebrews 1:14). We may not be aware of their presence, but we can be aware of the protection they provide.

Verse 8. Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good!Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!

Once again, the book of Psalms provides a poetic phrase used often in Christian literature and songs. The expression “taste and see that the LORD is good” combines several ideas. To “taste” means something more than a fleeting relationship. It means to feed on the Lord—to accept His truth deep into one’s self (John 6:53)—which involves reading the written Word of God voraciously and mulling over it as part of our discipleship. To truly know God, we need to absorb His message as if we were eating it (Revelation 10:2–10).

When the Lord commissioned Joshua to lead the Hebrews into Canaan, He instructed him to meditate day and night on His Word (Joshua 1:8). Everyone who seriously studies and applies God’s Word learns firsthand that the Lord is good, and he also finds the Lord is an available and reliable stronghold. Further, the person who tastes and sees that the Lord is good finds blessing: true happiness. Jesus promised: “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied” (Matthew 5:6).

Context Summary
Psalm 34:8–14 invites others to experience the Lord’s goodness. David has just praised the Lord for delivering him from the Philistines at Gath (1 Samuel 21:10–15). Now, he celebrates what God does for those who fear Him: He gives His people happiness; He protects them; He provides bountifully for them; and He grants them long life.

Verse 9. Oh, fear the Lord, you his saints,for those who fear him have no lack!

In this verse David calls upon the Lord’s people: His “saints.” As in the New Testament, the term “saint” refers to those who sincerely follow God. There is no special title of saint which makes one believer holier than others.

David calls on those who worship God to reverence and respect Him. This is the meaning of the term “fear,” which implies submissive honor, rather than panic or horror. Believers need not dread God. He is their loving heavenly Father who cares for His children. However, believers should reverence God.

Jesus taught His disciples to address God as their Father and to say, “Father, hallowed be your name” (Luke 11:2). Jesus also taught believers to trust the heavenly Father to supply all their needs. He counseled us not to worry about material things, because “your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (Matthew 6:31–33).

Psalm 84:11 reinforces this idea of God’s goodness and protection: “For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly.”

Verse 10. The young lions suffer want and hunger;but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.

Having grown up in the outdoors, as a shepherd, David would have been acquainted with lions. We know from his testimony in 1 Samuel 17:34–35 that he killed at least one lion that was attacking his sheep. He probably encountered hungry lions more than once. David knew even strong, young lions could go hungry. In contrast to those animals, he was confident that those who seek the Lord lack nothing good for them.

Of course, this does not mean that we will always get what we “want” from God. Or, even that what we think are “needs” will be met. What we truly “need” is always understood in the context of God’s will for us and our lives. Everyone who belongs to the Lord encounters adversity occasionally, but He uses that adversity for our good. The apostle Paul wrote that earthly sufferings cannot compare to the glory of eternity (Romans 8:18). Further, he assured us in Romans 8:28 that “for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”

Paul further identified this purpose (Romans 8:29–30) as being conformed to the image of God’s Son. God has not promised an affluent lifestyle to those who seek Him (John 16:33). What He has promised is that we will never lack what is in our best interest. He has not promised to meet our wants, or to satisfy our expectations, but He has promised to meet all our needs.

Verse 11. Come, O children, listen to me;I will teach you the fear of the Lord.

David invites young people to receive instruction from him. In ancient writing, students were sometimes referred to as children, or sons. His lesson here is what it means to “fear” God and the results of that approach. In a biblical context, “fear” of God does not mean dread, but a worshipful respect.

The Bible instructs fathers to teach their children about God and His ways. In Deuteronomy 6, Moses informed the fathers of Israel of their duty to love the Lord with all their heart, soul, and might, to teach the law of the Lord diligently to their children, and to talk about His law throughout each day (Deuteronomy 6:4–7). In Proverbs 1:7 Solomon says, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge.” In the following verse he addresses his son—or, possibly, a student—imploring him, “hear, my son, your father’s instruction” (Proverbs 1:8).

The New Testament likewise instructs fathers to educate their children in God’s ways. Ephesians 6:4 says, “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.” Fathers who lavish material goods on their children but withhold spiritual instruction fail to provide what counts most in life: instruction about the fear of the Lord.

Verse 12. What man is there who desires lifeand loves many days, that he may see good?

In this statement, David raises a rhetorical question: who wants a full, good life? Of course, everyone wants to lead a long, happy, peaceful, fulfilling, and prosperous life. Jesus properly defined the valuable aspects of human life by asking, “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?” (Mathew 16:26). He explained that life lived in the pursuit of material wealth amounts to loss, but a life of service for Him amounts to eternal gain.

In Philippians 1:21 the apostle Paul highlighted the best way to live. He said, “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” Throughout his Christian life Paul made the will of God his top priority. He served Christ faithfully, and at the end of his life he looked forward to receiving from the Lord “the crown of righteousness” (2 Timothy 4:8). Solomon, as well, noted that the “fear of the LORD,” meaning submissive respect, was “the beginning of knowledge” (Proverbs 1:7).

Verse 13. Keep your tongue from eviland your lips from speaking deceit.

In the prior verse, David asked a rhetorical question: who wants to live a good life? Here, he provides an answer, flowing from his promise to teach about “the fear of the LORD.” Those who sincerely obey God, seeking His will and respecting His commands, have the best chance at happiness and success. Even more importantly, they care for their eternal soul (Matthew 16:26).

A life which properly respects God involves appropriate use of our tongue and lips. The apostle James described the tongue as a fire (James 3:6). In the wrong circumstances, the tiniest flame fire can reduce a house to rubble and a forest to ashes. The uncontrolled tongue can leave a devastating mark on a person’s life. James also described the tongue as “evil, full of deadly poison” (James 3:8).

Proverbs 21:23 offers this wise counsel: “Whoever keeps his mouth and his tongue keeps himself out of trouble.” In Psalm 34:13 David urges us to avoid lying. Proverbs 6:16–19 lists six things the Lord hates—a lying tongue and a false witness are two of the six. Instead of lying, God’s people are supposed to put away deceit and hypocrisy (1 Peter 2:1) and speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15).

In this context, David is speaking of deliberately corrupted speech, especially that which is deceitful. However, this idea also includes “bad language,” or profanity, something common in modern culture. Uncontrolled or vulgar speech should be noticeably absent from the lips of God’s people.

Verse 14. Turn away from evil and do good;seek peace and pursue it.

The summary of David’s lesson for how to live a long, good life (Psalm 34:12) is simply another phrasing of what it means to “fear the LORD” (Psalm 34:11). Choosing good over evil, and peace over sin, are part of honoring God properly.

This verse gives both negative and positive commands. Both are significant ways to demonstrate one’s fear of God. Our fear of the Lord affects not only what we say but also what we do or don’t do. If we fear the Lord, we will avoid evil. This action involves a choice. Solomon counseled, “My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent” (Proverbs 1:10). But wrongdoing is not simply the result of consenting to sinners; it can be a matter of consenting to our own sinful nature. The apostle James wrote: “But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire” (James 1:14).

Here, David reminds us how important it is to reject temptation, whether it comes from evildoers or from our own evil nature. Instead of doing wrong, we should do what is good and seek to live a peaceful life. We need to pursue peace, David writes: we ought to strive for it, to try hard to obtain it. Stirring up trouble is out of character for those who fear God (Matthew 5:9), but making peace manifests a God-fearing attitude (James 3:18).

Verse 15. The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteousand his ears toward their cry.

David assures us that God watches over those who are “righteous,” here meaning those who sincerely honor God in their lives (Psalm 34:9). He listens to our prayers and nothing is hidden from Him. He sees all our circumstances and provides what we need in each of them (Matthew 6:33–34). We can pray with confidence because He is listening to us. This verse implies that God attends and hears those who love Him—in contrast to the next verse, which depicts God judging and rejecting those who do not (Psalm 34:16).

Acts 12 relates that King Herod seized the apostle Peter and threw him into a dungeon, where four squads of soldiers guarded him. Herod fully intended to execute him by morning. But Herod did not count on the fact the Lord looks upon the righteous. He saw Peter and was fully aware of Peter’s dire circumstances. While Peter was a prisoner and chained to two guards, his fellow believers were praying for him, and the Lord was attentive to their prayers. He dispatched an angel to free Peter. Peter’s chains fell off, he got dressed, and followed the angel past the first and second deployment of guards and came to the iron gate that led into the city. When they entered a street, the angel left Peter, and Peter proceeded to the house of Mary, where his fellow believers were praying for him.

Nothing is too hard for God, who sees our circumstances and hears our prayers. What is hard, however, is for us to recognize that His will does not always mean miraculous rescue or immediate relief (John 17:15). That which we “need,” according to His will (Romans 8:28–30), is not always what we want or what we expect.

Context Summary
Psalm 34:15–22 contrasts what the Lord does for those who fear Him against what happens to the wicked. God watches over the righteous and answers their cry for help. He delivers the righteous from their troubles and draws near to them. He protects the righteous and redeems them. On the other hand, He opposes the wicked and condemns them. While David certainly experienced victories in his life, he also understood that God’s love and provision have an eternal perspective (Romans 8:28–30). Verse 20 includes a reference which the Gospel of John ties to Jesus’ role as Messiah.

Verse 16. The face of the Lord is against those who do evil,to cut off the memory of them from the earth.

Just as the Lord watches the righteous (Psalm 34:15), He also watches the wicked (Hebrews 4:13), but for a different purpose. God observes the righteous to deliver them (John 3:16–17), but He watches the wicked in preparation for judgment (John 3:36). David claims God will destroy them so thoroughly that even memories of them will be erased. In a similar statement, Solomon warned the name of those who defy God’s law would “rot:” either by being forgotten or becoming repugnant (Proverbs 10:7). This verse describes God’s rejection of the wicked, in contrast to the prior statement (Psalm 34:15) of God’s love for the righteous.

Matthew 2 relates how, after Jesus was born, His life and those of Mary and Joseph were in jeopardy. King Herod had ordered the death of all males around Bethlehem who were two years old or under. However, God was watching. He sent an angel to Joseph to tell him to take the infant Jesus and Mary to Egypt and wait there for further word. There, we see His eyes “toward” those who love Him (Psalm 34:15). Just as God was watching over the lives of Jesus, Joseph, and Mary, He was also watching Herod, but with His face against him. Herod died while Jesus’ family was in Egypt.

Acts 12 also illustrates how God watches over the righteous to deliver them but watches the wicked to destroy them. He delivered the apostle Peter but destroyed a wicked king—who happened to be the grandson of the Herod who persecuted Jesus.

Verse 17. When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hearsand delivers them out of all their troubles.

David knew by firsthand experience that the Lord hears the prayers of those who love Him. God protected David from Goliath (1 Samuel 17:45–51) and from King Saul who chased David in the wilderness (1 Samuel 23:15). However, even David knew that faith in God does not make anyone immune from difficulty (Psalm 34:19).

Contrary to the belief that faith in Jesus exempts believers from trouble, the Bible affirms that believers will encounter hardship. Persecution, harsh trials, and pressing temptation befall believers who endeavor to serve the Lord (John 16:1–4). While God promises to provide for our “needs” (Mathew 6:31–34), He alone knows what those “needs” really are (Romans 8:28–30). What we “need” to accomplish His will may not be what we want, or what we expect.

Hebrews 11 honors the faith of believers whose faith enabled them not only to do exploits but also to triumph over severe persecution (Hebrews 11:35–38). God’s deliverance may not always be physical. Sometimes it comes as emotional, mental, or spiritual deliverance; the only “saving” believers in God are absolutely guaranteed is from the penalty of sin in eternity (John 10:28–29). Paul was given spiritual relief; even though his “thorn…in the flesh” remained, God’s grace enabled him to rise above the affliction (2 Corinthians 12:7–9). He asserted, “For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:10).

Verse 18. The Lord is near to the brokenheartedand saves the crushed in spirit.

In this verse David writes how God understands our feelings and helps us bear the burden of sorrow. In contrast to pagan deities, or the unfeeling universe of atheism, the biblical God deeply cares for our pain. When Jesus knew His friend Lazarus had died, He went to the home of Lazarus’s grieving sisters and comforted them. When He saw Mary’s tears, “he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled” (John 11:33). When He approached Lazarus’s tomb, He wept (John 11:35) and was “deeply moved again” (John 11:38). Jesus experienced all of this, though He knew all along He would raise His friend from death (John 11:11).

Hebrews 4:15 assures us that Jesus, our Great High Priest, sympathizes with our weaknesses. That includes both the meaning of human suffering and the struggle against sin. He was tempted like any other man but remained sinless. Knowing that He understands and cares, we can “draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16).

It has been quipped that “prayer is the place burdens change shoulders.” Our Lord’s shoulders can bear our burdens when we are brokenhearted and our spirits are crushed (Matthew 11:28–30; 1 Peter 5:7).

Verse 19. Many are the afflictions of the righteous,but the Lord delivers him out of them all.

In addition to David’s experiences of being rescued by God, other incidents in biblical history testify to the Lord’s deliverance of His people. The case of Daniel’s three friends being cast into a white-hot furnace because of their allegiance to God is one such incident (Daniel 3). Another is the experience of Daniel being left in a den of hungry lions because of faithfulness in praying only to the true God. God miraculously kept him safe in the lions’ den and delivered him out of it (Daniel 6).

Biblical writers like David, who extoll the protection and provision of God, also acknowledge that those who faithfully follow God still encounter significant challenges. Following godly wisdom helps us avoid the pitfalls that come with sin (Psalm 34:11–14). But even those who love God can suffer; in fact, some godly people suffer because of their faithfulness to the Lord (John 16:1–4). That was the case with Daniel and New Testament figures such as Paul (2 Corinthians 11:23–28). God’s rescue, in those situations, can be immediate or physical. In other cases, it can be by giving believers the strength to endure the trial (Romans 8:28–30; John 16:33).

Isaiah 51:7 offers encouragement from the Lord to the righteous. He calls upon them to listen to Him and “fear not the reproach of man, nor be dismayed at their revilings.” He assures His people that the wicked will be destroyed, whereas His righteousness will last forever, and His salvation will be to all generations (Isaiah 51:8).

Verse 20. He keeps all his bones;not one of them is broken.

In the prior verse, David explained how God is with the righteous, even when they experience hardship or persecution. Here, he makes a curious comment which is more poetic than literal: that the righteous person’s bones will remain unbroken. In a symbolic sense, this is exaggeration for effect, noting how God can thoroughly protect His people. In a prophetic sense, this ties the details of Jesus’ sacrificial death on the cross (John 19:33–37) to His role as our Passover Lamb (1 Corinthians 5:7; Exodus 12:46).

The word “keep” is translated from the Hebrew sō’mēr’, which means to “exercise great care over.” It is comforting to know God has such deep concern for us. In Bible times a shepherd led his sheep, sometimes even carrying one on his shoulders. The shepherds, to whom angels delivered the news of Jesus’ birth, were “keeping watch over their flock by night” (Luke 2:8). Similarly, Jesus the Good Shepherd keeps watch over believers (John 10:14). Like shepherds in Bible times who led their sheep, Jesus goes ahead of us to protect us from harm (John 10:4). The Lord’s watchful care of us is so complete that He knows how many hairs are on our head (Matthew 10:30).

Verse 21. Affliction will slay the wicked,and those who hate the righteous will be condemned.

David knew the righteous have troubles and are despised by their adversaries. Scripture is fully aware that faithful service to God does not make a person immune to hardship (Psalm 34:19; John 16:33). What provides ultimate hope for those who love God is knowledge that the Lord turns the tables on the wicked—He makes their efforts part of their own ruin. While struggles in life are part of a believer’s path to eternity (Romans 8:28–30; Revelation 21:4), even the greatest success of the wicked is preparation for their judgment (John 3:36; Revelation 20:15).

The wicked despise the righteous (1 Peter 4:3–4), but they will pay a bitter price for their sin. A classic example of this is what became of Judas. He betrayed Jesus for thirty pieces of silver, but his sin made him feel so miserable he returned the money (Matthew 27:3) and then hanged himself (Matthew 27:5).

Further evidence of the condemnation of the wicked is found in Revelation 19. Satan’s two henchmen, who spill the blood of righteous people in the tribulation period, receive judgment when Jesus returns to earth. He captures them and throws them “alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur” (Revelation 19:20). The righteous experience suffering, but it is only for “a little time” (1 Peter 1:6). However, the wicked will experience suffering that lasts forever (Revelation 20:10).

Verse 22. The Lord redeems the life of his servants;none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.

This final verse of Psalm 34 proclaims that God rescues those who serve Him—anyone and everyone who believes in Him will be saved (John 3:16–18). The apostle Paul wrote: “There is therefore no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1).

The immediate context of this statement is David’s celebration of rescue from danger. Freedom from all suffering is not part of God’s plan—something David himself understood well (Psalm 34:19). What is promised by God is ultimate, eternal salvation and restoration (John 10:28; Revelation 21:4). Those who follow the will of God in salvation (John 6:28–29) are guaranteed to be rescued from judgment (Romans 8:33–34).

When He condemned the world in Noah’s time, God commanded Noah and his family to enter the ark, and then He shut them in (Genesis 7:13, 16). Outside the ark, the wicked perished, but inside the ark Noah and his family were safe. The ark is representative of Christ. All who are in Him are safe forever. God has shut us in. But outside Christ, all unbelievers perish unless they believe on Him (John 3:36).

End of Psalm 34

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