Month: September 2024

Psalm 34:19-22

David has declared that the righteous have benefits. Yes, they suffer many afflictions, but he / she has assurance that the Lord delivers His children out of them all (v.19). Here David said that “He keeps all his bones: not one of them is broken” (v.20). Various commentaries say David was speaking of his many battles, accidents, and hardships, and they had not broken his spirit. Many also see this as David speaking a word of prophecy – the coming of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. 

David went on to declare that “Evil will slay the wicked: and they that hate the righteous shall be desolate” (v.21). Scripture also tells us: “The evil deeds of a wicked man entrap him” (Prov. 5:22a). Our fore parents disobeyed God’s command to “freely eat of every tree of the garden (Gen. 2:16), accept from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil” (Gen. 2:17a). God promised “…for in the day that you eat of it you will die” (Gen. 2:17b). As a result, their fallen sinful nature led to our death. However, Romans 6:23 says: ^“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord. David also said that they who hate the righteous will be desolate – miserable and unfruitful. “The Lord redeems the soul of his servants: and none of them that trust in him will be condemned” (v.22). “He rewards those who diligently seek Him” (Heb.11:6c).

There is favor being in relationship with God. Will you accept Him today? 

Give God glory!

Psalm 34:17-18

The Gospel songwriter said: “What You Need, God’s Got It.” Here David declared, “The righteous cry, and the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles” (v.17). These are benefits of being in relationship with our Redeemer. Think about this. When Pharaoh had let the children of Israel go out of Egypt, the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart. He and his servants pursued after the people. As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up and saw the Egyptians marching after them, and they were terrified and cried out to the LORD (Exod.14:10). When God’s people are between a rock and a hard place, like Pharaoh’s army and the Red Sea, when they don’t know what to do, God will hear their cry and deliver them out of all their troubles. 

When the righteous cry to God, they have the assurance that “The Lord is nigh to them that are of a broken heart; and saves such as be

of a contrite spirit” [the kind of spirit, or heart, pleasing and acceptable to God] (v.18). That is, the Lord is near to the heartbroken and saves those who are crushed in spirit and truly sorry for their sin. You see, David knew   that brokenness and humility, and not animal sacrifices, would result in God’s forgiveness. “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, A broken and a contrite heart…” (Psalm 51:17, NIV). In other words, God is pleased when the righteous move self out the way, repent, and put dependence on Him.

Lift your voice and shout, “Glory Hallelujah!”

Psalm 34:15-16

Recall that David commanded believers in v.13 to “keep the tongue from evil and the lips from speaking guile.” Here in vv. 15-16, he recognized God’s eyes, ears, and face. “The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears are open to their cry” (v.15). His face is against them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth (v.16). 

The righteous are blessed; they fear the Lord, obey, and honor Him with their lives. Therefore, He intently watches them, never withdrawing His eyes from them. David declared that God’s ears are open to His children. He listens to their prayers, and He answers them. Our Father knows what we stand in need of before we ask Him (Matt. 6:8). “And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he hears us” (1John 5:14): “And if we know that he hears us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him” (1John 5:15).

Then there are those who do evil. Being an all-seeing God means the same God that sees the righteous and accepts them also sees the evildoers and rejects them. John said that the one who believes in the Son has eternal life. The one who refuses to believe the Son will not see life, but God’s anger, because evil remains on him (John 3:36, Amplified Bible). God hears your cry for help; if you trust Him and accept His conditions, He will deliver you.

Give Him praise. Shout, “Glory!”

Psalm 34:11-14, KJV

David began with the command for children to come and listen, and he will teach them the fear of the Lord (v.11). He desired to teach children to have loving, reverential fear and respect for the Lord. Proverbs 1:7 state that “the fear of the Lord” is the beginning of knowledge. Believers, and especially fathers (Eph. 6:4), are encouraged to “bring their children up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. David asked, “What man is he that desires life, and loves many days, that he may see good” (v.12)? He commanded believers to “keep the tongue from evil and the lips from speaking guile” (v.13). “Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it” (v.14). The tongue and lips work together so use them to glorify God. Therefore, it is necessary that what believers say is Christlike. ^“Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer every man” (Col. 4:6). “For he who would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from deceitful speech” ( 1 Peter 3:10).

David went on to command believers to “depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it” (v.14). Believers should practice doing good and not evil every day. Seek peace for Jesus blessed the peacemakers, saying that they will be called sons of God (Matt. 5:9). Finally, do not only seek peace; pursue it. Make every effort to live in peace with all people. 

God hears our cry for help. Will you accept His conditions of deliverance?

Lift your voice and give God glory!