Psa 34:17 | KingComments | STEP | These verses are a further elaboration of . We see in these verses that the righteous can also be hit by severe disasters, but the LORD keeps and delivers them. At the same time, the righteous experiences that the LORD is good ( ). What David knows from his own experience also applies to all the righteous: they “cry, and the LORD hears and delivers them out of all their troubles” ( ). Through the afflictions, through severe blows in life, the righteous become “broken-hearted” and “crushed in spirit” ( ). Their heart, the core of their existence, is broken. Their spirit, their life force, is crushed. This is the situation where you no longer have a prospect except the refuge of the LORD ( ). If you then take refuge in Him, He will always give protection. These features are sacrifices for God in which He is pleased and which He does not despise ( ). With those who have these features, He dwells ( ). He is so “near” to them that He is ready and helps and delivers as soon as they cry out. That “the afflictions of the righteous” are “many” ( ) seems contrary to the desire to see good days. The righteous is not afflicted by a little affliction, but by “many … afflictions”. The life of the righteous is not limited to the life here and now, but continues in the realm of peace and is lived to the fullest there. The LORD delivers the righteous “out of them all”, out of all those afflictions, by allowing him to partake of the blessings of the realm of peace. What David says in connects to this. The LORD keeps all the bones of the righteous, “not one of them is broken”. The righteous one will not suffer substantial, irreparable damage from all the afflictions that befalls him. This special protection by God of the righteous who suffers is literally experienced in a special way by Christ when He hangs on the cross ( ; ; ). God’s protection of Christ, as well as of the martyrs of the great tribulation, transcends death. Christ, as the only Man, has perfectly answered all that David said in . Yet there is no man who has seen and experienced more affliction than He ( ). This makes it clear that all the blessing that accompanies a godly life is experienced inwardly on earth, and after the resurrection also outwardly. The Lord Jesus is delivered “out of” all His afflictions, not by being saved from suffering and death, but by God raising Him from the dead. So it will be with all the righteous who have “many afflictions”. They share in the good in the resurrection because the Righteous has undergone a suffering that they could not have undergone and that is the suffering for their sins. As a result, they have been brought to God and become righteous ( ). Christ did not become righteous, but was always the Righteous. Therefore, He was able to do this necessary and unique work of redemption from the power of sin. In , David returns to what he said in about those who do evil. He speaks here of “the wicked” and of “those who hate the righteous”. By “the wicked” we can think of one who is not guided by the fear of or respect for the LORD, unlike the righteous ( ), the disciples of the wisdom teacher. The way of the wicked will perish ( ). By the wicked we can also think of the antichrist. The evil he does will kill him. He is digging his own grave. The others are followers of him. These followers are guilty of hating “the righteous”. At this point we can think of David, who is here a picture of the Lord Jesus ( ). Christ is the Righteous par excellence ( ). In addition, David is also an example for believers, both in this age and prophetically for the believing remnant in the end time. Opposite to the death that comes upon the wicked and his followers is what the LORD does to those who fear Him ( ). He redeems their souls. The Hebrew word means change of ownership by paying a price. The antichrist will kill many of the believing remnant, but at the same time these martyrs have gained victory over the antichrist ( ). David calls them “servants” of God. Ultimately, this then refers to the remnant when they have arrived in the blessing of the realm of peace. They are all Israel that will be saved ( ). Then God’s words to His people after their deliverance from Egypt will be fulfilled: “You shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation” ( ). It's not that far yet. Circumstances make it necessary for those who are truly His people to “take refuge” in Him. There they are safe from the enmity of those who hate them. “None” of them “will be condemned”. This is in contrast to those who hate them, for they will be condemned, as stated in the previous verse. They owe this “not condemned declaration” to Him Who was condemned for them and bore the judgment for their sins on the cross.

‏ Psalms 34:17

God Hears and Redeems

These verses are a further elaboration of Psa 34:15. We see in these verses that the righteous can also be hit by severe disasters, but the LORD keeps and delivers them. At the same time, the righteous experiences that the LORD is good (Psa 34:8). What David knows from his own experience also applies to all the righteous: they “cry, and the LORD hears and delivers them out of all their troubles” (Psa 34:17).

Through the afflictions, through severe blows in life, the righteous become “broken-hearted” and “crushed in spirit” (Psa 34:18). Their heart, the core of their existence, is broken. Their spirit, their life force, is crushed. This is the situation where you no longer have a prospect except the refuge of the LORD (Isa 66:2). If you then take refuge in Him, He will always give protection. These features are sacrifices for God in which He is pleased and which He does not despise (Psa 51:19). With those who have these features, He dwells (Isa 57:15). He is so “near” to them that He is ready and helps and delivers as soon as they cry out.

That “the afflictions of the righteous” are “many” (Psa 34:19) seems contrary to the desire to see good days. The righteous is not afflicted by a little affliction, but by “many … afflictions”. The life of the righteous is not limited to the life here and now, but continues in the realm of peace and is lived to the fullest there. The LORD delivers the righteous “out of them all”, out of all those afflictions, by allowing him to partake of the blessings of the realm of peace.

What David says in Psa 34:20 connects to this. The LORD keeps all the bones of the righteous, “not one of them is broken”. The righteous one will not suffer substantial, irreparable damage from all the afflictions that befalls him. This special protection by God of the righteous who suffers is literally experienced in a special way by Christ when He hangs on the cross (Jn 19:36; Exo 12:46; Num 9:12). God’s protection of Christ, as well as of the martyrs of the great tribulation, transcends death.

Christ, as the only Man, has perfectly answered all that David said in Psa 34:12-14. Yet there is no man who has seen and experienced more affliction than He (Lam 3:1-6). This makes it clear that all the blessing that accompanies a godly life is experienced inwardly on earth, and after the resurrection also outwardly. The Lord Jesus is delivered “out of” all His afflictions, not by being saved from suffering and death, but by God raising Him from the dead.

So it will be with all the righteous who have “many afflictions”. They share in the good in the resurrection because the Righteous has undergone a suffering that they could not have undergone and that is the suffering for their sins. As a result, they have been brought to God and become righteous (1Pet 3:18). Christ did not become righteous, but was always the Righteous. Therefore, He was able to do this necessary and unique work of redemption from the power of sin.

In Psa 34:21, David returns to what he said in Psa 34:16 about those who do evil. He speaks here of “the wicked” and of “those who hate the righteous”. By “the wicked” we can think of one who is not guided by the fear of or respect for the LORD, unlike the righteous (Psa 34:15), the disciples of the wisdom teacher. The way of the wicked will perish (Psa 1:6). By the wicked we can also think of the antichrist. The evil he does will kill him. He is digging his own grave. The others are followers of him.

These followers are guilty of hating “the righteous”. At this point we can think of David, who is here a picture of the Lord Jesus (Acts 2:30 ; 31). Christ is the Righteous par excellence (Isa 53:11). In addition, David is also an example for believers, both in this age and prophetically for the believing remnant in the end time.

Opposite to the death that comes upon the wicked and his followers is what the LORD does to those who fear Him (Psa 34:22). He redeems their souls. The Hebrew word means change of ownership by paying a price. The antichrist will kill many of the believing remnant, but at the same time these martyrs have gained victory over the antichrist (Rev 15:2).

David calls them “servants” of God. Ultimately, this then refers to the remnant when they have arrived in the blessing of the realm of peace. They are all Israel that will be saved (Rom 11:26). Then God’s words to His people after their deliverance from Egypt will be fulfilled: “You shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation” (Exo 19:6).

It's not that far yet. Circumstances make it necessary for those who are truly His people to “take refuge” in Him. There they are safe from the enmity of those who hate them. “None” of them “will be condemned”. This is in contrast to those who hate them, for they will be condemned, as stated in the previous verse. They owe this “not condemned declaration” to Him Who was condemned for them and bore the judgment for their sins on the cross.