PSALM 34:17-22
[17] The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles.
[18] The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.
[19] Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all.
[20] He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken.
[21] Evil shall slay the wicked: and they that hate the righteous shall be desolate.
[22] The LORD redeemeth the soul of his servants: and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate. (KJV)
David starts the first 9 verses of Psalm 34 (not shown here) by saying that he will bless the Lord at all times, even in times of adversity.
Instead of trusting God to look after him, David chose to run away from Saul who wrongly wanted him killed. David had lost his faith and was attempting to solve problems in his own way.
David starts his long journey off by going into the Tabernacle (God’s house) but instead of being built up, he goes downhill. He lies to the Priest Ahimelech. He says he’s on business for the King. He uses the same excuse to get bread and a sword. He had the opportunity to tell the Priest the truth and possibly the priest could have helped him find God again.
David is not doing well. So far he has left his family and friends behind; he has lied to a Priest and is possibly going to try to blend in with the people of Gath. Leaving the temple, he headed right into the midst of the Philistines in Gath, carrying the very sword he had used to cut off Goliath’s head. He was captured and that’s when he found his faith again and wrote Psalm 56.
For the next part, some Scholars believe that David had the help of God and some believe that David acted of his own accord. Regardless David gave the appearance of a mad man and so they allowed him to leave, free.
Even though David was now safe from the Philistines, Saul’s men where still looking for him. David was reduced to living in caves. Although he was considered a fugitive, hiding out, having little to eat, with no end in sight to these conditions, he takes the time to write Psalm 34 with love and thanksgiving to God.
Beginning at verse 17 – A righteous (virtuous) cry can only be given by those who are holy and standing upright in the Lord. David; had been far away from God, but had found his way back and was now taking the time to honour God.
When God’s children come to him with a broken heart, he hears us. God also saves all people who come to Him with a contrite spirit (afflicted by guilt and expressing remorse), those crying out for mercy, he gives mercy.
As David shows, righteous believers are not exempt of problems but will go through many different afflictions that cause pain and/or suffering, even though we are counted as God’s children. God has allowed adversity into our lives because he wants to see growth in us.
He wants his children to realize that if we have trust in Him, the situation will be resolved, albeit, in God’s timing, not ours, in His way, not ours. He wants us to learn to stay in faith, while we wait on him. He wants us to learn to stop, to pray, to listen and/or to watch for the Holy Spirit’s leading.
David reminds us that as believers, we are never alone during these battles. The Lord will help us! Though we will sometimes get battle scars, they will be righteous ones.
David tells us that Jesus can take care of our bodies, (as he did for himself) but our body is not what The Lord is concerned about, it’s our spirit that matters to him.
Ever since the fall of Adam, everyone is guilty of sin. However, every person is given the choice to stay in sin or repent, giving the sin over to Jesus.
Those who choose to remain in sin, will die alone, in the bondage of evil. Those who choose righteousness, through Jesus Christ, will be freed from their sin and never be alone.
When David was running from Saul, he committed many sins and had lost his faith in God to help him. However, we see in this Psalm that David found his faith again. His faith didn’t come after God helped him but right in the midst of his problems.
No matter what we go through: good or bad, a righteous believer will always find a way to praise God!
(For more of this story, read the following chapters, in their entirety: Psalm 34, 1 Samuel 18 right through 1 Samuel 31 and also Psalm 54.
Do I go through trials? Absolutely! Do I lean on you to help me handle the problems? Yes Lord I do, most of the time.
Like in David’s circumstance, sometimes the trials seem so large that I have cowered down and hidden away. Instead of turning to you, I sometimes freeze and don’t know what to do.
Once in a while, I forget to call out to you and I take the matter into my own hands, hoping for a good solution that never comes.
Father, sometimes you call out to me, but I don’t listen. It seems like my ears are covered. Those are the times that I live in my own sorrow.
This scripture of David has taught me that as your child, you will give me the strength to always find peace in you, regardless of the situation. Thank you Father, that you wait patiently for me to find my way back to you, in the times I may wander.
Help me Lord, to know that your solution may not be the one of my choice. Help me remember that periodically I will have to fight hard and stand my ground, in an effort to win the battle. Remind me that although there will be times when I receive battle wounds in the process, I can stand through anything, with you beside me. Remind me to start each day covered with the Armour of God.
The unsaved cannot understand how believers can live in peace, even when our lives are crashing in all around us.
The wicked who prefer to fight their own battles, lose in so many ways. It may appear, at times, that they have won the battle, but at the end of time, they will realize in dismay, that they have lost the war.
At the end of our lives, EVERY person will bow to God and give an account of the way we lived. The outcome: the wicked will be overtaken by evil and the righteous will be saved and redeemed, by Jesus Christ.
I know Lord that the choices I make each and every day, are very important. They will determine my final resting place. David reminds me that with true repentance, all will be forgiven and I will be welcomed into the Kingdom of God for eternity.
Thank you that I have felt the peace of the Lord, many, many times but I’m always shocked at how tranquil I can feel, in the midst of turmoil.
In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, I pray.
Amen