psalm 34
The CHORUS of the harmed
Start
This is a Psalm written by David at a hard time: he was being chased by King Saul, who wanted to kill him. He was hiding in another kingdom and feared that the king there would discover him and kill him because he was a known warrior - so he pretended to be insane so the foreign king would write him off as a fool. He escaped to a cave, and wrote this:
I will extol the LORD at all times; his praise will always be on my lips. I will glory in the LORD; let the afflicted hear and rejoice. Glorify the LORD with me; let us exalt his name together.
NEXT
This is not the song of a victorious Goliath-slayer. This is the song of a downtrodden person, hurt by the world around them. David admits it, too, inviting "the afflicted to hear and rejoice" and to go one step further and "glorify the Lord with me." What an interesting little choir he is assembling.
I sought the LORD, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame. This poor man called, and the LORD heard him; he saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them.
NEXT
"This poor man called, and the Lord heard him" For this reason, David can say that his face is radiant even as he hides in a cave, fearing for his life. It's got nothing to do with him, or his actions, or his abilities. He is harmed, yes - but he is being attended to, and that makes all the difference.
Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him. Fear the LORD, you his holy people, for those who fear him lack nothing. The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing. Come, my children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD.
NEXT
Whoever of you loves life and desires to see many good days, keep your tongue from evil and your lips from telling lies. Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.
Remember, David is on the run, hiding for his life. "Loving life" and "seeing good days" are not about his outside circumstances. They are about what he believes to be true: God cares for him. To lie would be to suggest that God doesn't. Evil would be acting as if God isn't attentive to him.
NEXT
The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, and his ears are attentive to their cry; but the face of the LORD is against those who do evil, to blot out their name from the earth. The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles. The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
David assures the afflicted ones who sing this song with him that "the righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them" because "the LORD is close to the brokenhearted." Being harmed does not mean God turns away, not at all! Instead, it means God turns toward those who are in need of healing.
NEXT
The righteous person may have many troubles, but the LORD delivers him from them all; he protects all his bones, not one of them will be broken. Evil will slay the wicked; the foes of the righteous will be condemned. The LORD will rescue his servants; no one who takes refuge in him will be condemned.
When the Romans crucified people, if it was taking them too long to die, they would often break their legs. This would increase the strain on the lungs, causing suffocation. When the soldiers approached Jesus to do this, he was already dead, and his legs were not broken. The account of the crucifixion in John actually calls these verses to mind when this happens.
NEXT
In this "not breaking a bone" of Jesus' body, we get a bit of hope in our suffering. As the Bible tells the story, Jesus' suffering on the cross was all of our suffering. It was meant to be the full pain that sin and faithlessness could cause, all concentrated in one person - but even there, in this suffering and death, there is a kind of protection. David didn't know it but in a prophetic way (as he hid, afraid, in the cave) he was looking to the crucified-but-not-broken Jesus for hope. There will be harm. It is unavoidable. But God will be there, and God's presence means hope for healing and repair. With that faith, he could say, as we can:
The LORD will rescue his servants; no one who takes refuge in him will be condemned.
NEXT
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NEXT
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2_14_2-2 Psalm 34 and Harm
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Transcript
psalm 34
The CHORUS of the harmed
Start
This is a Psalm written by David at a hard time: he was being chased by King Saul, who wanted to kill him. He was hiding in another kingdom and feared that the king there would discover him and kill him because he was a known warrior - so he pretended to be insane so the foreign king would write him off as a fool. He escaped to a cave, and wrote this:
I will extol the LORD at all times; his praise will always be on my lips. I will glory in the LORD; let the afflicted hear and rejoice. Glorify the LORD with me; let us exalt his name together.
NEXT
This is not the song of a victorious Goliath-slayer. This is the song of a downtrodden person, hurt by the world around them. David admits it, too, inviting "the afflicted to hear and rejoice" and to go one step further and "glorify the Lord with me." What an interesting little choir he is assembling.
I sought the LORD, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame. This poor man called, and the LORD heard him; he saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them.
NEXT
"This poor man called, and the Lord heard him" For this reason, David can say that his face is radiant even as he hides in a cave, fearing for his life. It's got nothing to do with him, or his actions, or his abilities. He is harmed, yes - but he is being attended to, and that makes all the difference.
Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him. Fear the LORD, you his holy people, for those who fear him lack nothing. The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing. Come, my children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD.
NEXT
Whoever of you loves life and desires to see many good days, keep your tongue from evil and your lips from telling lies. Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.
Remember, David is on the run, hiding for his life. "Loving life" and "seeing good days" are not about his outside circumstances. They are about what he believes to be true: God cares for him. To lie would be to suggest that God doesn't. Evil would be acting as if God isn't attentive to him.
NEXT
The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, and his ears are attentive to their cry; but the face of the LORD is against those who do evil, to blot out their name from the earth. The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles. The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
David assures the afflicted ones who sing this song with him that "the righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them" because "the LORD is close to the brokenhearted." Being harmed does not mean God turns away, not at all! Instead, it means God turns toward those who are in need of healing.
NEXT
The righteous person may have many troubles, but the LORD delivers him from them all; he protects all his bones, not one of them will be broken. Evil will slay the wicked; the foes of the righteous will be condemned. The LORD will rescue his servants; no one who takes refuge in him will be condemned.
When the Romans crucified people, if it was taking them too long to die, they would often break their legs. This would increase the strain on the lungs, causing suffocation. When the soldiers approached Jesus to do this, he was already dead, and his legs were not broken. The account of the crucifixion in John actually calls these verses to mind when this happens.
NEXT
In this "not breaking a bone" of Jesus' body, we get a bit of hope in our suffering. As the Bible tells the story, Jesus' suffering on the cross was all of our suffering. It was meant to be the full pain that sin and faithlessness could cause, all concentrated in one person - but even there, in this suffering and death, there is a kind of protection. David didn't know it but in a prophetic way (as he hid, afraid, in the cave) he was looking to the crucified-but-not-broken Jesus for hope. There will be harm. It is unavoidable. But God will be there, and God's presence means hope for healing and repair. With that faith, he could say, as we can:
The LORD will rescue his servants; no one who takes refuge in him will be condemned.
NEXT
title Goes Here
Tenderloin meatball kevin, shank leberkas drumstick pork belly t-bone ball tip frankfurter burgdoggen pork loin doner swine. Ground round ham hock.
Learn More
NEXT
Thank You
You may continue to the next piece of the Spotlight.