Psalm 34
The thirty-fourth Psalm, written by David, is one of my personal favorite portions of Scripture. This is one of the Davidic Psalms that provides the historical background of its content. The Psalm’s heading tells us that it was written when David pretended to be insane in the presence of Abimelech. The historical backdrop of this Psalm is a rather humiliating and questionable episode that is recorded in 1 Samuel 21:10-22:1. These events were some of the lowest points in David’s life, and they left him afraid and alone. It was under these stressful conditions that the Lord inspired David to write Psalm 34.
In the sixth verse of Psalm 34 David writes, “This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him and saved him out of all his troubles.” David’s prayer to the Lord consisted of a cry. It’s possible that this cry was a mere whimper. It is also possible that David’s cry could have been a prolonged time of weeping. Whichever may be the case, David was crying out to the Lord in the midst of his fear and trouble. His life was in jeopardy, and he cried out to the Lord for deliverance.
David refers to himself as a “poor man” because he had nothing to offer God; he was destitute and lacked the necessary resources to rescue himself. The term poor in this context should not be limited to socioeconomic status. The Hebrew word `aniy can also refer to the humble or to the humiliated. In most societies, the poor are the weakest and the most vulnerable; therefore, the poor serve as a picture of what David was feeling spiritually and emotionally. In the context of Psalm 34, poor is best understood as afflicted rather than a description of David’s financial circumstances. David was in a weakened spiritual condition and in distress as a result of his troubles.
In the midst of his difficulties, David sought the Lord in prayer, and his heavenly Father heard his cry. While God hears our prayers, He does not always eliminate all of the troubles immediately—there are times we must wait on the Lord. As David writes in Psalm 40:1, “I waited patiently for the LORD; he inclined to me and heard my cry.” Author James Montgomery Boice offers a fantastic description of how this works in the life of a Christian when he writes, “The promise of prayer does not mean that God will change every difficult thing in your life. But He will preserve you for as long as He has work for you to do, and He will transform even the difficult circumstances by His presence and perhaps by the presence of others whom He sends to be with you.”[1] In God’s sovereign wisdom, He allows us to endure troubles so He can use them in our lives for our spiritual benefit. Adversity matures us in ways that tranquility cannot.
Crying out to God in our times of trial prevents us from seeking false hope, refuge, and security in our idols. When you find yourself in the midst of trouble, who or what do you seek first? Substances? Relationships? Pleasure? Sleep? Your own misery? We would be far better off to remember the words of Psalm 46:1-3, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling.” As God’s people, we can attest to the truth of what has been said. We know that He has delivered us from all types of adversities in the past, and we must have confidence that He will do it again in the future. God is mighty at all times, including during times of trials.
Rather than sugarcoating the realities of living in a sinful world, David presents a realistic view of suffering when he writes, “Many are the afflictions of the righteous” (Psalm 34:19a). This phrase reminds us that the righteous are not spared hardships. While afflictions are part of life, David quickly adds in the next phrase, “but the LORD delivers him out of them all” (Psalm 34:19b). There is no denying that the righteous do not always escape trouble. Life can often feel like we are licking honey off a thorn. It can be sweet one minute, and painful the next. Nowhere in Psalm 34 does David suggest that those who fear God will be spared from trouble (i.e., adversaries and adversity). Even the righteous may experience extreme suffering (e.g., Job), but this does not negate God’s love or suggest that God has forsaken the righteous in times of their deepest anguish. David does promise, however, that if we trust God and call out to Him in our times of adversity, He will hear us and see us through our troubles.
Psalm 34:19 reminds us that even the righteous will face various trials. Deliverance from tribulations is one thing; exemption from all trouble is quite another. Volumes have been written on the presence of evil and suffering in the world, and yet nagging questions remain unanswered (at least unanswered in a way that is satisfying to the human mind). Throughout Scripture, we find a positive and hopeful perspective on trouble which we must understand. Here is a brief list of reminders to help you in your times of suffering:
1. Trouble is to be expected in this life (Job 1:20; 5:7; Psalm 90:9-10).
2. The righteous and the unrighteous experience difficulty in this life, regardless of their level of righteousness (e.g., Job).
3. Hardships are always within the span of God’s providential control.
4. Adversity for the believer will be used by God to contribute to His goal of changing us into the image of Jesus Christ (Romans 8:28; 1 Peter 5:10).
5. We can trust the divine wisdom of our loving heavenly Father when we do not fully understand His agenda for our lives.
6. Trouble often brings to the surface the heart idols that we are worshipping.
7. Suffering will purify us as gold in the refiner’s fire (Psalm 11:4-7; Job 23:8-10; 1 Pet. 1:7).
8. God is more interested that His people are holy than that they are comfortable.
9. Trials for the believer are actually a reason for rejoicing (James 1:1-4; Romans 5:3-5; 1 Peter 3:13-14).
10. While Christians take no special pleasure or delight in the circumstances of their suffering, we can rejoice over the ultimate product of our suffering—an increased Christlikeness that reflects the glory of God.
11. Adversity reminds us that God is up to something in our lives.
12. Understanding God’s holy character and divine sovereignty will convince us that He is always up to something good.
When your heart is broken and your spirit is crushed beneath the weight of your trials, know that God is near and He is up to something good—whether you feel like it or not! Fearing the Lord is foundational to the Christian life; it is the key to a joyful life. But fearing and obeying God is not a guarantee that life will always be easy. But never forget that God is always present, even when we suffer because of life’s trials. No matter how many troubles we may experience, we have no need to be afraid because we are never alone.
Trouble in this life is to be expected, but it does not mean God has forsaken you. As God’s people, we are not promised trouble-free living. But we are promised God’s sovereign presence in our suffering. During times of trial, we can find confidence knowing that God always uses our trials for our good and for His glory.
[1] James Montgomery Boice, Psalms (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 1994), 295.
In the sixth verse of Psalm 34 David writes, “This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him and saved him out of all his troubles.” David’s prayer to the Lord consisted of a cry. It’s possible that this cry was a mere whimper. It is also possible that David’s cry could have been a prolonged time of weeping. Whichever may be the case, David was crying out to the Lord in the midst of his fear and trouble. His life was in jeopardy, and he cried out to the Lord for deliverance.
David refers to himself as a “poor man” because he had nothing to offer God; he was destitute and lacked the necessary resources to rescue himself. The term poor in this context should not be limited to socioeconomic status. The Hebrew word `aniy can also refer to the humble or to the humiliated. In most societies, the poor are the weakest and the most vulnerable; therefore, the poor serve as a picture of what David was feeling spiritually and emotionally. In the context of Psalm 34, poor is best understood as afflicted rather than a description of David’s financial circumstances. David was in a weakened spiritual condition and in distress as a result of his troubles.
In the midst of his difficulties, David sought the Lord in prayer, and his heavenly Father heard his cry. While God hears our prayers, He does not always eliminate all of the troubles immediately—there are times we must wait on the Lord. As David writes in Psalm 40:1, “I waited patiently for the LORD; he inclined to me and heard my cry.” Author James Montgomery Boice offers a fantastic description of how this works in the life of a Christian when he writes, “The promise of prayer does not mean that God will change every difficult thing in your life. But He will preserve you for as long as He has work for you to do, and He will transform even the difficult circumstances by His presence and perhaps by the presence of others whom He sends to be with you.”[1] In God’s sovereign wisdom, He allows us to endure troubles so He can use them in our lives for our spiritual benefit. Adversity matures us in ways that tranquility cannot.
Crying out to God in our times of trial prevents us from seeking false hope, refuge, and security in our idols. When you find yourself in the midst of trouble, who or what do you seek first? Substances? Relationships? Pleasure? Sleep? Your own misery? We would be far better off to remember the words of Psalm 46:1-3, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling.” As God’s people, we can attest to the truth of what has been said. We know that He has delivered us from all types of adversities in the past, and we must have confidence that He will do it again in the future. God is mighty at all times, including during times of trials.
Rather than sugarcoating the realities of living in a sinful world, David presents a realistic view of suffering when he writes, “Many are the afflictions of the righteous” (Psalm 34:19a). This phrase reminds us that the righteous are not spared hardships. While afflictions are part of life, David quickly adds in the next phrase, “but the LORD delivers him out of them all” (Psalm 34:19b). There is no denying that the righteous do not always escape trouble. Life can often feel like we are licking honey off a thorn. It can be sweet one minute, and painful the next. Nowhere in Psalm 34 does David suggest that those who fear God will be spared from trouble (i.e., adversaries and adversity). Even the righteous may experience extreme suffering (e.g., Job), but this does not negate God’s love or suggest that God has forsaken the righteous in times of their deepest anguish. David does promise, however, that if we trust God and call out to Him in our times of adversity, He will hear us and see us through our troubles.
Psalm 34:19 reminds us that even the righteous will face various trials. Deliverance from tribulations is one thing; exemption from all trouble is quite another. Volumes have been written on the presence of evil and suffering in the world, and yet nagging questions remain unanswered (at least unanswered in a way that is satisfying to the human mind). Throughout Scripture, we find a positive and hopeful perspective on trouble which we must understand. Here is a brief list of reminders to help you in your times of suffering:
1. Trouble is to be expected in this life (Job 1:20; 5:7; Psalm 90:9-10).
2. The righteous and the unrighteous experience difficulty in this life, regardless of their level of righteousness (e.g., Job).
3. Hardships are always within the span of God’s providential control.
4. Adversity for the believer will be used by God to contribute to His goal of changing us into the image of Jesus Christ (Romans 8:28; 1 Peter 5:10).
5. We can trust the divine wisdom of our loving heavenly Father when we do not fully understand His agenda for our lives.
6. Trouble often brings to the surface the heart idols that we are worshipping.
7. Suffering will purify us as gold in the refiner’s fire (Psalm 11:4-7; Job 23:8-10; 1 Pet. 1:7).
8. God is more interested that His people are holy than that they are comfortable.
9. Trials for the believer are actually a reason for rejoicing (James 1:1-4; Romans 5:3-5; 1 Peter 3:13-14).
10. While Christians take no special pleasure or delight in the circumstances of their suffering, we can rejoice over the ultimate product of our suffering—an increased Christlikeness that reflects the glory of God.
11. Adversity reminds us that God is up to something in our lives.
12. Understanding God’s holy character and divine sovereignty will convince us that He is always up to something good.
When your heart is broken and your spirit is crushed beneath the weight of your trials, know that God is near and He is up to something good—whether you feel like it or not! Fearing the Lord is foundational to the Christian life; it is the key to a joyful life. But fearing and obeying God is not a guarantee that life will always be easy. But never forget that God is always present, even when we suffer because of life’s trials. No matter how many troubles we may experience, we have no need to be afraid because we are never alone.
Trouble in this life is to be expected, but it does not mean God has forsaken you. As God’s people, we are not promised trouble-free living. But we are promised God’s sovereign presence in our suffering. During times of trial, we can find confidence knowing that God always uses our trials for our good and for His glory.
[1] James Montgomery Boice, Psalms (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 1994), 295.
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