Psalms 34 - by Jeremy Duke

Psalm 34:19–22 (ESV): 

Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all. 

He keeps all his bones;  not one of them is broken. 

 Affliction will slay the wicked,  and those who hate the righteous will be condemned. 

The Lord redeems the life of his servants;  none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned. 

Suffering will come! The righteous and the wicked alike experience troubles, affliction, evil and bad things.  Jesus does not promise us a life free from difficulty and the effects of evil: “In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33). The difference that this psalm highlights is the outcome for each person: the righteous will be delivered by the Lord (think of the Israelites delivered from suffering in Egypt), but troubles and afflictions lead to the death of the wicked. There is no deliverance or redemption for them. 

 We can know for certain that God will deliver us from trouble and redeem our life: for God made him who knew no sin (Jesus) to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21). We are made righteous by his work of deliverance! Since we have been delivered from the penalty of sin, God will continue to deliver us from evil: for he delivers the righteous out of allaffliction. 

 The ultimate Righteous One Jesus Christ suffered afflictions and was delivered by God through death unto life. God kept all his bones unbroken in death (v20) so that he might be shown to be the perfect Passover lamb (Exodus 12:46). The word condemned repeated in v21 and 22 has a meaning of bearing one’s guilt. If we take refuge in God we are free from the condemnation of bearing our sin (Romans 8:1) and our life is redeemed: the price has been paid by Jesus, who died for our sins. Since the price has been paid, we get eternal life for free. Praise God for the deliverance and redemption we receive by finding our refuge in Him!