Fret Not Yourselves Because of Evil Doers - Psalm 37 Part 1

 

Psalm 37:1-20  A Psalm of David  Commentary by Dennis Edwards

37:1-2 Fret not yourself because of evildoers, neither be you envious against the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb.

The whole psalm is a comparison of the life of the righteous in contrast to the life of the wicked. God commands the righteous to not be envious of the wicked who seems blessed upon the earth. He reminds us that our life is but a vapor that appears for little time and then is gone. We have no guarantee for tomorrow.

Our eye must be on heaven from whence also we look. We must not build bigger barns but lay up for ourselves treasures in heaven where moth and rust do not corrupt and where thieves do not break in and steal. Where our heart is, there our treasure will be also, Matthew 5:19-21. The saints of the Old Testament had no continuing city, but they sought one to come. Therefore, God was not ashamed to be called their God and He prepared for them a city, Hebrews 13:14, 11:16b.

Jesus said on the eve of His death, that He was going to prepare a place for us, that where He is, we would be also. He said in His Father’s house there were many mansions and that He went before to prepare one for us, John 14:2-3.  But our tendency is to look at what we do not have here on earth, and at what others are blessed with. We compare among ourselves, which Apostle Paul has told us is unwise to do, 2 Corinthians 12:10. We get our eyes off of heaven and off of our heavenly reward. We get our eyes on the here and now and want our reward today.

If we keep that frame of mind, God may indeed give us our request but send leanness to our souls, Psalm 116:15. What we should do is, keep our eyes on Jesus, who kept His eyes on the Father, and the heavenly vision, and the reward. He endured the cross for the joy that was set before Him, Hebrews 12:1-3. We should do the same.

We should be like Moses, who chose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasure of sin for a season. Esteeming the reproach of Christ, greater riches than the treasures that the world offers, Hebrews 11:25-26. We should deny ourselves and our desire for recognition, and comfort, and pleasure, and a life of ease. We should take up our cross for Christ and die daily to ourselves for His glory.

Psalm 34:3-6 Trust in the Lord, and do good; so, shall you dwell in the land, and verily you shall be fed. Delight yourself also in the Lord: and he shall give you the desires of your heart. Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday.

We need to walk by faith. For without faith, it is impossible to please God; for he that comes to God must believe that He is, and He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him, Hebrews 11:6. But we should seek Him with all our heart, for He promises that if we do, we shall find Him. “Seek the Lord, and His strength; seek His face continually,” 1 Chronicles 16:11. “For you shall seek Me and find Me, when you shall seek for Me, with all your heart,” Jeremiah 29:13.

Psalm 37:7-9 Rest in the LORD and wait patiently for him: fret not yourself because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who brings wicked devices to pass. Cease from anger and forsake wrath: fret not yourself in any wise to do evil. For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the Lord, they shall inherit the earth.

We will not make it unless we come and rest at the feet of Jesus daily. The mountain is too high, and the river is too wide. Only by coming unto Jesus and taking His yoke upon us and learning to have a meek and quiet spirit, will we be able to climb the rugged mountain path of life. If we wait upon the Lord in communion with Him, we will renew our strength. We will mount up with wings like eagles. We will run and not be weary. We will walk and not faint, Isaiah 41:31.

It is in the coming and resting in the Lord, and having quiet time with Him, where and when we are renewed, encouraged, and fortified for the battles ahead.

Psalm 37:10-11 For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: yea, you shall diligently consider his place, and it shall not be. But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.

The end of the wicked is the second death. Those who refuse to humble themselves and confess their sin shall be judged. For every knee shall bow, and every tongue shall confess that Jesus is Lord, of things in heaven, and things on earth. But if they do not submit, He will utterly pluck up and destroy them. “This is the second death,” Revelation 20:14b.

Psalm 37:12-15 The wicked plots against the just, and gnashes upon him with his teeth. The Lord shall laugh at him: for he sees that his day is coming. The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy, and to slay such as be of upright conversation. Their sword shall enter into their own heart, and their bows shall be broken.

Judgment is coming for the wicked. Though we know before Christ’s second coming mankind will first pass through the period called the great tribulation, there is a happy ending for the believer. Those that go through great tribulation and remain steadfast in the faith shall one day “be before the throne of God and serve Him day and night in His temple: and He that sits on the throne shall dwell among them. They shall hunger no more, neither shall they thirst anymore, neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them and lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes,” Revelation 7:14-17.

Psalm 37:16-17 A little that a righteous man has is better than the riches of many wicked. For the arms of the wicked shall be broken: but the Lord upholds the righteous.

In the book of Proverbs, we find the same message: “Better a little with the fear of the Lord than great treasures and trouble therewith. Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, than a fattened ox and hatred therewith,” Proverbs 15:16-17. “Better is a dry morsel in quietness than a house full of feasting with strife,” Proverbs 17:1.

Psalm 37:18-20 The Lord knows the days of the upright: and their inheritance shall be for ever. They shall not be ashamed in the evil time: and in the days of famine, they shall be satisfied. But the wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the Lord shall be as the fat of lambs: they shall consume; into smoke shall they consume away.

God promises to keep the righteous in the day of trouble. In Revelation at the onset of the great tribulation period, God sends forth an angel to set a mark on the forehead of those that serve Him, Revelation 7:3. He has said, “Because you have kept the word of My patience, I also will keep you from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth,” Revelation 3:10. In fact, when the church begins to suffer under the hands of the Antichrist world government, God promises that He will nourish His people and help them escape into the wilderness where He shall feed them for the three and a half year period, see Revelation 12:14.

It will be at that time we will claim Psalm 91 and the promises ascribed therein. Because we have set our love upon Him, therefore will He deliver us. He will set us on high (at the beginning of the Millennium period as priests and rulers), because we have known His name. We will call upon Him, and He will answer. He will be with us in trouble; He will deliver us and honour us. With long life (eternal life) will He satisfy us, and show us His salvation, Psalm 91:14-16 adapted.

End of first half of Psalm 37. Click for Part 2 (Tomorrow)

Originally published April 15, 2025.

 

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Prayer for Rescue from Enemies - Psalm 35

 

Psalm 35 – A Psalm of David, with commentaries by Dennis Edwards.

35:1-2 Plead my cause, O Lord, with them that strive with me: fight against them that fight against me. Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for my help.

Jesus said that without Him we could do nothing, John 15:5b, but with Him we can do all things because He strengthens us, Philippians 4:13.  Apostle Paul tells us we are fighting spiritual powers in celestial places. Therefore, we need to put on the whole armour of God to be able to stand against the wiles of the devil, and having done all to stand, Ephesians 6:11-13.

Paul tells us to have our loins girded with the truth. Walking in truth, being honest, truthful, speaking the truth in love is part of the armour that God has given us. In Proverbs we read, “Let not mercy and truth forsake you: bind them about your neck; write them upon the table of your heart: So, shall you find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man,” Proverbs 3:3-4.

Jesus said that He was the way, the truth, and the life, and that the Father wanted us to worship Him in spirit and in truth. Apostle John tells us, “The law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ,” John 1:17. Apostle Paul reveals that in Jesus is hidden all the treasure of wisdom and knowledge, Colossians 2:3, in other words, all truth is found in Jesus. He Himself said that if we obeyed His word, we would know the truth, and the truth would make us free, John 8:32. Truth, in all its aspects, is therefore an important part of our spiritual armour.

Apostle Paul also tells us above all to take “the shield of faith, wherewith you shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked,” Ephesians 6:16. In Hebrews, we learn, “Without faith it is impossible to please Him; for he that comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him,” Hebrews 11:6.

David in the present psalm is praying and asking the Lord to take up shield and buckler in his defence. Apostle Paul is telling us to take up the armour of God which includes the shield of faith. Abraham became the friend of God and the father of faith, because he believed God, and “staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God,” Romans 4:20.

We, too, must have faith. Our faith is encouraged by reading God’s word and following through on what He shows us to do. Faith is the hand of the spirit that reaches out and receives from God. It is our spiritual effort. Without faith we cannot please God. Lord, I believe, help put away my lack of faith.

Psalm 35: 3 Draw out also the spear, and stop the way against them that persecute me: say unto my soul, I am thy salvation.

In the armour of God that Apostle Paul describes, the only offensive weapon is the sword. What is the sword representative of? The sword is the word of God. Again, in Hebrews we read, “The word of God is quick (alive) and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart,” Hebrew 4:12.

We need to pick up the sword of the spirit which is God’s word and cut the devil and all his doubts and lies to the heart. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Read the word, quote the word, sing the word, memorize the word, believe the word, and act on the word. It is through believing and obeying the word that you receive power, for God gives His Holy Spirit to them that obey Him.

Psalm 35:4-6 Let them be confounded and put to shame that seek after my soul: let them be turned back and brought to confusion that devise my hurt. Let them be as chaff before the wind: and let the angel of the Lord chase them. Let their way be dark and slippery: and let the angel of the Lord persecute them.

David is asking the Lord to deal with his enemies for him.

In Psalm 1:4-6, we see that the ungodly are like the chaff which the wind drives away. They shall not have a place in the judgment, in other words, their lives will not be extended in the after-life, but rather they shall perish. 

At the Great White Throne Judgment Seat of God, after the 1,000-year millennium and the final battle of Gog and Magog, all the souls of the unbelievers who didn’t come to faith in Christ will be raised and brought before God for the final judgment. They will all be judged according to their works, whether they were good, or whether they were evil. Those not found written in the book of life shall be cast into the lake of fire which is the second death, see Revelation 20:11-15. 

Psalm 35:7-8 For without cause have they hid for me their net in a pit, which without cause they have digged for my soul. Let destruction come upon him at unawares; and let his net that he has hid catch himself: into that very destruction let him fall.

Which is what eventually happened to King Saul who had sought David’s life for many years. King Saul and his sons died in battle against the Philistines, 1 Samuel 31.

Psalm 35:9-10 And my soul shall be joyful in the Lord: it shall rejoice in his salvation. All my bones shall say, Lord, who is like unto You, which delivers the poor from him that is too strong for him, yea, the poor and the needy from him that spoils him?

The day is coming when the rich and powerful will be judged. In Revelation we read, “And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains. And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of Him that sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: for the great day of His wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand,” Revelation 6:15-17.

The meek shall inherit the earth and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace, Psalm 37:11.

Until that day, we need to fight discouragement. We need to fight for joy, for it is the joy of the Lord which is our strength. "Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say, rejoice," Philippians 4:4. Don't let a cloud of sadness linger over you. "In everything give thanks," 1 Thessalonians 5:18. "Enter into His gates with thanksgiving and into His courts with praise: be thankful unto Him, and bless His name." Psalm 100:4. 

Psalm 35:11-12 False witnesses did rise up; they laid to my charge things that I knew not. They rewarded me evil for good to the spoiling of my soul.

Like David, and Jesus, and other men and women of God, the enemy of our soul will anoint those who he will use to rise up against the godly. Jesus said, “If they have persecuted Me, they will also persecute you,” John 15:20. Apostle Paul wrote similarly, “All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution,” 2 Timothy 3:12. We will be falsely accused by our enemies of things we are not guilty of.

Psalm 35:13-14 But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer returned into my own bosom. I behaved myself as though he had been my friend or brother: I bowed down heavily, as one that mourns for his mother.

Like Jesus mourning over Jerusalem when he was about to enter it before His passion, Luke 19:41, we see David treating his enemies with love and compassion. Jesus went further and forgave the Roman soldiers who had crucified Him. “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do,” Luke 23:34.

Psalm 35:15-16 But in my adversity, they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together: yea, the abjects (assailants or persecutors) gathered themselves together against me, and I knew it not; they did tear me, and ceased not: With hypocritical mockers in feasts, they gnashed upon me with their teeth.

We see Jesus under Annas and Caiaphas getting stricken in the face and spit upon. “Then did they spit in his face, and buffeted Him; and others smote Him with the palms of their hands,” Matthew 26:67.

Psalm 35:17-18 Lord, how long wilt You look on? Rescue my soul from their destructions, my darling from the lions. I will give You thanks in the great congregation: I will praise You among much people.

Praise is the victory. Apostle Paul advises us to give thanks in every situation. When he and Silas were imprisoned for witnessing, it says that at midnight they “prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them,” Acts 16:25. Paul and Silas served the Lord with gladness: they came into God’s presence with singing. They were able to make a joyful noise in spite of the seemingly difficult situation. God miraculously intercedes for them and frees them. Their praying, praising, and singing were the vehicle that helped bring their deliverance.

Psalm 35:19-21 Let not them that are my enemies wrongfully rejoice over me: neither let them wink with the eye that hate me without a cause. For they speak not peace: but they devise deceitful matters against them that are quiet in the land. Yea, they opened their mouth wide against me, and said, Aha, aha, our eye has seen it.

It hurts when we are being wrongly accused and slandered. All we can do is to cry out to the Lord to rise up in our defence and leave it in His hands.

Psalm 35:22-23 This You have seen, O Lord: keep not silence: O Lord, be not far from me. Stir up Yourself, and awake to my judgment, even unto my cause, my God and my Lord.

God will respond when we call and send help of some kind. "Before you call, I will answer; and while you are yet speaking, I will hear," Isaiah 65:24. He may send a sympathetic lawyer or doctor or psychiatrist to stand up for your cause, or an organization or club to defend you.

Psalm 35:24-26 Judge me, O Lord my God, according to Your righteousness; and let them not rejoice over me. Let them not say in their hearts, Ah, so would we have it: let them not say, We have swallowed him up. Let them be ashamed and brought to confusion together that rejoice at my hurt: let them be clothed with shame and dishonour that magnify themselves against me.

In the midst of persecution our cry should be like David’s. We should pray against those that are persecuting us, and against the spiritual entities, the demonic spiritual forces attacking us in our minds or in our emotions.

Psalm 35:27-28 Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that favour my righteous cause: yea, let them say continually, Let the Lord be magnified, which has pleasure in the prosperity of his servant. And my tongue shall speak of Your righteousness and of Your praise all the day long.

David ends his psalm with praise. He knows God will answer and send him victory, and confound and defeat his enemies. We do the same. Lord, bring victory out of seeming defeat. Deliver us from the hand of our enemies and those too strong for us. Be our defence against all the wiles of the enemy. In Jesus’ name, we pray.

Published originally February 12, 2025

 

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The Importance of Being Praiseful! - 2 Chronicles 20

A Victory of Prayer, Praise, and Song: 2 Chronicles 20

By Dennis Edwards

Praise is such an important spiritual discipline. I wanted to read to you a chapter from the Bible which shows you the importance of using praise in your daily life. I’m reading from II Chronicles 20. It says, 

“It came to pass after this also, that the children of Moab, and the children of Ammon and with them other beside the Ammonites, came against Jehoshaphat to battle.”[1]

The children of Moab, and the children of Ammon were descendants from Lot the nephew of Abraham. At the time of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah Lot had fled from Sodom with his wife and two unwed daughters with the help of the angels. Lot’s wife looked back and turned into a pilar of salt. Lot and his two daughters fled onward to a small town near the mountains and later escaped to a cave to hide from the great destruction. The destruction was so terrible, the daughters feared that they were the only ones left alive. In their distress they decided to get their father drunk and each took a turn to lay with him, to give them seed. The children of Moab and the children of Ammon are the descendants form the sexual relations Lot had with his two daughters. 

The children of mount Seir are descendants of Ishmael and Esau. Ishmael was the son of Abraham by Hagar, Sarah, Abraham’s wife’s maidservant. Sarah had passed the time of child-bearing so encouraged Abraham to go in unto Hagar and bring forth seed through her. Ishmael was the result of Abraham’s sexual relationship with Hagar. Afterwards, God touched Sarah’s womb and Abraham and Sarah brought forth Isaac, the child of promise. Esau, the first born of Isaac, lost his birth-right and his blessing to Jacob his younger brother. He later married one of Ishmael’s daughters hoping to regain favor with his father. 

Back to II Chronicles: 

“Then there came some that told Jehoshaphat, saying, There comes a great multitude against thee from beyond the sea on this side of Syria; and, behold, they be in Hazazontamar, which is Engedi. 

“And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.”[2]

So here we see that there were coming three armies against Judah and Jerusalem, it’s capitol. But the first thing king Jehoshaphat does when he hears about it, is that he proclaims a fast throughout Judah to pray and seek the Lord. Jehoshaphat gets serious with God. He seeks God and makes sure his people do the same. 

“And Judah gathered themselves together, to ask help of the Lord: even out of all the cities of Judah they came to seek the Lord."

We note that the people responded positively. Why was that? It was a result of Jehoshaphat having set out both prophets and priests to teach the word of the Lord to the people previously. The people’s hearts were ready to seek the Lord because they had been partaking of the teaching of the word through God’s prophets and teachers. In 2 Chronicles 17:9 we read,  

“And they (the prophets and priests) taught in Judah, and had the book of the law of the Lord with them, and went about throughout all the cities of Judah, and taught the people.”  

Jehoshaphat’s people were ready to seek the Lord because they had been learning from God’s word. 

“And Jehoshaphat stood in the congregation of Judah, and Jerusalem, in the house of the Lord, before the new court, 

“And said, O Lord God of our fathers, art not thou God in Heaven? And rulest not thou over all the kingdoms of the heathen? And in thine hand is there not power and might, so that none is able to withstand thee? 

“Art not thou our God, who did drive out the inhabitants of the land before thy people Israel, and gave it to the seed of Abraham thy friend for ever? 

“And they dwelt therein, and have built thee a sanctuary therein for thy name, saying, 

“If when evil comes upon us, as the sword, judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we stand before this house, and in thy presence, (for thy name is in this house,) and cry unto thee in our affliction, then thou wilt hear and help.”[3]

At that time God’s Holy Spirit was present in the Temple in Jerusalem. From the time of Moses it had been present in the cloud that led Israel out of Egypt and in the cloud came upon the tabernacle and dwelt therein. Later the Holy Spirit of God’s presence filled the Holy of Holies in the Temple that Solomon built. In 2 Chronicle 6:34-35 we read a part of Solomon’s prayer at the time of the anointing of the Temple.

“If thy people go out to war against their enemies by way that thou shalt send them, and they pray unto thee toward this city which thou hast chosen, and the house which I have built for thy name; then hear thou from the heavens their prayer and their supplication, and maintain their cause.”

Jehoshaphat is reminding both the people and the Lord of the prayer of Solomon. Jehoshaphat is claiming God’s word, God’s promises in his word. He’s helping the people to believe and stand on God’s word.

“And now, behold, the children of Ammon and Moab, (the descendants from Lot) and mount Seir, (the descendants of Ishmael and Esau) whom thou would not let Israel invade, when they came out of the land of Egypt, but they turned from them, and destroyed them not; 

“Behold, I say, how they reward us, to come to cast us out of thy possession, which thou hast given us to inherit. 

“O our God, wilt thou not judge them? For we have no might against this great company that comes against us; neither know we what to do: but our eyes are upon thee. 

“And all Judah stood before the Lord, with their little ones, their wives, and their children.”[4]

We notice here that the whole family was involved in seeking the Lord, in getting desperate with God. It was not just left to the woman, or to the men, but even the “little ones” and the older children participated. 

So then, the spirit of the Lord comes upon Jahaziel, a descendant of Asaph. Asaph was one of the musicians, who like King David, had written some of the famous psalms that we find in the Old Testament. I have found some twelve psalms written by Asaph. We read, 

“Then upon Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mataniah, a Levite of the sons of Asaph, came the spirit of the Lord in the midst of the congregation; 

“And he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the Lord unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God’s. 

“Tomorrow go ye down against them: behold, they come up by the cliff of Ziz; and ye shall find them at the end of the brook, before the wilderness of Jeruel. 

“Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the Lord with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them: for the Lord will be with you. 

“And Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground: and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell before the Lord, worshipping the Lord. 

“And the Levites, of the children of the Kohathites, and of the children of the Korhites, stood up to praise the Lord God of Israel with a loud voice on high.”[5]

The Kohathites and Korhites were those who worked with the Levites in the service of the Temple and were the singers, or choral or choir for the worship services. 

“And they rose early in the morning, and went forth into the wilderness of Tekoa: and as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem; Believe in the Lord your God, so shall ye be established; believe His prophets, so shall ye prosper. 

“And when they had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the Lord, and that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and to say, Praise the Lord; for His mercy endures forever.”[6]

In the book of Psalms in the Old Testament we can find at least two songs of worshipped used during the Temple sacrifice and service which repeat the phrase, “His mercy endures forever.” One is the first four verses in Psalm 118. I’ll let you read them here. 

“O give thanks unto the Lord; for He is good: for His mercies endures for ever. Let Israel now say, that His mercy endures for ever. Let the house of Aaron (the priests) now say, that His mercy endures for ever. Let them now that fear the Lord say, that His mercy endures for ever.”[7]

In Psalm 136 the phrase, “His mercy endures for ever,” is repeated twenty-six times. I’ll read you the first four verses of this psalm so you get a feeling of the faith it imparted. 

“O give thanks unto the Lord; for He is good: for His mercy endures for ever. O give thanks unto the God of gods; for His mercy endures for ever. O give thanks to the Lord of lords: for His mercy endures for ever. To Him that does great wonders: for His mercy endures for ever.”[8]

The rest of the psalm recites the act of Creation, the deliverance of the children of Israel from Egypt, and the defeat of great Kings whose lands the children of Israel went on to possess. Both these psalms were used regularly in Temple worship and would have been readily available for the singers to sing. The last verse in Psalm 136 concludes with: 

“O give thanks unto the God of heaven: for His mercy endures for ever.”[9]

The singers were going to march ahead of the army, manifesting the people’s faith that God was going to fight for them. This was all done with consultation and prayer and not dictated by the king. This was all done with consultation and prayer and not dictated by the king. It reminds us of Malachi 3:16ª.

“Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another: and the Lord hearkened, and heard it.”

Also, in Proverbs 11:14 we read about taking counsel when going to war.

Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.”

“And when they began to sing and praise, the Lord set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten.”[10]

And now God’s word explains what the “ambushments” were. 

“For the children of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of mount Seir, utterly to slay and destroy them: and when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, every one helped to destroy another.”[11]

So God sent a spirit of division between the different armies. First, the two armies who were more closely related, descendants from Lot, destroyed the army that was descendant from Ishmael and Esau. Mount Seir got destroyed first. Afterwards, the descendants of Lot, Moab and Ammon, fought amongst themselves and destroyed each other. 

“And when Judah came toward the watch tower in the wilderness, they looked unto the multitude, and, behold, they were dead bodies fallen to the earth, and none escaped. 

“And when Jehoshaphat and his people came to take away the spoil of them, they found among them in abundance both riches with the dead bodies, and precious jewels, which they stripped off for themselves, more than they could carry away: and they were three days in gathering of the spoil, it was so much. 

“And on the fourth day they assembled themselves in the valley of Berachah; for there they blessed the Lord: therefore the name of the same place was called, The valley of Berachah, unto this day. 

“Then they returned, every man of Judah and Jerusalem, and Jehoshaphat in the forefront of them, to go again to Jerusalem with joy; for the Lord had made them to rejoice over their enemies. 

“And they came to Jerusalem with psalteries and harps and trumpets unto the house of the Lord. 

“And the fear of God was on all the kingdoms of those countries, when they had heard that the Lord fought against the enemies of Israel. 

“So the realm of Jehoshaphat was quiet: for his God gave him rest round about.”[12]

So here we see the importance of using praise to win victories over our enemies. The children of Israel believed that God was with them and therefore they went out in praise. They sent the choir in front of the army to manifest their faith in what the Lord had said to them, that He would fight for them and they would not need to fight. They sang probably from Psalm 118 and Psalm 136 which repeats over and over, “Oh give thanks unto the God of heaven: for his mercy endures for ever.”[13]

What was the results? Were they defeated? No, they won the battle without even fighting. 

Maybe you having a battle in your own life and three armies are coming against you. Maybe you’re sick, and you have financial problems, and you have family problems, and it seems that these armies are just destroying your life. Well, what can you do? You can believe the Lord thy God, that’s the first step. Believing in God is going to establish you, it’s going to give your life a good, solid foundation. 

Step two, you are going to believe His prophets, those of His servants who are bringing forth the fruit of God’s goodness in their lives. In this case in our Bible study, the prophets were telling the people, contrary to the seeming impossible circumstances which they faced, that God was with them and would fight for them, if the trusted and obeyed Him. 

Because the people believed, they used the weapon of praise to defeat their enemy, and their biggest enemies were their own fears and doubts about the situation. They started singing and giving thanks which manifested their faith that God was going to do what He had promised He would do. They sent forth the singers in front of the army to demonstrate their confidence in God’s promises. One man’s faith and desperation, that of king Jehoshaphat, had transformed the whole nation to faith and obedience to God. 

So what about you? Will you lift up your voice, no matter how discouraged you may be, no matter how sick you are, no matter how bad you feel the situation is? Have faith in God. He will not fail you. Get desperate in prayer. Call out to God with your family and loved ones. Seek the Lord while He may be found. 

Then, start praising the Lord. Praise your way out of that valley of despair, or that pit of discouragement that you have fallen into. Praise, and praise, and praise and praise again. Fight those demons of gloom, those demons of depression and God will lift you up. God will reach down and lift you up.

God’s word says, “Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you. Humble yourself in the sight of the Lord and He will lift you up.”[14] Humble yourself. Call out to God. Use the weapon of praise. Sing and lift up your voice in thanksgiving and praise. And God promises to lift you up and defeat those armies, those difficulties, those demons of discouragement that are battling you. God’s going to raise you up, just like that popular song says. He will lift you up out of that valley of the shadow of death that you have fallen into and you'll stand on His shoulders.

 Use the weapon of praise. It’s a key weapon. Use it today. Praise is the victory. Sing, shout, praise the Lord. "Let everything that has breath praise the Lord,"[15] which is the very last verse of all the psalms and the summary of all the preceding, for He is the victory. 

You may want to follow “The 30 Day Praise Challenge”[16] by Becky Harling and listen to the songs on YouTube she suggests. Learn to give thanks for twenty minutes a day and listen to the songs Becky suggests[17], or ones similar, until they become part and soul of your very being. Praise will change your life for the better. Try it, you won’t be disappointed.

Originally published September 2, 2018

Footnotes:
[1] II Chronicles 20:1
[2] II Chronicles 20:2-3
[3] II Chronicles 20:4-9
[4] II Chronicles 20:10-13
[5] II Chronicles 20:14-19
[6] II Chronicles 20:20-21
[7] Psalm 118:1-4
[8] Psalm 136:1-4
[9] Psalm 136:26
[10] II Chronicles 20:22
[11] II Chronicles 20:23
[12] II Chronicles 20:24-30
[13] Psalm 136:26
[14] James 4:7
[15] Psalm 150:6
[16] https://www.amazon.com/30-Day-Praise-Challenge-Becky-Harling-ebook/dp/B00C62S52U
[17] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvCDEuANWdI&list=PLXIQnDCwKXFtbmbwcUb8V8R-uGms34ovY

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SALMO 34 - Um Louvor pela Libertação dos Problemas

Salmo 34 - Um Salmo de David quando mudou o seu comportamento diante de Abimeleque; que o expulsou, e ele partiu. Comentários de Dennis Edwards. Vamos ler nas Escrituras o que aconteceu.

1 Samuel 21:10-15 & 22:1 “Levantou-se, pois, Davi e fugiu naquele dia de diante de Saul, e foi ter com Áquis, rei de Gate. Mas os servos de Áquis lhe perguntaram: Este não é Davi, o rei da terra? não foi deste que cantavam nas danças, dizendo: Saul matou os seus milhares, por Davi os seus dez milhares? E Davi considerou estas palavras no seu coração, e teve muito medo de Áquis, rei de Gate. Pelo que se contrafez diante dos olhos deles, e fingiu-se doido nas mãos deles, garatujando nas portas, e deixando correr a saliva pela barba. Então disse Áquis aos seus servos: Bem vedes que este homem está louco; por que mo trouxestes a mim? Faltam-me a mim doidos, para que trouxésseis a este para fazer doidices diante de mim? há de entrar este na minha casa? Davi fugiu da cidade de Gate e foi para a caverna de Adulão.”

David poderia ter perdido a vida naquele momento se não tivesse sido ungido para se fazer de louco. Quando David escapa, agradece ao Senhor o milagre de o proteger e abrir um caminho de fuga.


Salmo 34:1-4 Bendirei ao Senhor em todo o tempo; o seu louvor estará continuamente na minha boca. No Senhor se gloria a minha alma; ouçam-no os mansos e se alegrem. Engrandeci ao Senhor comigo, e juntos exaltemos o seu nome. Busquei ao Senhor, e ele me respondeu, e de todos os meus temores me livrou.


O louvor extremo é o que precisamos de aprender se queremos superar as dificuldades da vida. O apóstolo Paulo diz-nos que em tudo devemos dar graças, 1 Tessalonicenses 5:18. Por outras palavras, em cada situação, por mais terrível ou angustiante que possa ser, precisamos de ser capazes de a ver através das lentes de Romanos 8:28 e “saber que todas as coisas cooperam para o bem daqueles que amam a Deus e a são chamados segundo o Seu propósito.”

Se conseguirmos colocar estas duas lentes nos nossos olhos e ver cada circunstância que acontece na vida através dos óculos da gratidão e da confiança, podemos caminhar em vitória e superar todas as dificuldades da vida. Dar graças por tudo o que acontece nas nossas vidas e confiar que Deus pode fazer tudo para o nosso bem mostra a nossa confiança e fé de que Deus nos ama e que as nossas vidas estão nas Suas mãos, para fazermos de acordo com a Sua vontade.


Salmo 34:5-6 Olhai para ele, e sede iluminados; e os vossos rostos jamais serão confundidos. Clamou este pobre, e o Senhor o ouviu, e o livrou de todas as suas angústias.


Se olharmos para o Senhor em tempos de dificuldades, sejam elas financeiras, conjugais, familiares, morte, doença ou acidente; Deus estará connosco. Quando Moisés passou tempo com Deus, o seu rosto brilhou quando Ele desceu do monte. Tanto que o seu irmão e todo o Israel tiveram medo de se aproximar dele.


Êxodo 34:29-30 "Ao descer do monte Sinai com as duas tábuas da aliança nas mãos, Moisés não sabia que o seu rosto resplandecia por ter conversado com o Senhor. Quando Arão e todos os israelitas viram Moisés, com o rosto resplandecente, tiveram medo de aproximar-se dele."

Quando Estêvão, o primeiro mártir da igreja cristã, foi levado para interrogatório, o seu rosto foi mostrado como o de um anjo, Atos 6:15. Se passarmos com Deus o tempo de que necessitamos, os nossos rostos brilharão com a alegria do Senhor e a paz de Deus que excede todo o entendimento. Os fardos que temos carregado serão também transferidos para os ombros de Jesus e a nossa carga tornar-se-á fácil e leve.


Salmo 55:22 “Lança o teu fardo sobre o Senhor, e ele te susterá. Ele nunca permitirá que o justo seja abalado.”


Mateus 11:30 “Porque o meu jugo é suave, e o meu fardo é leve.”


Precisamos apenas de levar os nossos problemas e preocupações ao Senhor em oração.


Salmo 34:7 O anjo do Senhor acampa-se ao redor dos que o temem, e os livra.


Quem é o “anjo do Senhor” que vemos nas Escrituras do Antigo Testamento?


Êxodo 23:20-21 “Eis que eu envio um anjo adiante de ti, para guardar-te pelo caminho, e conduzir-te ao lugar que te tenho preparado. Anda apercebido diante dele, e ouve a sua voz; não sejas rebelde contra ele, porque não perdoará a tua rebeldia; pois nele está o meu nome.”


Vemos o Senhor a aparecer a Abraão. Depois, na destruição de Sodoma e Gomorra, “o Senhor (que apareceu a Abraão) fez chover sobre Sodoma e Gomorra enxofre e fogo, da parte do Senhor, do céu”, Génesis 19:24. Encontramos um Senhor na terra a fazer chover fogo e enxofre de um Senhor no céu.


Isaías 63:9 “Em toda a angústia deles foi ele angustiado, e o anjo da sua presença os salvou; no seu amor, e na sua compaixão ele os remiu; e os tomou, e os carregou todos os dias da antiguidade.”


A aparição do “Senhor”, do “anjo da Sua presença”, do “Anjo do Senhor”, até mesmo da “voz do Senhor a caminhar no jardim”, no Antigo Testamento, são exemplos de Deus a aparecer ao homem em algum tipo de corpo físico. Alguns estudiosos acreditam que estas aparições de Deus foram, na verdade, aparições de Jesus, o Messias, sob a forma pré-encarnada.


Salmo 34:8 Provai, e vede que o Senhor é bom; bem-aventurado o homem que nele se refugia.


Deus quer que O provemos, que O experimentemos, que O provemos com os nossos sentidos, num certo sentido. Jesus disse: “Se alguém quiser fazer a vontade de Deus, há de saber se a doutrina é dele, ou se eu falo por mim mesmo.”, João 7:17. Jesus estava a desafiar os céticos a seguirem os Seus ensinamentos e, ao segui-los, descobririam que eram de facto verdadeiros e de Deus.


Salmo 34:9-10 Temei ao Senhor, vós, seus santos, porque nada falta aos que o temem. Os leõezinhos necessitam e sofrem fome, mas àqueles que buscam ao Senhor, bem algum lhes faltará.


Salomão disse-nos: “Ouçamos a conclusão de todo o assunto: temei a Deus e guardai os seus mandamentos, porque isto é o dever de todo o homem”, Eclesiastes 12:13. É claro que Salomão não está a falar sobre a emoção do terror, mas sobre um temor fiel e reverência ou respeito pelo nosso Criador. Sabemos que foi Ele que nos criou e não nós próprios.



Este tipo de temor do Senhor é o princípio do conhecimento, Provérbios 1:7. Começamos pela suposição inicial correta, que é: "No princípio Deus", Génesis 1:1a. É o insensato que disse no seu coração: Não há Deus, Salmo 14:1a. Contudo, “no temor do Senhor há firme confiança; e os seus filhos terão um lugar de refúgio”, Provérbios 14:26.


Salmo 34:12-14 Quem é o homem que deseja a vida, e quer longos dias para ver o bem? Guarda a tua língua do mal, e os teus lábios de falarem dolosamente. Aparta-te do mal, e faze o bem: busca a paz, e segue-a.


Em Tiago 3 lemos sobre o problema da língua, que é um mundo de iniquidade, Tiago 3:6a. Tiago continua escrevendo: “Quem é sábio e dotado de conhecimento entre vós? Mostre, pelo bom procedimento, as suas obras em mansidão de sabedoria, Tiago 3:13. “Se alguém não tropeça em palavra, o tal é homem perfeito (ou maduro), e capaz de refrear (ou controlar) todo o corpo”, Tiago 3:2b.


Lemos em Miqueias: “O que o Senhor vos requer: mas que pratiqueis a justiça, e ameis a beneficência, e andeis humildemente com o vosso Deus,” Miqueias 6:8.

Salmo 34:15-17 Os olhos do Senhor estão sobre os justos, e os seus ouvidos atentos ao seu clamor. A face do Senhor está contra os que fazem o mal, para desarraigar da terra a memória deles. Os justos clama, e o Senhor os ouve, e os livra de todas as suas angústias.


O Senhor ouvirá o clamor do coração penitente. Quando o Senhor apareceu a Salomão, Ele prometeu:

2 Crônicas 7:14 “e se o meu povo, que se chama pelo meu nome, se humilhar, e orar, e buscar a minha face, e se desviar dos seus maus caminhos, então eu ouvirei do céu, e perdoarei os seus pecados, e sararei a sua terra.”


Salmo 34:18 Perto está o Senhor dos que têm o coração quebrantado, e salva os contritos de espírito.


Repetidamente, Deus diz-nos que ouve o clamor dos humildes, dos quebrantados, dos abatidos, dos pobres de espírito, dos mansos. Se nos humilharmos diante d’Ele, Ele exaltar-nos-á, Tiago 4:10.


Salmo 34:19 Muitas são as aflições do justo, mas de todas elas o Senhor o livra.


Muitos pastores estão a ensinar o evangelho da saúde e da riqueza de que é a vontade de Deus que tenhamos uma saúde perfeita e vivamos em abundância. O apóstolo Paulo diz-nos que “todos os que querem viver piedosamente em Cristo Jesus padecerão perseguições”, 2 Timóteo 3:12. Jesus disse: “Se me perseguiram a mim, também vos perseguirão a vós”, João 15:20b.


O apóstolo Pedro faz um comentário sobre grande parte do Salmo 34. Continua dizendo que, como cristãos, sofreremos.


1 Pedro 4:12-19 “Amados, não estranheis a ardente provação que vem sobre vós para vos experimentar, como se coisa estranha vos acontecesse; mas regozijai-vos por serdes participantes das aflições de Cristo; para que também na revelação da sua glória vos regozijeis e exulteis. Se pelo nome de Cristo sois vituperados, bem-aventurados sois, porque sobre vós repousa o Espírito da glória, o Espírito de Deus. Que nenhum de vós, entretanto, padeça como homicida, ou ladrão, ou malfeitor, ou como quem se entremete em negócios alheios; mas, se padece como cristão, não se envergonhe, antes glorifique a Deus neste nome. Porque já é tempo que comece o julgamento pela casa de Deus; e se começa por nós, qual será o fim daqueles que desobedecem ao evangelho de Deus? E se o justo dificilmente se salva, onde comparecerá o ímpio pecador? Portanto os que sofrem segundo a vontade de Deus confiem as suas almas ao fiel Criador, praticando o bem.”


Salmo 34:20 Ele lhe preserva todos os ossos; nem sequer um deles se quebra.


Outra profecia messiânica que sai inadvertidamente da boca do profeta e é posteriormente explicada no Novo Testamento.


João 19:33 e 36 “Mas vindo a Jesus, e vendo que já estava morto, não lhe quebraram as pernas;… Porque isto aconteceu para que se cumprisse a escritura: Nenhum dos seus ossos será quebrado.”


Jesus foi o único verdadeiramente justo que não pecou e, no entanto, sofreu muitas aflições. Ele é o sumo sacerdote que se compadece do nosso sofrimento, pois foi tentado em todos os sentidos, como nós, mas sem pecado, Hebreus 4:15.


Salmo 34:21-22 A malícia matará o ímpio, e os que odeiam o justo serão condenados. O Senhor resgata a alma dos seus servos, e nenhum dos que nele se refugiam será condenado.


Os homens maus receberão o julgamento. Os piedosos serão salvos e abençoados. Escolha os seus companheiros com sabedoria. “Não vos enganeis. As más companhias corrompem os bons costumes.”, 1 Coríntios 15:33. Faça escolhas acertadas. A sua eternidade depende disso.


Apocalipse 22:12-14 “Eis que cedo venho e está comigo a minha recompensa, para retribuir a cada um segundo a sua obra. Eu sou o Alfa e o Ômega, o primeiro e o derradeiro, o princípio e o fim. Bem-aventurados aqueles que lavam as suas vestes [no sangue do Cordeiro] para que tenham direito à arvore da vida, e possam entrar na cidade pelas portas.”

publicado originalment 04/02/2025.

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Psalm 34 - A Praise For Deliverance From Troubles!

A Psalm of David when he changed his behaviour before Abimelech; who drove him away, and he departed. Commentaries by Dennis Edwards. Let us read from the Scriptures what happened. 

1 Samuel 21:10-15 & 22:1:a ”And David arose and fled that day for fear of Saul, and went to Achish the king of Gath. And the servants of Achish said unto him, Is not this David the king of the land? Did they not sing one to another of him in dances, saying, Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands? And David laid up these words in his heart, and was sore afraid of Achish the king of Gath. And David changed his behaviour before them, and feigned himself mad in their hands, and scrabbled on the doors of the gate, and let his spittle fall down upon his beard. Then said Achish unto his servants, Lo, you see the man is mad: wherefore then have you brought him to me? Have I need of mad men, that you have brought this fellow to play the mad man in my presence? Shall this fellow come into my house? David therefore departed thence, and escaped to the cave Adullam."

David could have lost his life at that moment had he not been anointed to play the madman. When David escapes, he gives thanks unto the Lord for the miracle of protecting him and making a way of escape.

Psalm 34:1-4 I will bless the Lord at all times: His praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make her boast in the Lord: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad. O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together. I sought the Lord, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.

Extreme praise is what we need to learn, if we are to overcome the difficulties of life. Apostle Paul tells us that in everything we should give thanks, 1 Thessalonians 5:18. In other words, in every situation, no matter how dire or distressing it may be, we need to be able to see it through the lens of Romans 8:28 and “know that all things work together for good to them that love God and are called according to His purpose.”

If we can put those two lenses on our eyes and see every circumstance that happens in life through the glasses of thankfulness and trust, we can walk in victory, and overcome all of life’s difficulties. Giving thanks for everything that happens in our lives, and trusting that God can work it our for good, shows our confidence and faith that God loves us and our lives are in His hands, to do according to His will.

Psalm 34:5-6 They looked unto Him, and were lightened: and their faces were not ashamed. This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles.

If we look to the Lord in time of trouble, whether it be financial, marital, family related, death, sickness, or accident; God will be with us. When Moses spent time with God, his face shone when He came down off the mountain. So much so, that his brother and all of Israel were afraid to come near to him.

Exodus 34:29-30 “And it came to pass, when Moses came down from mount Sinai with the two tables of testimony in Moses' hand, when he came down from the mount, that Moses knew not that the skin of his face shone while he talked with Him. And when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone; and they were afraid to come nigh him.”

When Stephen, the first martyr of the Christian church, was brought in for interrogation, his face shown as that of an angel, Acts 6:15. If we spend the time with God that we need, our faces will shine with the joy of the Lord, and the peace of God that passes all understanding. The burdens we have been bearing will also be transferred to Jesus’ shoulders and our load will become easy and light.

Psalm 55:22 “Cast your burden upon the Lord, and He shall sustain you: He shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.”

Matthew 11:30 “For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.”

We just have to take it to the Lord in prayer.

Psalm 34:7 The angel of the Lord encamps round about them that fear him, and delivers them.

Who is the “angel of the Lord” that we see throughout the Old Testament Scriptures?

Exodus 23:20-21 “Behold, I send an Angel before you to keep you in the way, and to bring you into the place which I have prepared. Beware of Him, and obey His voice; provoke Him not; for He will not pardon your transgressions: for My name is in Him.”

We see the Lord appearing to Abraham. Then at the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, “the Lord (who appeared to Abraham) rained upon Sodom and Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven,” Genesis 19:24. We find a Lord on earth raining down fire and brimstone from a Lord in heaven.

Isaiah 63:9 “In all their affliction He was afflicted, and the angel of His presence saved them: in His love and in His pity, He redeemed them; and He bare them, and carried them all the days of old.”

The appearance of “the Lord,” of “the angel of His presence,” of “the Angel of the Lord,” even the “voice of the Lord walking in the garden,” in the Old Testament, are examples of God appearing to man in some sort of a physical body. Some scholars believe these God appearances were actually appearances of Jesus, the Messiah, in pre-incarnate form.

Psalm 34:8 O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusts in Him.

God wants us to prove Him, to try Him, to taste Him with our senses, in a sense. Jesus said, “If any man will do His will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of Myself,” John 7:17. Jesus was challenging the sceptics to follow His teachings, and in following the teachings, they would find that they were indeed true, and of God.

Psalm 34:9-10 O fear the Lord, you His saints: for there is no want to them that fear Him. The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing. Come, you children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the Lord.

Solomon has told us, “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man,” Ecclesiastes 12:13. Of course, Solomon is not talking about the emotion of terror, but a faithful fear and reverence or respect for our Creator. We know it is He that has made us and not we ourselves.

That type of fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, Proverbs 1:7. We that believe start with the right initial assumption, which is, "In the beginning God," Genesis 1a. It is the fool who has said in his heart, There is no God, Psalm 14:1a. However, “In the fear of the Lord there is strong confidence; and His children shall have a place of refuge,” Proverbs 14:26.

Psalm 34:12-13 What man is he that desires life, and loves many days, that he may see good? Keep your tongue from evil, and your lips from speaking guile. Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.

In James 3 we read that the problem of the tongue is that it is a world of iniquity, James 3:6a. James goes on to write, “Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? Let him show out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom, James 3:13. “If any man offends not in word, the same is a perfect (or mature) man, and able to bridle (or control) the whole body,” James 3:2b.

In Micah, we find, “What does the Lord require of you: but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God,” Micah 6:8.

Psalm 34:15-17 The eyes of the Lord are the upon the righteous, and His ears are open unto their cry. The face of the Lord is against them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.  The righteous cry, and the Lord hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles.

The Lord will hear the cry of the penitent heart. When the Lord appeared unto Solomon, He promised,

2 Chronicles 7:14 “If My people, which are called by My name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways; then I will hear from heaven, and forgive their sin, and heal their land.”

Psalm 34:18 The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saves such as be of a contrite spirit.

Over and over again, God tells us He hears the cry of the humble, the broken, the downcast, the poor in spirit, the meek. If we humble ourselves in His sight, He will lift us up, James 4:10.

Psalm 34:19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivers him out of them all.

Many pastors are teaching the health and wealth gospel that it is God’s will for us to have perfect health and live in abundance. Apostle Paul tells us that, “all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution,” 2 Timothy 3:12. Jesus said, “If they have persecuted Me, they will also persecute you,” John 15:20b.

Apostle Peter does a commentary on much of Psalm 34. He goes on to say, that as Christians, we will suffer.

1 Peter 4: 12-19 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as you are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when His glory shall be revealed, you may be glad also with exceeding joy. If you be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are you; for the spirit of glory and of God rests upon you: on their part He is evil spoken of, but on your part, He is glorified. But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men's matters. Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf. For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to Him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.

Psalm 34:20 He keeps all His bones: not one of them is broken.

Another one of the Messianic prophecies that falls inadvertently from the mouth of the prophet and is later explained in the New Testament.

John 19:33 & 36 “But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they broke not his legs…For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken.”

Jesus was the only truly righteous who sinned not and yet He suffered many afflictions. He is the high priest who is touched with the feeling our suffering, as He was tempted in all ways like us, yet without sin, Hebrews 4:15.

Psalm 34:21-22 Evil shall slay the wicked: and they that hate the righteous shall be desolate. The Lord redeems the soul of his servants: and none of them that trust in Him shall be desolate.

Evil men shall receive judgment. The godly shall be saved and be blessed. Choose your company wisely. “Stop fooling yourselves. Evil companions will corrupt good morals and character,” 1 Corinthians 15:33, The Passion Translation. Be wise.

Revelation 22:12-14 "And, behold. I come quickly; and My reward is with Me, to give every man according to his work shall be. I am the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. Blessed are they that do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city."

Originally published February 4, 2025

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