| Back to Home Page | Back to Book Index
|
Psalm Thirty-four
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 34
YLT
By David
in his changing his behaviour before Abimelech
and he
driveth him away
and he goeth.
cf15I A Psalm of David
when he changed his behaviour
before Abimelech; who
drove him away
and he departed. The author of this psalm is
expressed by name; and the time and occasion of it are plainly intimated: it
was composed by David
"when he changed his behaviour before
Abimelech"; not Ahimelech the priest
sometimes called Abimelech
1 Chronicles 18:16;
to whom David went alone for bread
pretending he was upon a private business
of the king's; to which sense the Syriac version inclines
rendering the words
"when he went to the house of the Lord
[and] gave the firstfruits to the
priests". But this Abimelech was king of Gath
the same with Achish
1 Samuel 21:10; who
either had two names; or this of Abimelech
as it should seem
was a common
name to all the kings of the Philistines; see Genesis 20:2; as
Pharaoh was to the Egyptian kings
and Caesar to the Roman emperors: the name
signifies a "father king"
or "my father king"
or a
"royal father"; as kings should be the fathers of their country:
before him "David changed his behaviour"
his taste
sense
or
reason: he imitated a madman; behaved as if he was out of his senses
scrabbling on the doors of the gates
and letting his spittle fall down upon
his beard; for he being known and made known by the servants of the king
he
was in great fear of losing his life
being in the hands of an enemy
and who
he might justly fear would revenge the death of their champion Goliath;
wherefore he took this method to get himself despised and neglected by them
and escape out of their hands: and which succeeded; for Abimelech
or Achish
seeing him behave in such a manner
treated him with contempt
was displeased
with his servants for bringing him into his presence
and ordered them to take
him away
or dismiss him; which is here expressed by this phrase
"who
drove him away"
with scorn and indignation; "and he departed"
to the cave of Adullam
glad at heart he had escaped such danger: upon which
under a sense of divine goodness
and by the inspiration of the Spirit of God
he
composed the following psalm; see 1 Samuel 21:10.
Psalm 34:1 I
will bless the Lord
at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.
YLT
1I do bless Jehovah at all
times
Continually His praise [is] in my mouth.
I will bless the Lord at all times
.... That is
ascribe
blessing
give honour
praise
and glory to him
both as the God of nature and
providence
for every temporal mercy; and that every day
and at all times in
the day; since these are renewed every morning
and continue all the day long:
and as the God of grace
for all spiritual blessings; and that continually
because these last always; they are irreversible
unchangeable
and without
repentance; yea
saints have reason to bless God in times of adversity as well
as prosperity
since it might have been worse with them than it is; they have a
mixture of mercy in all
and all things work together for their good;
his praise shall continually be in my mouth; not the
"praise" of which God is the author
but of which he is the object;
which is due unto him
and is given him on account of the perfections of his
nature
and the works of his hands
and the blessings of his providence and grace;
this
the psalmist says
should be in his mouth: his meaning is
that he should
not only retain in his heart a grateful sense of the divine favours
but should
express it with his lips; should both make melody in his heart to the Lord
and
vocally sing his praise; and that "continually"
as long as he lived
or had any being
Psalm 146:2.
Psalm 34:2 2 My soul shall make its
boast in the Lord;
The humble shall hear of it and be glad.
YLT
2In Jehovah doth my soul
boast herself
Hear do the humble and rejoice.
My soul shall make her boast in the Lord
.... Not in
men
nor in any outward enjoyment
nor in any works of righteousness
but in
the Lord; "in the Word of the Lord"
as the Targum; in the Lord Jesus
Christ; in his wisdom
strength
riches
righteousness
redemption
and
salvation; in interest in him
and communion with him: and this is not tongue
but soul boasting; and not flashy and selfish
but solid
spiritual
and
hearty; and with all the powers and faculties of the soul; see 1 Corinthians 1:29;
the humble shall hear thereof; either of the
deliverance the psalmist had out of the hands of his enemies; or of his
blessing and praising the Lord for the same
and making his boast in him as the
God of his salvation; or of both: of these humble ones; see Gill on Psalm 10:12;
and be glad; for such rejoice with them that rejoice
and are glad at heart
that others share in the goodness and grace of God; and also because by such an
instance of the divine power and kindness they are encouraged to hope that he
will
in his own time
deliver them out of their afflictions and distresses
also.
Psalm 34:3 3 Oh
magnify the Lord with me
And
let us exalt His name together.
YLT
3Ascribe ye greatness to
Jehovah with me
And we exalt His name together.
O magnify the Lord with me
.... The psalmist invites
the humble ones
who he knew would rejoice at the goodness of God to him
to
join with him in ascribing greatness to the Lord
which is meant by magnifying
him; for he cannot be made great by men
only declared how great he is
and
that can only be done in an imperfect manner;
and let us exalt his name together: by proclaiming him to be
the most High; by making mention of his glorious perfections and works
that he
be exalted; and by praising him in the highest strains; or by having the high
praises of him in their mouths; and there is more pleasure as well as more
glory brought to God by doing this in a social way
or by a number of saints
joining together in such service.
Psalm 34:4 4 I sought the Lord
and He heard
me
And delivered me from all my fears.
YLT
4I sought Jehovah
and He
answered me
And from all my fears did deliver me.
I sought the Lord
and he heard me
.... Not that he sought
the Lord publicly in his house and ordinances
for he was now at Gath; but
privately by prayer and supplication; and that not vocally
but mentally; for
he was in the midst of the servants of the king of Gath; yet earnestly
diligently
and with his whole heart
being in great distress; when it was
right to seek the Lord
and which showed him to be a good man; and the Lord
heard and answered even his silent groans
which could not be uttered;
and delivered me from all my fear; of being seized on by
Achish
king of Gath
and of losing his life for killing Goliath: and many are
the fears of God's people
both from within and from without
by reason of sin
Satan
and the world; but the Lord saves them out of the hands of all their
enemies
grants them his presence
and shows them their interest in himself
which
scatters all their fears.
Psalm 34:5 5 They looked to Him and
were radiant
And their faces were not ashamed.
YLT
5They looked expectingly
unto Him
And they became bright
And their faces are not ashamed.
They looked to him
and were lightened
.... That is
"the humble" ones
Psalm 34:2; and so
this is a reason why they should join in praising and magnifying the Lord;
these "looked" up to God in prayer and by faith
when in distressed
and uncomfortable circumstances
for help and deliverance
and a supply of
every needful good thing; and they were "enlightened"; so the Targum
renders it
"their faces were enlightened"; as Jarchi and Aben Ezra
interpret it
in opposition to what follows: they must have been enlightened
before they could look
but by looking to the Lord more light was gained: this
chiefly designs the light of joy
peace
and comfort
which is had in a way of
believing: some render the word "and flowed"F12ונהדו "et confluunt"
Junius & Tremellius
Michaelis; "et instar fluvii irruerint"
Piscator
Amama; "et
confluxerunt"
Gejerus.
as a river does
that is
to the Lord
as in Jeremiah 31:12. So
Kimchi and Ben Melech explain the word; and it denotes both the numbers of them
that looked up to the Lord in their distress
and the swiftness of their motion
to him
and their earnestness and fervour of mind; so faith is not only a
looking to Christ
but a going forth unto him;
and their faces were not ashamed; having what they prayed
and looked for
and what they hoped and believed they should have; namely
deliverance and salvation
and so peace and pleasure.
Psalm 34:6 6 This poor man cried out
and the Lord
heard him
And saved him out of all his troubles.
YLT
6This poor [one] called
and
Jehovah heard
And from all his distresses saved him.
This poor man cried
.... Singling out some
one person from among the humble
who was remarkably delivered; it is the
common case of the people of God to be poor and afflicted
and in their
afflictions they cry unto the Lord to be supported under them
and delivered
out of them: or this may be understood of David himself
who was poor
not with
respect to outward things
but in spirit; was much afflicted
and especially
greatly distressed when in the court of Achish; at which time he cried unto the
Lord
as was his usual way
and that internally
as Moses did
Exodus 14:15. Some
think Jesus Christ is intended by this poor man
who was poor in temporals
though rich
and Lord of all; and was greatly afflicted
both in body and soul;
and who
in the days of his flesh
offered up prayers and supplications
with
strong crying and tears
Hebrews 5:7;
and the Lord heard him
and saved him out of all his
troubles; so the Lord always heard his son Jesus Christ
and especially in
the day of salvation
and delivered him out of all his troubles
both of body
and soul
when he raised him from the dead
and gave him glory; and he heard
David his servant
as he often did; particularly when at Gath
and made way for
his escape from thence; and from whence he came safe to the cave of Adullam;
and the Lord hears all his poor and afflicted ones
when they cry unto him
and
in the issue saves them from all their troubles
by reason of a body of sin and
death
the temptations of Satan
and the persecutions of men.
Psalm 34:7 7 The angel[a] of the Lord encamps all
around those who fear Him
And delivers them.
YLT
7A messenger of Jehovah is
encamping
Round about those who fear Him
And He armeth them.
The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him
.... By whom
may be meant
either the uncreated Angel
the Lord Jesus Christ
the Angel of
God's presence
and of the covenant
the Captain of salvation
the Leader and
Commander of the people; and whose salvation is as walls and bulwarks about
them; or as an army surrounding them: or a created angel may be intended
even
a single one
which is sufficient to guard a multitude of saints
since one
could destroy at once such a vast number of enemies
as in 2 Kings 19:35; or
one may be put for more
since they are an innumerable company that are on the
side of the Lord's people
and to whom they are joined; and these may be said
to encamp about them
because they are an host or army; see Genesis 32:1; and
are the guardians of the saints
that stand up for them and protect them
as
well as minister to them;
and delivereth them; out of the hands of all
their enemies. David had a guard
an army of these about him
in the court of
Achish
who preserved him from being seized
and receiving any harm there; and
who brought him from thence in safety: there is no doubt but he here speaks his
own experience.
Psalm 34:8 8 Oh
taste and see that the
Lord is
good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!
YLT
8Taste ye and see that
Jehovah [is] good
O the happiness of the man who trusteth in Him.
O taste
and see that the Lord is good
.... He is
essentially
infinitely
perfectly
immutably
and solely good in himself; and
he is communicatively and diffusively good to others: he is the author of all
good
but not of any evil
in a moral sense; this chiefly regards his special
grace and goodness through Christ: all the divine Persons in the Godhead are
good; the Father is good
he has good designs towards his people
has provided
good things for them
made good promises to them
and bestows good gifts on
them: the Son is good; the good Shepherd that has laid down his life for the
sheep; he is the fountain of all grace and goodness to his churches
and to
particular believers; he has wrought a good work for them
the work of
redemption
and he speaks a good word on their behalf in the court of heaven:
the Spirit is good; he works good things in the hearts of the sons of men
and
shows good things unto them; and gracious souls
such as the psalmist here
calls upon
are capable of tasting and discerning how good the Lord is in some
measure; see Psalm 119:103.
While unregenerate
their taste is vitiated
and remains unchanged
and sin is
what they feed upon with pleasure
and so detest everything that is good; but
in conversion a new taste is given
so as to have a saving experimental
knowledge of the grace and goodness of God in Christ
an application of it to
them; and in such manner as to live upon it
and be nourished by it; and though
this is not a superficial taste of things
like that of hypocrites
nor a
single one only
being frequently repeated; yet it is but a taste in comparison
of the enjoyment of it in the heavenly state; and every taste now influences
and engages trust in the Lord
as follows;
blessed is the man that trusteth in him; See Gill on Psalm 2:12; the
Targum renders it
"that trust in his word".
Psalm 34:9 9 Oh
fear the Lord
you His
saints! There is no want to those who fear Him.
YLT
9Fear Jehovah
ye His holy
ones
For there is no lack to those fearing Him.
O fear the Lord
ye his saints
.... Who are sanctified
by his Spirit
and so are openly and manifestly his; these are exhorted to fear
the Lord with reverence and godly fear; and great reason there is why they
should fear him
since he is King of saints
and fear is due to him from them;
and seeing they have received many instances of grace and goodness from him
and therefore should fear him for his goodness's sake; and besides they
and
they only
know him
and have the grace of fear in them
and so only can
exercise it on him;
for there is no want to them that fear him; not in
spirituals
since so much goodness is laid up for them; the heart of God is towards
them
his secret is with them
his eye is upon them
and the sun of
righteousness arises on them; and both grace and glory are given to them; nor
in temporals
since godliness
or the fear of God
has the promise of this
life
as well as of that which is to come.
Psalm 34:10 10 The young lions lack and
suffer hunger; But those who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing.
YLT
10Young lions have lacked and
been hungry
And those seeking Jehovah lack not any good
The young lions do lack
and suffer hunger
.... According
to Apollinarius
"the
needy rich
whom famine presses;'
see
Job 4:10;
but they that seek the Lord; by prayer
diligently
with their whole heart
and in the sincerity of their souls; the Targum is
"that seek the doctrine of the Lord"; that seek instruction from him
and to be taught by him: these
shall not want any good thing: which God has
purposed to bestow upon them
which he has promised unto them
and provided for
them; nor any thing that shall be for their good.
Psalm 34:11 11 Come
you children
listen
to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
YLT
11Come ye
children
hearken
to me
The fear of Jehovah I do teach you.
Come
ye children
.... Meaning either his own children
those
of his own family
judging it his duty to instruct them
and bring them up in
the fear of the Lord; or his subjects
to whom he stood in the relation of a
father
as every king does; or all his hearers
as those who attended the
prophets are called the children or sons of the prophets; or young people in
common may be designed
who should be taught early their duty to God and men:
unless the children of God in general are here meant; or particularly the least
among them
called babes and little children
who are little in their own eyes
are modest and humble; and who
as they need instruction
are most forward to
receive it; and the word "come" does not so much design local motion
a drawing near to hear
as readiness to hear
and a close attention of mind; as
follows;
hearken unto me; as unto a father
giving good doctrine and
wholesome advice; Proverbs 2:1;
I will teach you the fear of the Lord; which he had
so often spoken of
and so many good things are promised to them that have it
and even in the context: this the psalmist could not give
nor can any man
only teach it
show the nature of it
in what it lies
how it shows itself
and
what are the effects it produces: this is the first lesson to be taught and
learnt; for it is the beginning of wisdom; it includes all grace
and every
duty
and regards the whole worship of God
and the manner of it.
Psalm 34:12 12 Who is the man who
desires life
And loves many days
that he may see good?
YLT
12Who [is] the man that is
desiring life? Loving days to see good?
What man is he that desireth life?.... Every man
desires life
even a natural life; it is more desirable than all things in it;
especially an healthful life
without which the blessings and mercies of life
cannot be comfortably enjoyed; and still more a life of prosperity; life
with
an affluence of good things
and even a long one: though it may be rather that
a spiritual life is here meant
and a comfortable one; a life free from the
remorses of a guilty conscience
from the fear of hell
damnation
and wrath;
from the bondage of the law
and the dread of death; a life of faith on Christ
and communion with him; and a life of sobriety
righteousness
and holiness;
and perhaps it may be best of all to understand it of eternal life
which is
life eminently and emphatically; it follows
and loveth many days; that is
good
ones; as they are interpreted in 1 Peter 3:10; not
of this life
for the days of it are evil
and especially when they are
lengthened out; the days of old age
Ecclesiastes 12:1;
unless the days of the son of man
the days of enjoying the presence of God in
his house and ordinances
should be intended; though rather the good and many
days of eternity
even length of days
for ever and ever
in which will be
fulness of joy
and never ceasing and never fading pleasures;
that he may see good; there is good to be seen
and enjoyed in this life
which if the saints did not believe they should see
and enjoy
they would often faint; and this good lies in the participation of
the blessings of grace
and in fellowship with Father
Son
and Spirit: but the
great and lasting good to be seen and enjoyed is in the world to come
when God
shall be all in all
be seen as he is
and the saints shall inherit all things.
Psalm 34:13 13 Keep your tongue from
evil
And your lips from speaking deceit.
YLT
13Keep thy tongue from evil
And thy lips from speaking deceit.
Keep thy tongue from evil
.... This
and what
follows in this verse and Psalm 34:14
point
at the things wherein the fear of God shows itself; and suggest
that those who
have it
and which is known by these fruits
shall enjoy the desirable and good
days before mentioned. The tongue is an instrument of much evil
an unruly
member
and needs restraint; and it is from evil
and not from good
it is to
be kept; from evil speaking of God
from cursing and swearing; from evil
speaking of men
reproaching and reviling them; from filthy speaking
from all
obscene and unchaste words
and from all lying ones; for where such evil
speaking is indulged
the fear of God cannot be in that man;
and thy lips from speaking guile; hypocritical and
deceitful words
speaking with flattering lips and a double heart: some speak
bad words in common conversation
through an evil habit and custom; and some
speak good words with an ill design; and in neither of them is the fear of God
before their eyes
nor in their hearts.
Psalm 34:14 14 Depart from evil and do
good; Seek peace and pursue it.
YLT
14Turn aside from evil and do
good
Seek peace and pursue it.
Depart from evil
.... This denotes that evil is near to men;
it keeps close to them
and should be declined and shunned: and it regards all
sorts of evil; evil men
and their evil company; evil things
evil words and
works
and all appearance of evil; and the fear of the Lord shows itself in an
hatred of it
and a departure from it
Proverbs 8:13;
and do good; not only acts of beneficence to all in necessitous
circumstances
but every good work; whatever the word of God directs
or
suggests should be done; and which should be done from right principles of
faith and love
and to right ends
the glory of God
and the good of his
interest; and Christ should be looked and applied unto for grace and strength
to perform; all which are evidences of the true fear of God;
seek peace
and pursue it; in the world
and with
all men
as much as possibly can be; in neighbourhoods
cities
and states
and
in the churches of Christ
and with the saints
as well as with God through
Christ; and which in every sense is to be pursued after with eagerness
and to
be endeavoured for with diligence; see Romans 12:18.
Psalm 34:15 15 The eyes of the Lord are on
the righteous
And His ears are open to their cry.
YLT
15The eyes of Jehovah [are]
unto the righteous
And His ears unto their cry.
The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous
.... These are
the same with them that fear the Lord
and do good; not that they become
righteous in the sight of God
or are justified before him
by their fear of
him
and by their good works; but these are the fruits and effects of grace
showing them to be righteous persons; for it is only by the righteousness of
Christ that men are righteous before God: and upon these the eyes of the Lord
are; not only his eye of Providence
to watch over them
protect them
and
supply them with good things
but his eye of love; with complacency and delight
he looks upon them
as clothed with the righteousness of his son; and it is
with pleasure he looks upon them
that being well pleasing in his sight; seeing
by it the law is magnified and made honourable; nor does he ever withdraw his
eyes from them
Job 36:7;
and his ears are open unto their cry; for though
they are righteous
they are sometimes in distress; their afflictions are many;
the good days they are to see are hereafter; and at those times they cry unto
the Lord; which is to be understood of prayer
and of the vehemency and
fervency of it
when they have the ear of God
and he shows himself to be a God
hearing and answering prayer.
Psalm 34:16 16 The face of the Lord is
against those who do evil
To cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.
YLT
16(The face of Jehovah [is]
on doers of evil
To cut off from earth their memorial.)
The face of the Lord is against them that do evil
.... Not
against everyone that sins; for the righteous are not without sin; they have
sin in them
and they do no good without it; but against them that live in sin
whose course of life is a series of wickedness
and they are workers of
iniquity; and have no sense of sin
nor sorrow for it
go on in it without
shame or fear; against these the face of the Lord is
he shows his resentment
and stirs up his wrath. For the Lord to be against a man is dreadful; a fearful
thing it is to fill into his hands as a God of vengeance; there is no standing
before him when once he is angry: and to have the face of God against a man is
intolerable
when it is to destroy
and
to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth; so that they
shall be no more thought of
nor spoken of
but with contempt and reproach; an
everlasting mark of infamy being upon their names; see Proverbs 10:7.
Psalm 34:17 17 The righteous
cry out
and the Lord
hears
And delivers them out of all their troubles.
YLT
17They cried
and Jehovah
heard
And from all their distresses delivered them.
The righteous cry
.... The word
"righteous" is not in the original text
but is rightly supplied in
our version
as it is in the Targum
and by Jarchi; and so Kimchi and Ben
Melech observe
that these words are not to be connected with Psalm 34:16
but
with Psalm 34:15; and
they are indeed an amplification of the last clause of it; and the cry of the
righteous is meant
to which the ears of the Lord are open; though Aben Ezra
thinks that these words are to be understood of them that do evil
and of their
cry to the Lord
when they turn from their evil ways; but the former sense is
best;
and the Lord heareth
and delivereth them out of all their
troubles; their inward troubles
through the workings of corruption in
their hearts; through the violent assaults of Satan
the blasphemous thoughts
he injects into them
and his solicitations of them to sin; and through divine
desertions
and their outward troubles; through afflictions of body
losses of
estate and friends
and the reproaches and persecutions of men; out of all
these the Lord sooner or later delivers his people who cry unto him.
Psalm 34:18 18 The Lord is near
to those who have a broken heart
And saves such as have a contrite spirit.
YLT
18Near [is] Jehovah to the
broken of heart
And the bruised of spirit He saveth.
The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart
.... Who are
pressed and bore down with afflictions
by the sorrow of heart under which
their spirits are broken
Proverbs 15:13; or
with a sense of sin
and sorrow for it
for which their hearts smite them
and
they are wounded by it
and broken with it: to these the Lord is
"nigh"; not in a general way only
as he is to all men
being God
omnipresent
but in a special manner; he comes and manifests himself to them in
a gracious way
pours in the oil and wine of his love
and binds up their
broken hearts; yea
comes and dwells with them: he does not pass by them and
neglect them
much less make the breach worse; he does not break the bruised
reeds
but he heals their breaches;
and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit; not in a
legal
but in an evangelical way; who are humbled under a sense of sin
and
melted down in true repentance
under a view of the love and grace of God; and
are poor and mean in their own eyes: to these the Lord has respect; the
sacrifices of a broken and contrite spirit are not despised by him
but
accepted through faith in Christ; and such he saves with an everlasting
salvation in him.
Psalm 34:19 19 Many are the
afflictions of the righteous
But the Lord delivers him out of them
all.
YLT
19Many [are] the evils of the
righteous
Out of them all doth Jehovah deliver him.
Many are the afflictions of the righteous
.... This may
be understood of some one particular righteous person
since the singular
number is here made use of; whereas the plural is always used before
when the
righteous are made mention of; and the Lord Jesus Christ may be designed
who
is eminently and emphatically "the righteous"; he is righteous both
as God and man
and as Mediator
in the discharge of every branch of his
office; and his afflictions were many
which he endured from men
from devils
and from God himself: many were the afflictions of his body
which he bore when
buffeted
scourged
and crucified; and many were the afflictions of his soul
when he bore the sins of his people
endured the wrath of God for them
and was
forsaken by him; though none of these were for any sins of his own
but for the
sins of others; and out of them all the Lord delivered him at last
and set him
at his own right hand; or this may be understood of everyone of the righteous;
who
though they are justified from sin
and are saved from wrath
yet have
many afflictions; which are "evils" in themselves
as the wordF13רעות "mala"
Pagninus
Montanus
Musculus
Cocceius
Gejerus
Michaelis; so Ainsworth. may be rendered
and are very
troublesome and distressing; and these are great and grievous for quality
and
many and abundant for quantity; though no more than it is the will of God
should be
and not one too many;
but the Lord delivereth him out of them all; as Christ
was
and all his people will be; if not in this life
by giving respites and
intervals
as he sometimes does; yet hereafter
when the righteous are completely
delivered out of all their trials and exercises
so as that they shall never
return more upon them. The word translated "afflictions"
as it
signifies "evils"
may be safely interpreted of moral evils
as well
as of evils of afflictions: it is the same word that is used for moral evil in Psalm 34:21; and
then the sense is
that many are the sins committed by righteous persons; for
there are none without sin
in many things they all offend; yet they shall not
perish by them
but they shall be delivered from them; as
from the dominion of
them by the power of grace
and from the guilt of them by the blood of Christ
and from condemnation for them through his righteousness; so hereafter from the
very being of them
and all molestation and disturbance by them.
Psalm 34:20 20 He guards all his bones; Not
one of them is broken.
YLT
20He is keeping all his
bones
One of them hath not been broken.
He keepeth all his bones; not one of them is broken. This is
literally true of Christ
in whom the type of the passover lamb had its
accomplishment
and this passage also; see Exodus 12:46; and
seems better to agree with him than with any of his members
since the bones of
many of them have been broken by one accident or another; and especially many
of the martyrs of Jesus have had all their bones broken upon the rack or wheel;
wherefore
to understand these words of them might tend to create uneasiness
and despondency in the minds of such who by any means have their bones broken;
as if they were not righteous persons
this promise not being fulfilled in
them: and to interpret this of the Lord's keeping the bones of his people in
the grave
and in the resurrection putting them together again; this is no
other than what will be done to the wicked; it seems therefore best to
understand the whole of Christ; and it looks as if this passage was had in view
as fulfilled in John 19:36; since a
Scripture is referred to; but if it is interpreted of the righteous in general
it must be with a limitation; as that their bones are all kept by the Lord
and
not one is broken without his knowledge and will; and that they are not broken
finally
but restored again perfect and whole in the resurrection
and so will
continue to all eternity: the phrase
without entering into particulars
may in
general design the care of Providence over the righteous; with this compare Matthew 10:29.
Psalm 34:21 21 Evil shall slay the
wicked
And those who hate the righteous shall be condemned.
YLT
21Evil doth put to death the
wicked
And those hating the righteous are desolate.
Evil shall slay the wicked
.... Meaning either the
evil they designed against the righteous shall return and fall upon their
heads
to their own ruin; or the evil of affliction
which to them is the evil
of punishment
both here and hereafter
from which they will have no
deliverance in the end; though the righteous have from their afflictions
being
not properly punishments
but chastisements for sin
and are but for a time; or
else the evil of sin
which is the cause of death corporeal and eternal;
and they that hate the righteous shall be desolate; or
"shall be guilty"F14יאשמו
"rei fiunt"
Cocceius; "reatum habebunt"
Schmidt;
"damnabuntur"
Gejerus; "shall be condemned as guilty"
Ainsworth. ; be found so; or "shall be condemned"
or
"damned"
as the Targum renders it. All wicked men hate the
righteous
both Jesus Christ the righteous
and his people; and that because
they are righteous
and do not run into the same excess of wickedness with
them
these will be arraigned at the day of judgment
and will be convicted of
all their hard speeches which they have spoken against Christ and his members;
and will be pronounced guilty
and will be punished with everlasting
destruction.
Psalm 34:22 22 The Lord redeems the
soul of His servants
And none of those who trust in Him shall be condemned.
YLT
22Jehovah redeemeth the soul
of His servants
And none trusting in Him are desolate!
The Lord redeemeth the soul of his servants
.... Who are
made so by his grace in the day of his power
and are willing to serve him
and
to serve him with their minds
readily and cheerfully; and the soul of these
which is the more noble part of them
and is of more worth than a world
the
redemption of which is precious
and requires a great price
the Lord redeems;
not that their bodies are neglected
and not redeemed; but this is mentioned as
the principal part
and for the whole; and this redemption is by the Lord
who
only is able to effect it
and which he has obtained through his precious
blood; and here it seems to denote the application of it in its effects; that
is
the forgiveness of sin
justification
and sanctification
since it
respects something that is continually doing;
and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate; or "be
guilty"F15לא יאשמו
"non rei fiunt"
Cocceius; "non punientur"
Gejerus;
"shall not be condemned as guilty"
Ainsworth.
or
"condemned"
or "damned"; because they are justified from
all the sins they have been guilty of
through the redemption that is in Christ
Jesus; and having believed in him
they shall not be damned
according to Mark 16:16; and
they shall be far from being desolate
and alone
and miserable; they shall
stand at Christ's right hand
be received into his kingdom and glory
and be
for ever with him.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》
New King James
Version (NKJV)