Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary
Psalms 34:18

Clarke's Commentary

Verse Psalms 34:18. A broken heart — נשברי לב nishberey leb, the heart broken to shivers.

A contrite spirit. — דכאי רוח dakkeey ruach, "the beaten-out spirit." In both words the hammer is necessarily implied; in breaking to pieces the ore first, and then plating out the metal when it has been separated from the ore. This will call to the reader's remembrance Jeremiah 23:29: "Is not my word like as a fire, saith the Lord? And like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?" The breaking to shivers, and beating out, are metaphorical expressions: so are the hammer and the rock. What the large hammer struck on a rock by a powerful hand would do, so does the word of the Lord when struck on the sinner's heart by the power of the Holy Spirit. The broken heart, and the contrite spirit, are two essential characteristics of true repentance.

Bridgeway Bible Commentary

Psalms 34:0 Thanks for deliverance

When he first fled from Saul to the Philistine city of Gath, David expected the Philistines would welcome him as a deserter from Israel’s army, and so provide him with refuge. But the Philistines had probably not yet heard of David’s break with Saul. They knew only that David had killed thousands of their own Philistine people; perhaps he was spying out their city in preparation for more slaughter. They decided to kill him, and David escaped only by pretending to be a madman. He found a new hiding place in the cave of Adullam (1 Samuel 21:10-1).

Although the king of Gath’s name was Achish, the heading to this psalm calls him Abimelech. This was a Philistine royal title (meaning ‘father-king’), in the same manner as ‘Pharaoh’ was an Egyptian royal title (cf. Genesis 20:2; Genesis 21:22; Genesis 26:26).

David trusts that God’s deliverance of him will encourage others and be a cause for joint praise (1-3). His face previously showed shame and fear; now it shows radiance, for God protects and rescues the downtrodden when they cry to him (4-7). David therefore invites others to taste God’s goodness for themselves. The strongest and most successful flesh-hunting beasts do not always find enough food to satisfy them, but David never suffers a shortage of supplies. He fears God, and therefore God provides for him (8-10).
To fear God requires people to speak truthfully, do good and strive for peace. This is the only way to true enjoyment in life (11-14). God punishes those who do evil but he answers the prayers of those who live uprightly, particularly when they are tempted to give up hope (15-18). Regardless of the extent of people’s suffering, God is always able to preserve them through it. In the end, righteousness will lead to victory (19-22).

Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible

“The eyes of Jehovah are toward the righteous, And his ears are open unto their cry. The face of Jehovah is against them that do evil, To cut off the remembrance of them from the earth. The righteous cried, and Jehovah heard, And delivered them out of all their troubles. Jehovah is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart, And saveth such as are of a contrite spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous; But Jehovah delivereth him out of them all.”

The principal burden of these verses is to provide motivation and encouragement for the young people David was teaching to fear the Lord.

“The face of Jehovah is against them that do evil” (Psalms 34:16). “All men sin, but the reference here is to those who will not repent and who have no intention of turning away from their evil deeds. God will not even hear them when they pray (John 9:31).”George DeHoff’s Commentary, Vol. III, p. 127.

“Nigh unto them… of a broken heart” (Psalms 34:18). Our Lord himself was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and he is the ever ready comforter and Saviour of those whose hearts have been broken by the soul’s tragic encounter with the wicked world in which we live.

“God saveth such as are of a contrite spirit” (Psalms 34:18). Again the marvelous words of Kipling come to mind:

“The tumult and the shouting dies; The Captains and the Kings depart.
Still stands Thine ancient sacrifice,
An humble and a contrite heart.
Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet,
Lest we forget; lest we forget!”
- Rudyard Kipling (The Recessional)

“Many are the afflictions of the righteous” (Psalms 34:19). The Bible is loaded with admonitions that echo these words. “We must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.” “They that live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” “Wickedness shall wax worse and worse.” Alas, “We must, like the Captain of our Salvation, be made perfect through suffering (Hebrews 2:10).”The Pulpit Commentary, Vol. 8, p. 257.

Seeing, therefore, that the righteous are destined to suffer during the years of our probation, we should strive to remember that the Lord himself was “made perfect” by it; and that he suffered “for us.” Moreover, we should never forget that:

“Our light affliction, which is for the moment, worketh for us more and more exceedingly an eternal weight of glory!” (2 Corinthians 4:17).

This verse says that our sufferings are “working for us.” May we have the grace to believe it!

Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible

The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart - Margin, as in Hebrew: “to the broken of heart.” The phrase, “the Lord is nigh,” means that he is ready to hear and to help. The language is, of course, figurative. As an Omnipresent Being, God is equally near to all persons at all times; but the language is adapted to our conceptions, as we feel that one who is near us can help us, or that one who is distant from us cannot give us aid. Compare the notes at Psalms 22:11. The phrase, “them that are of a broken heart,” occurs often in the Bible. It refers to a condition when a burden “seems” to be on the heart, and when the heart “seems” to be crushed by sin or sorrow; and it is designed to describe a consciousness of deep guilt, or the heaviest kind of affliction and trouble. Compare Psalms 51:17; Isaiah 57:15; Isaiah 61:1; Isaiah 66:2.

And sayeth such as be of a contrite spirit - Margin, as in Hebrew: “contrite of spirit.” The phrase here means the spirit as “crushed” or “broken down;” that is, as in the other phrase, a spirit that is oppressed by sin or trouble. The world abounds with instances of those who can fully understand this language.

Calvin's Commentary on the Bible

18.Jehovah is nigh to those who are broken of heart. David here exemplifies and extends still more the preceding doctrine, that God is the deliverer of his people, even when they are brought very low, and when they are, as it were, half-dead. It is a very severe trial, when the grace of God is delayed, and all experience of it so far withdrawn, as that our spirits begin to fail; nay more, to say that God is nigh to the faithful, even when their hearts faint and fall them, and they are ready to die, is altogether incredible to human sense and reason. But by this means his power shines forth more clearly, when he raises us up again from the grave. Moreover, it is meet that the faithful should be thus utterly cast down and afflicted, that they may breathe again in God alone. From this we also learn, that nothing is more opposed to true patience than the loftiness of heart of which the Stoics boast; for we are not accounted truly humbled until true affliction of heart has abased us before God, so that, having prostrated ourselves in the dust before him, he may raise us up. It is a doctrine full of the sweetest consolation, that God departs not from us, even when we are overwhelmed by a succession of miseries, and, as it were, almost deprived of life.

Smith's Bible Commentary

Psalms 34:1-22

Psalms 34:1-22 is a psalm of David when he, it says, "changed his behavior, before Abimelech." Actually, it is probably the case of when he had gone down and Abimelech or Achish the king who drove him away and departed. Now David, when he was fleeing from Saul, Saul was trying to kill him, he fled into the land of the Philistines and he was brought to the Philistine king, Achish. And suddenly David thought, "Hey, here I am, and the Philistines hate me," because he had killed Goliath, and he had been the champion of the Israelites in many battles against the Philistines. So much so that the ladies would come out in their dances and they would sing, "Saul has killed his thousands, David, his tens of thousands." "And so, here I am now in the land of the Philistines and here I am surrounded by the king and all of his army and everything else." And David thought, "Man, what if the king gets angry and orders me wiped out? I am a dead man." So David began to act like he was crazy, and of course, he was a character and I love him.

We used to do some many dumb stupid things when we kids, to get reaction from people, and all, you know, the charades and everything else that you go through. And so David just started slobbering all over his beard. And when he was brought in before King Achish, here he was slobbering all over, and he went over and scrabbled on the walls. Just started scratching on the walls and trying to climb the walls and everything else, and the king said, "What do you bring a madman to me for? Get him out of here." And so David escaped from Achish by this little ruse of feigning insanity. And so when he got out of it, when he was delivered, he wrote this psalm. And so that is the background after he is out there, and he is probably laughing, you know, and saying, "Wasn't that funny? Did you see me trying to climb the walls?" But the ruse worked at least, and he was able to escape. And he says,

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. For I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from my fears ( Psalms 34:1-4 ).

Now, David is pointing out that this action of pretending to be a madman was prompted by fear, "He delivered me out of all of my fears." Now in the book of Proverbs, it says, "The fear of man bringeth a snare." Now here David was afraid of King Achish, but look what it did to him. It reduced him to a slobbering idiot. The fear of man can reduce you. "The fear of man is a snare, but whoso puts his trust in the Lord shall be safe" ( Proverbs 29:25 ). But David is calling upon the people, "O magnify the Lord with me." The praising of the Lord by His people.

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. The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that reverence him, and delivers them ( Psalms 34:5-7 ).

Now the Bible says that, "He shall give His angels charge over thee to keep thee in all thy ways, to bear thee up lest at any time you should dash your foot against a stone" ( Psalms 91:11-12 ). In the New Testament in the book of Hebrews we are told concerning angels that they are ministering spirits who have been sent forth to minister to those who are heirs of salvation. So you hear of your guardian angel. "For the angel of the Lord, encamps round about them that reverence Him, and He delivers them." So there is the opinion that we, each of us, have sort of a guardian angel that sort of watches over us. They are ministering spirits who have been sent forth to minister to us, who are the heirs of salvation.

Now I plan to have a few words with my angel when I get to heaven. I want to know where he was on a few occasions. And on the other hand, I want to thank him, for I will tell you, so many times I have been delivered, I know, only by divine providence. God's divine hand upon my life is the only... I don't know how I got out of it. To this day I don't know how, and yet God's glorious hand, the angel of the Lord. I had a very interesting experience with my angel many years ago while in high school, and I know that the angel of the Lord was with me, and protected me, and kept me, and it was a very unique and fascinating experience. I look back upon it with great gratitude, for God's protecting hand.

O taste and see that the LORD is good ( Psalms 34:8 ):

You have to experience it. I can stand here and tell you all day how good God is, but you've got to experience it for yourself. I could be eating one of those drumsticks from Swenson's up here, and I could tell you how delicious that chocolate with the almonds imbedded in it, how creamy the ice cream, and I could just go on telling you, "Man, this is just delicious," and eat it right there in front of you. But you're not going to know how delicious it is until I say, "Here, take a bite. Taste and see!" I can stand here and tell you how good God is, but you've got to really experience for yourself to really know. "O taste and see that the Lord is good."

blessed is the man who trusts in him. Reverence the LORD, ye his saints: for there is no want to them who reverence him. The young lions do lack, they suffer hunger: but they that seek the LORD will not want for any good thing. Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I'm gonna teach you what it is to reverence the LORD. What man is he that desires life, and loves many days, that he might see good? ( Psalms 34:8-12 )

What man is there that doesn't want to just live a long, good life? All right, here is the rule.

Keep thy tongue from evil, thy lips from speaking deceitfully. Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it. For the eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry ( Psalms 34:13-15 ).

"The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous and His ears are open unto their cry." In the fifty-ninth chapter of Isaiah we read, "The arm of the Lord is not short that He cannot save, neither is His ear heavy that He cannot hear. But your sins have separated you from your God." But to the righteous His ear is open to their cry. "The eye of the Lord is upon the righteous, His ear is open to their cry."

The face of the LORD is against those 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 of their troubles. The LORD is near unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit ( Psalms 34:16-18 ).

So you that are broken hearted, God is so near.

Many are the afflictions of the righteous ( Psalms 34:19 ):

God doesn't promise you divine immunity from trouble. God doesn't promise that you are not going to have any problems. "Many are the afflictions of the righteous,"

but the LORD delivereth him out of them all ( Psalms 34:19 ).

Now, many are the afflictions of the wicked, but you have to stop there. I don't care if you are righteous or wicked; you are going to have problems. There are going to be troubles in life. Many are the afflictions of the righteous; many are the afflictions of the wicked. You say, "Then what is the difference between a wicked man and a righteous man? Why, then, be righteous?" Because for the righteous the Lord delivereth him out of them all.

He keepeth all of his bones: not one of them is broken ( Psalms 34:20 ).

Now this is a prophecy concerning Jesus Christ. It is referred to in the New Testament as a prophecy concerning Christ when they decided to hasten the death of the prisoners as they were hanging there upon the crosses. They asked permission to break their legs in order to hasten their deaths. And so they broke the legs of the two thieves that were crucified beside Jesus, and when the soldier came to break His legs, they found that He was already dead. And so rather than breaking His leg, he took his spear just to make sure, and thrust it into Jesus' side, the area of the heart, and there came out the blood and the water. Signifying death by heart rupture. But they didn't break His bones in order that the scripture might be fulfilled which declared, "Not a bone of Him shall be broken." That is this psalm referring to Jesus Christ.

Now, you see, Jesus was a sacrifice for us. He was a sacrificial lamb, if you please. When John the Baptist introduced Jesus at the beginning of His ministry, he said, "Behold the Lamb of God who taketh away the sins of the world!" ( John 1:29 ) And we are redeemed, Peter said, "Not with corruptible things such as silver and gold from our former empty life, but with the precious blood of Jesus Christ who was slain as a lamb without spot or without blemish" ( 1 Peter 1:18-19 ). So as a sacrificial lamb there was one requirement for the lamb that was offered for sacrifice--it could not have any bones broken. And so the prophecy was fulfilled in Jesus, being the sacrificial lamb, not a bone of Him was broken.

Evil shall slay the wicked: and they that hate righteousness shall be desolate. The LORD redeemeth the soul of his servants: and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate ( Psalms 34:21-22 ). "

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

Psalms 34

In this combination individual thanksgiving and wisdom psalm, David glorified God for delivering His people, and he reflected on the Lord’s promise to bless the godly with long life.

The title identifies the occasion on which David composed this psalm (cf. 1 Samuel 21:10-15). It is another acrostic with all but the last verse beginning with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet and with the omission of a verse beginning with the letter waw.

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

2. God’s blessing of the righteous 34:11-22

This section of verses records David’s instructions to the people concerning how they could experience a full, long life. This is didactic wisdom literature similar to what we find in the Book of Proverbs.

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

God grants the petitions of the righteous when they pray for deliverance out of broken hearts.

Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

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.

Henry's Complete Commentary on the Bible

      11 Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the LORD.   12 What man is he that desireth life, and loveth many days, that he may see good?   13 Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile.   14 Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.   15 The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry.   16 The face of the LORD is against them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.   17 The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles.   18 The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.   19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all.   20 He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken.   21 Evil shall slay the wicked: and they that hate the righteous shall be desolate.   22 The LORD redeemeth the soul of his servants: and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate.

      David, in this latter part of the psalm, undertakes to teach children. Though a man of war, and anointed to be king, he did not think it below him; though now he had his head so full of cares and his hands of business, yet he could find heart and time to give good counsel to young people, from his own experience. It does not appear that he had now any children of his own, at least any that were grown up to a capacity of being taught; but, by divine inspiration, he instructs the children of his people. Those that were in years would not be taught by him, though he had offered them his service (Psalms 32:8); but he had hopes that the tender branches will be more easily bent and that children and young people will be more tractable, and therefore he calls together a congregation of them (Psalms 34:11; Psalms 34:11): "Come, you children, that are now in your learning age, and are now to lay up a stock of knowledge which you must live upon all your days, you children that are foolish and ignorant, and need to be taught." Perhaps he intends especially those children whose parents neglected to instruct and catechise them; and it is as great a piece of charity to put those children to school whose parents are not in a capacity to teach them as to feed those children whose parents have not bread for them. Observe, 1. What he expects from them: "Hearken unto me, leave your play, lay by your toys, and hear what I have to say to you; not only give me the hearing, but observe and obey me." 2. What he undertakes to teach them--the fear of the Lord, inclusive of all the duties of religion. David was a famous musician, a statesman, a soldier; but he does not say to the children, "I will teach you to play on the harp, or to handle the sword or spear, or to draw the bow, or I will teach you the maxims of state policy;" but I will teach you the fear of the Lord, which is better than all arts and sciences, better than all burnt-offerings and sacrifices. That is it which we should be solicitous both to learn ourselves and to teach our children.

      I. He supposes that we all aim to be happy (Psalms 34:12; Psalms 34:12): What man is he that desireth life? that is, as it follows, not only to see many days, but to see good comfortable days. Non est vivere, sed valere, vita--It is not being, but well being, that constitutes life. It is asked, "Who wishes to live a long and pleasant life?" and it is easily answered, Who does not? Surely this must look further than time and this present world; for man's life on earth at best consists but of few days and those full of trouble. What man is he that would be eternally happy, that would see many days, as many as the days of heaven, that would see good in that world where all bliss is in perfection, without the least alloy? Who would see the good before him now, by faith and hope, and enjoy it shortly? Who would? Alas! very few have that in their thoughts. Most ask, Who will show us any good? But few ask, What shall we do to inherit eternal life? This question implies that there are some such.

      II. He prescribes the true and only way to happiness both in this world and that to come, Psalms 34:13; Psalms 34:14. Would we pass comfortably through this world, and out of the world, our constant care must be to keep a good conscience; and, in order to that, 1. We must learn to bridle our tongues, and be careful what we say, that we never speak amiss, to God's dishonour or our neighbours prejudice: Keep thy tongue from evil speaking, lying, and slandering. So great a way does this go in religion that, if any offend not in word, the same is a perfect man; and so little a way does religion go without this that of him who bridles not his tongue it is declared, His religion is vain. 2. We must be upright and sincere in every thing we say, and not double-tongued. Our words must be the indications of our minds; our lips must be kept from speaking guild either to God or man. 3. We must leave all our sins, and resolve we will have no more to do with them. We must depart from evil, from evil works and evil workers; from the sins others commit and which we have formerly allowed ourselves in. 4. It is not enough not to do hurt in the world, but we must study to be useful, and live to some purpose. We must not only depart from evil, but we must do good, good for ourselves, especially for our own souls, employing them well, furnishing them with a good treasure, and fitting them for another world; and, as we have ability and opportunity, we must do good to others also. 5. Since nothing is more contrary to that love which never fails (which is the summary both of law and gospel, both of grace and glory) than strife and contention, which bring confusion and every evil work, we must seek peace and pursue it; we must show a peaceable disposition, study the things that make for peace, do nothing to break the peace and to make mischief. If peace seem to flee from us, we must pursue it; follow peace with all men, spare no pains, no expense, to preserve and recover peace; be willing to deny ourselves a great deal, both in honour and interest, for peace' sake. These excellent directions in a way to life and good are transcribed into the New Testament and made part of our gospel duty, 1 Peter 3:10. And, perhaps David, in warning us that we speak no guile, reflects upon his own sin in changing his behaviour. Those that truly repent of what they have done amiss will warn others to take heed of doing likewise.

      III. He enforces these directions by setting before us the happiness of the godly in the love and favour of God and the miserable state of the wicked under his displeasure. Here are life and death, good and evil, the blessing and the curse, plainly stated before us, that we may choose life and live. See Isaiah 3:10; Isaiah 3:11.

      1. Woe to the wicked, it shall be ill with them, however they may bless themselves in their own way. (1.) God is against them, and then they cannot but be miserable. Sad is the case of that man who by his sin has made his Maker his enemy, his destroyer. The face of the Lord is against those that do evil,Psalms 34:16; Psalms 34:16. Sometimes God is said to turn his face from them (Jeremiah 18:17), because they have forsaken him; here he is said to set his face against them, because they have fought against him; and most certainly God is able to out-face the most proud and daring sinners and can frown them into hell. (2.) Ruin is before them; this will follow of course if God be against them, for he is able both to kill and to cast into hell. [1.] The land of the living shall be no place for them nor theirs. When God sets his face against them he will not only cut them off, but cut off the remembrance of them; when they are alive he will bury them in obscurity, when they are dead he will bury them in oblivion. He will root out their posterity, by whom they would be remembered. He will pour disgrace upon their achievements, which they gloried in and for which they thought they should be remembered. It is certain that there is no lasting honour but that which comes from God. [2.] There shall be a sting in their death: Evil shall slay the wicked,Psalms 34:21; Psalms 34:21. Their death shall be miserable; and so it will certainly be, though they die on a bed of down or on the bed of honour. Death, to them, has a curse in it, and is the king of terrors; to them it is evil, only evil. It is very well observed by Dr. Hammond that the evil here, which slays the wicked, is the same word, in the singular number, that is used (Psalms 34:19; Psalms 34:19) for the afflictions of the righteous, to intimate that godly people have many troubles, and yet they do them no hurt, but are made to work for good to them, for God will deliver them out of them all; whereas wicked people have fewer troubles, fewer evils befal them, perhaps but one, and yet that one may prove their utter ruin. One trouble with a curse in it kills and slays, and does execution; but many, with a blessing in them, are harmless, nay, gainful. [3.] Desolation will be their everlasting portion. Those that are wicked themselves often hate the righteous, name and thing, have an implacable enmity to them and their righteousness; but they shall be desolate, shall be condemned as guilty, and laid waste for ever, shall be for ever forsaken and abandoned of God and all good angels and men; and those that are so are desolate indeed.

      2. Yet say to the righteous, It shall be well with them. All good people are under God's special favour and protection. We are here assured of this under a great variety of instances and expressions.

      (1.) God takes special notice of good people, and takes notice who have their eyes ever to him and who make conscience of their duty to him: The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous (Psalms 34:15; Psalms 34:15), to direct and guide them, to protect and keep them. Parents that are very fond of a child will not let it be out of their sight; none of God's children are ever from under his eye, but on them he looks with a singular complacency, as well as with a watchful and tender concern.

      (2.) They are sure of an answer of peace to their prayers. All God's people are a praying people, and they cry in prayer, which denotes great importunity; but is it to any purpose? Yes, [1.] God takes notice of what we say (Psalms 34:17; Psalms 34:17): They cry, and the Lord hears them, and hears them so as to make it appear he has a regard to them. His ears are open to their prayers, to receive them all, and to receive them readily and with delight. Though he has been a God hearing prayer ever since men began to call upon the name of the Lord, yet his ear is not heavy. There is no rhetoric, nothing charming, in a cry, yet God's ears are open to it, as the tender mother's to the cry of her sucking child, which another would take no notice of: The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth,Psalms 34:17; Psalms 34:17. This intimates that it is the constant practice of good people, when they are in distress, to cry unto God, and it is their constant comfort that God hears them. [2.] He not only takes notice of what we say, but is ready for us to our relief (Psalms 34:18; Psalms 34:18): He is nigh to those that are of a broken heart, and saves them. Note, First, It is the character of the righteous, whose prayers God will hear, that they are of a broken heart and a contrite spirit (that is, humbled for sin and emptied of self); they are low in their own eyes, and have no confidence in their own merit and sufficiency, but in God only. Secondly, Those who are so have God nigh unto them, to comfort and support them, that the spirit may not be broken more than is meet, lest it should fail before him. See Isaiah 57:15. Though God is high, and dwells on high, yet he is near to those who, being of a contrite spirit, know how to value his favour, and will save them from sinking under their burdens; he is near them to good purpose.

      (3.) They are taken under the special protection of the divine government (Psalms 34:20; Psalms 34:20): He keepeth all his bones; not only his soul, but his body; not only his body in general, but every bone in it: Not one of them is broken. He that has a broken heart shall not have a broken bone; for David himself had found that, when he had a contrite heart, the broken bones were made to rejoice,Psalms 51:8; Psalms 51:17. One would not expect to meet with any thing of Christ here, and yet this scripture is said to be fulfilled in him (John 19:36) when the soldiers broke the legs of the two thieves that were crucified with him, but did not break his, they being under the protection of this promise as well as of the type, even the paschal-lamb (a bone of him shall not be broken); the promises, being made good to Christ, through him are sure to all the seed. It does not follow but that a good man may have a broken bone; but, by the watchful providence of God concerning him, such a calamity is often wonderfully prevented, and the preservation of his bones is the effect of this promise; and, if he have a broken bone, sooner or later it shall be made whole, at furthest at the resurrection, when that which is sown in weakness shall be raised in power.

      (4.) They are, and shall be, delivered out of their troubles. [1.] It is supposed that they have their share of crosses in this world, perhaps a greater share than others. In the world they must have tribulation, that they may be conformed both to the will of God and to the example of Christ (Psalms 34:19; Psalms 34:19); Many are the afflictions of the righteous, witness David and his afflictions, Psalms 132:1. There are those that hate them (Psalms 34:21; Psalms 34:21) and they are continually aiming to do them a mischief; their God loves them, and therefore corrects them; so that, between the mercy of heaven and the malice of hell, the afflictions of the righteous must needs be many. [2.] God has engaged for their deliverance and salvation: He delivers them out of all their troubles (Psalms 34:17; Psalms 34:19); he saves them (Psalms 34:18; Psalms 34:18), so that, though they may fall into trouble, it shall not be their ruin. This promise of their deliverance is explained, Psalms 34:22; Psalms 34:22. Whatever troubles befal them, First, They shall not hurt their better part. The Lord redeemeth the soul of his servants from the power of the grave (Psalms 49:15) and from the sting of every affliction. He keeps them from sinning in their troubles, which is the only thing that would do them a mischief, and keeps them from despair, and from being put out of the possession of their own souls. Secondly, They shall not hinder their everlasting bliss. None of those that trust in him shall be desolate; that is, they shall not be comfortless, for they shall not be cut off from their communion with God. No man is desolate but he whom God has forsaken, nor is any man undone till he is in hell. Those that are God's faithful servants, that make it their care to please him and their business to honour him, and in doing so trust him to protect and reward them, and, with good thoughts of him, refer themselves to him, have reason to be easy whatever befals them, for they are safe and shall be happy.

      In singing Psalms 34:11-22 let us be confirmed in the choice we have made of the ways of God; let us be quickened in his service, and greatly encouraged by the assurances he has given of the particular care he takes of all those that faithfully adhere to him.