The "ALLs" of Psalm 34
- Sherry Coyle
- Jun 27, 2023
- 7 min read
Updated: Mar 13
I've been camped out in Psalm 34 for the past couple of weeks. I turned to this familiar psalm one morning and haven't left yet.
What the Holy Spirit wanted me to see right away that particular morning is that God is sovereign over ALL the troubles of His righteous ones. No trial or turmoil escapes His omnipotent lordship and heavenly jurisdiction. And it’s not just a handful of troubles here and there that He has management of. No, not just some. ALL
The Psalms undoubtedly bring comfort. They settle our anxious minds and soothe our troubled hearts. Amid trying circumstances and raw emotions, they lead us to a place of faith and rest.
Like all the psalms and all Scripture, Psalm 34 gives us the needed shift in perspective, necessary for faith—yes, even peace and joy—as we journey through this oft-trouble-filled life.
Five times, David, the Holy Spirit-inspired writer of this psalm, pens the truth that for His righteous child, God is an ALL-troubles overseeing, never-failing God.
First, in verse 4, David says, "I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears." A couple of verses later, he declares, "This poor man called, and the Lord heard him; he saved him out of all his troubles." Then, in verses 17 and 19, we read these words: "The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles. The righteous person may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all; he protects all his bones, not one of them will be broken." (italics mine)
If these promises don't settle a distressed heart, I don't know what will.
For myself, who recently had been praying each evening with my mother while she was visiting, praying over a journal-page list of realities—fears, concerns, and troubles of varying sorts—for my family, extended family, and even families of a few dear friends, this psalm brought the needed trajectory shift from heavy burden bearer to hope herald. Right now, as I sit in the still darkness of early morning and absorb, once more, this psalm's words, it continues its renovating work on my perspective.
Oh, the transforming power of God's Word! How I need it every day in my life!
For certain, the ALLs of the 34th Psalm are some powerful stuff.
But Psalm 34 is not a promise for one who treats his relationship with the Most High apathetically or indifferently. It's for one who, like David, is a proactive participant in the activities and ways of the Lord.
David knew the Lord as the Great Savior because he deliberately engaged with Him. Consider these words that David used in Psalm 34, describing his pursuit and involvement with the Ruler and Redeemer of his life:
"I will extol the Lord. . .I will glory in the Lord. . .Glorify the Lord with me. . . let us exalt his name together. . . I sought the Lord. . .Those who look to him. . .This poor man called. . . those who fear him. . .Taste and see that the Lord is good. . . the one who takes refuge in him. . .Fear the Lord. . . seek the Lord. . . keep your tongue from evil. . .[keep[ your lips from telling lies. . . Turn from evil. . . do good.. . .seek peace. . .pursue [peace]. . .The righteous cry out. . . no one who takes refuge in him. . ."
A flawless follower was David? Of course not. Read about his life in I and II Samuel. Yet when confronted with his sin, David was sorrowful and repentant. He took action. Additionally, David was a seeker, dweller, and worshiper. He desired to be with the Lord and receive from the Lord. He was in awe of Him. He reverentially feared Him. Therefore, the Almighty's presence, power, and peace were manifested within David's life.
There's no denying that David proactively pursued his Creator. He made deliberate choices to stay connected to Him, to abide in His presence, and to position himself for His favor. And the Creator—the good Shepherd, the loving Heavenly Father—takes notice of such intentionality. He is, most certainly, a "rewarder of them that diligently seek him," as the writer of Hebrews declares (11:6). Even so, this does not mean a trouble-free life.
Notice that David—or any psalmist—did not communicate that God spares or keeps His children from trouble. Rather, God, in His perfect wisdom and omniscient sovereignty, within the domain of His intentional will and permissive will, allows trials and hardships in this sin-cursed, trouble-ridden world. When He was with them, Jesus even informed His disciples, "In this world, you will have trouble." This is a message to us, as well. Even so, when His dependent followers cry out and take refuge in Him, He always proves Himself to be the all-sufficient Savior. This is why we can "take heart." Yes, He has "overcome the world" (John 16:33)!
And when we receive and believe this reality as the dependable, never-changing truth it truly is, it replaces our weariness, fear, and despair with expectancy, faith, and hallelujahs.
Which brings me to the other all God wanted me to see that morning, and that's the one that begins Psalm 34. In my opinion, it's the best because this one has nothing to do with David's troubles or fears, but with David's glorification of the Lord.
More than likely, David was in the Cave of Adullam when he wrote this psalm, living as an innocent fugitive on the run from King Saul and dealing with insurmountable troubles of all sorts, yet David maintained a worshipful disposition.
Consider the opening words of this psalm:
"I will extol the Lord at ALL times; his praise will always be on my lips.
I will glory in the Lord; let the afflicted hear and rejoice.
Glorify the Lord with me; let us exalt his name together."
(capitalization mine)
Regardless of David's troubling circumstances, which I feel certain he would have changed if he could have, David chose to revere and honor the Lord. Furthermore, David was not only compelled to do so himself. He encouraged other trouble-bearing souls to do the same. Gathered around David were "those who were in distress or debt or discontented" (I Samuel 22:2), about 400 men total; and David became their commander. So, as he endured his affliction, to the afflicted in his midst, David inspired corporate worship. Think about that.
While enduring great pain himself, David encouraged others to praise God in their pain. Because God is always worthy of exaltation,
It's when we live life in our personal Cave of Adullam, yet keep looking to our Father and surrendering our anxiety and fears to Him, not knowing when or how He will bring deliverance and redemption into our troubling circumstances, this greatly honors Him. When we keep choosing to praise, worship, and exalt Him, though we do not know how long our unwelcome circumstances will remain unchanged, His Holy Spirit cultivates and strengthens faith. The kind of faith that's evident throughout Psalm 34. The kind of faith that keeps us steady, come what may, even in long, seemingly never-ending stretches of trouble-filled times. The kind of faith that inspires and encourages others who are enduring hard times as well.
In consideration of David's time in the cave, I also see a secondary application, derived from the description of those gathered around David. Scripture communicates they were in "distress or in debt or discontented." Although in a literal sense, these words identify the specific hardships of these individuals, each is spiritually applicable to how we should live our daily lives, as we journey through a trouble-filled life.
In distress. We need. On this sin-fractured planet, we're born into desperate need. We need saving. We need forgiveness. We need Jesus to rescue us from the bondage of sin and make us right with a perfect, holy Creator. But we're also in need of the Savior every day. We need the imparting of His mind, His character, and His ways. We need His indwelling help, His sweet fellowship, and His life-giving Word. We need His forgiveness, His mercy, His healing, and His grace. We need His anointing, His power, His sustenance, His provisions. We need His never-ending love. We need His people, His beautiful body. Yes, we may live on an increasingly distressed planet, but we do not have to live distressed. Because every one of our greatest needs is met in Christ. Indeed, the Apostle Paul (a man who dealt with far more troubles than you or I could imagine) assures us: "And my God will meet all [our] needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:19).
In debt. We owe. We owe God everything. He created us, put breath in our lungs, and graciously and mercifully redeemed us through the sacrifice of the Son. While there's no way we could ever repay the debt we owe for the lavish love He demonstrated on a wooden cross, with the Bible's guidance and the Holy Spirit's empowerment, we can resolve to live each day proactively seeking, serving, worshiping, and obeying. We can resolve ourselves like Paul: "I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me" (Galatians 2:20).
Discontented. We want. We were created to want. To crave. To desire all that's good that the Creator longs to give. So often, though, we fill this internal discontent with all the wrong things—created things that temporarily satisfy the flesh—rather than with the only One who authentically satisfies. But God desires that we desire Him more than any short-lived satisfaction this world offers. He desires that we hunger and thirst after His eternal righteousness because, as our Creator, He knows this is where contentment, peace, purpose, and joy are found. He desires that we experience the Savior's words: "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty" (John 6:35).
When we live in daily acknowledgment that we desperately need God, owe our lives to Him, and that He is the only One who can truly satisfy our deepest desires, it encourages daily pursuit, strengthens daily fellowship, and promotes daily peace, worship, and joy.
And then, when at the end of what has been a trouble-filled day, or a trouble-filled week, or a trouble-filled season—yes, perhaps even a trouble-filled life—we will still whole-heartedly believe and declare with David that "The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles" (Psalm 34:17: italics mine).
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