This afflicted one called, and Jehovah heard [him], and saved him out of all his troubles.
David wrote this psalm after one of the lowest moments of his life, when he escaped a foreign king by pretending to be insane. Looking back, he sums up the rescue in one line, and leaves us asking who this "poor man" really is.
The psalm's heading ties it to that escape. One writer draws the lesson from David's failed plan; the king he ran to is called both Abimelech and Achish.
Psalm 34 was composed "when [David] changed his behaviour before Abimelech, who drove him away, and he departed." This psalm celebrates the Lord's tender care of the believer under trial. It also expresses David's confidence, which flowed from this: in his affliction, God had taken his cause in hand. This man of God, in seeking help from Achish, had had only a broken reed in his hand. Now, taught by God, he can say: "I sought the LORD, and He answered me and delivered me from all my fears."
The word does not describe David's bank balance. It describes what he had come to know about himself.
In verse 6 David refers to himself as being a poor man who cried out in his distress. "The LORD heard him and saved him out of all his troubles." For he fully realised two things: he was helpless to save himself, and the Lord alone was able to deliver him.
The same word shapes other passages too. One writer wants that lowly place for himself.
Every reading of the Psalm brings out the meaning and value of this term. It gives its force to Matthew 5, and Luke, and Psalm 41: "considers the poor." "This poor man cried." It is full of instruction to us. Oh! may we know the poor and lowly place in every way — Christ's place!
Commentators differ on how far the verse reaches beyond David. One writer hears a second voice in it.
"This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him and saved him out of all his troubles" (Ps. 34:6). What poor man was that? Of course David was the writer of the Psalm, but I have no doubt that that "poor man" was Christ. You will find in His pathway here He was always turning to God. It does not follow that there will always be deliverance from circumstances. That is not the point. In a world of evil we must never forget that righteousness may suffer, but God governs… He is now exalted in glory. That is God's answer to the cry of His blessed and holy soul all through His pathway here.
The verse does not promise a small rescue. Notice how one writer stacks up the word "all".
He then tells us the result. He says, "The LORD delivered me from all my fears." The Lord gave him light for his path, and saved him out of "all his troubles." He also found that, though men opposed him, unseen angelic power guarded him. If then the Lord delivers this lowly man from "all" his fears, and "all" his troubles, he may well bless the Lord at "all times."
Continual praise is not the fruit of an easy life. One writer ties this verse to Paul, who called for joy while he sat in prison.
"Rejoice in the Lord always." His joy could not be in his circumstances, for he was a prisoner. Christians are often a great deal happier in the trial than in thinking about it. In the trial they learn far more of the stability, the certainty, the nearness and the power of Christ, and they are happier… This was what enabled [David] to say, "I will bless the LORD at all times." He had been in trouble, and the Lord had heard him in his trouble… Grace is enough for favourable circumstances, but those circumstances are by far the most trying (spiritually) to the believer.
An answered cry becomes words for other people to pray. The same writer applies this verse to the remnant — God's faithful people in a future time of great distress.
What a wonderful provision God has made for the comfort of the remnant in that day! Suppose them reading these words! Christ made the atonement, and He has put words into their mouths. Those words express their cry for them and speak of their sins. They will say, "This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him." That will encourage them to think He will hear them.
- Poor first. God hears the man who has stopped trying to save himself and admits the Lord alone can deliver.
- Cried, not managed. David's own scheming before a foreign king left him holding a broken reed; the crying is what worked.
- Heard, then saved. Deliverance was not partial. It covered "all his fears" and "all his troubles" — so the psalm can promise praise "at all times."
- Christ's place. The lowly place the poor man takes is the place Christ Himself took; His exaltation is God's answer to His cry.
- Passed on. David's answered cry becomes words in other mouths. It tells the next sufferer that God will hear too.
The angel of Jehovah encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.
David wrote this psalm after a low point in his life — he had run to Gath, the enemy's city, and escaped only by pretending to be insane. Out of that shame comes one of the most confident promises in the Psalms — but who is this angel, what does "encamps" picture, and who stands inside the circle?
David's conduct at Gath was nothing to boast about, which makes the praise that follows all the more striking.
He was in the wrong place, so he resorted to wrong actions. But he no doubt had confessed and judged this failure before God. Otherwise he could not have written this psalm the way he did. In His wise government God dealt faithfully with David and made him feel the shame of what he had done. At the same time He showed the grace of His heart by drawing him to bless the Lord.
The verb is military. It implies more than a lone guard — and defence is not the whole of what this angel does.
The word "encamps" suggests that the angel of the Lord is supported by an army of helpers. The next psalm includes a prayer that the angel of the Lord might chase David's enemies. So he does not only give defensive help and deliverance, as we have seen. He also acts against the enemy.
Commentators differ here. Some read "the angel of the LORD" as a title of Christ Himself:
Generally, if not always, the name "the angel of the Lord" refers to the Lord Jesus Himself. He is above all others the angel, or messenger, of God, as Malachi 3:1 declares.
Others read it as a promise that angels guard God's people. One writer points to the prophet Elisha, whose protection was real before anyone could see it.
Angels are the divine guardians of God's people... The history of Elisha illustrates this guardian care. Enemies surrounded him at Dothan, and his servant was terrified. Elisha says, "Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them." In answer to prayer, the Lord opened the young man's eyes. He saw that the whole mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire around Elisha (2 Kings 6:17). Elisha had already come to them by faith; the young man came to them by sight.
David's own rescue was real, not just relief from his fears. From it he draws a rule for everyone who fears God.
In his poverty he had been heard and delivered — not just from his fears, but in fact. He goes further: the angel of Jehovah camps around those who fear Jehovah. This is deliverance from all that may come, from any direction.
The same protection appears in Acts, where a prison could not hold the apostles. (The ESV reads "an angel of the Lord" in Acts 5:19; the older translation quoted here has "the angel of the Lord.")
What a remarkable statement — and what an immense comfort for the soul to feel that it has angelic walls, so to speak, around it. If you fear the Lord, you are encamped in a safe place... Take the apostles in Acts chapter 5: "the high priest rose up, and all who were with him... and filled with jealousy they arrested the apostles and put them in the public prison. But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out" (Acts 5:17-19).
The promise belongs to those who fear the Lord. That fear means honour and reverence, not dread.
We have been told, "Blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him." Now that trust must show itself in fearing Him. It means giving Him the place of dignity and honour that produces a true reverential fear, with none of the casual, unsubdued attitude that is common among men.
What moved David was not merely that things worked out. It was that God took a personal interest in a humbled man.
This is not high and sovereign providence making things run smoothly for outward blessing — though no doubt we should be thankful for that. It is the gracious interest of Jehovah in his tried heart. This is much nearer, the interest greater, the link more sweet and stronger. There was no pride of will in trial or in success. Here was a crushed and humble heart, finding Jehovah's ear and heart open to it.
- Cause — David failed at Gath. God let him feel the shame, then drew him to praise.
- Camp — "Encamps" is army language: a guard pitched on every side, able to defend and to drive off the enemy.
- Christ or angel — commentators differ. Some read "the angel of the LORD" as the Lord Jesus; others see the angel care that guarded Elisha.
- Cover — the circle has no opening, so the deliverance covers all that may come, from any direction.
- Condition — the promise is for those who fear the Lord, who give Him His rightful place.