Psalms 34:15
Psalms 34:15-16 says, The eyes of
the LORD are 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.
In the previous verses of Psalms we are taught
about the fear of the LORD. The fear of the LORD is to speak truth, do what is
right, and seek peace.
In these next two verses we are given a contrast
between those that fear the LORD and those that do not. Those that do not fear
God are called, evil. The difference is seen by the end result of their
lives. The key phrase to notice is the
phrase in verse 16 which says of evil men, to cut
off the remembrance of them from the earth.
2 phrases or words stand out here: cut off and remembrance. Certainly when
you look at history there are names of some very wicked people that are still
remembered such as Hitler, Stalin, Caeser, and Pharaoh. To understand the meaning of this verse think
more long term, think eternally.
One key characteristic about evil men
is that they do not fear God. Psalms chapter 34 teaches us this. Those who do
not fear God will take his name in vain. Those who do not fear God will not
turn form their sins to Jesus. Those who do not fear God will have a lying
tongue. Those who do not fear God often do not pursue the way of peace with
other men. A person who does not fear
God is evil.
Now consider the parts of this phrase
which say cut off and remembrance. One
characteristic about God is that He always remembers His promises. He is always
thinking about and looking after those whom trust in Jesus or as Psalms 34:15
says, The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are
open unto their cry.
This is after all the spiritual
meaning behind the covenant of circumcision that God made with Abraham. The
cutting off of the flesh symbolized the cutting off of sin through Christ so
that those whom trust in Jesus would not be, cut off from the
promises of God which include forgiveness of sins, eternal life, and all
spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.
Not surprisingly this word cut off is used both
in reference to Gods covenant with Noah after the flood and to Gods covenant
with Abraham. Genesis 9:11 says, And I will establish my covenant
with you; neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood
neither shall there any more be a flood destroy the earth.
The important lesson to learn is this.
Jesus was cut off from God the father while he hung on the cross of Calvary
when He became sin for us. This is why Jesus cried aloud when He hung on the
cross as it says in Matthew 27:46, And about the ninth hour Jesus cried
with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, Lama sabachthani? That is to say My God,
my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Second Corinthians 5:21 also
says, For he hath
made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the
righteousness of God in him.
Those who trust in Christ receive his righteousness
for all eternity. They will never be cut off from the promises of God and
blessings of God that are giving through his eternal love. But the opposite is
true for those that are evil. For those who reject Christ as their Savior, for
those die without Christ their eternal destiny is given here in Psalms 34:16
which says, The
face of the LORD is against them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of
them from the earth.
Hell is a place of eternal fire and eternal
judgment. Those who go to hell will be cut off forever from the promises of
God. Those who go to hell will forever be forgotten by God. Jesus will no
longer remember them or think about them. But they will spent eternity thinking
about the Holiness of God and their own sinfulness. This why hell is a place of
fire. Fire represents the Holiness of God. Psalms 34:16 says, The face of the LORD is against them that do evil, to cut
off the remembrance of them from the earth.
There is no worse fate a man can suffer than to
spend eternity cut off from Jesus. They turned away from God. They turned away
from the truth. They turned away from the fear of the LORD. They turned away
from their opportunities to have forgiveness of sins through Christ and
therefore God is turning away from them by cutting them off and by cutting off
the remembrance of them from the earth. Undoubtedly, there is no greater sorrow
that God, who is holy and who is love, suffers than when those whom are wicked
have thrown away their opportunity for salvation in Christ and are at last cut
off and cast into hell.
This why Psalms 34:17-18 says, The righteous cry, and
the LORD heareth, and deliverth them out of all their troubles. The LORD is
nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite
spirit.
Oh there are many troubles that life
can bring. There is no greater trouble for man than his own sinfulness however.
The word to notice in these verses is the word, righteous. Who is the
Bible talking about when it is talking about the righteous?
Ephesians 2:8-9 says, For by grace
are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Not of works, lest any man should boast. Romans 3:27-28 says, Where is
boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? Nay: but by the law of
faith. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds
of the law.
The righteous are those who obey the
law of faith. The law of works can only condemn because all men have broken
Gods law through their works. But the law of faith can only justify because by
grace through faith in Jesus Christ, who died for the sins of the world and
rose again, a man can be saved. Righteousness is the free gift of God through
faith in Jesus.
Oh how many are the troubles that men
must face in this life. The greatest trouble, judgment for sin, God has
provided such an easy solution too. Psalms 34:17 says The
righteous cry, and the LORD hearth, and delivereth them out of all their
troubles.
As we continue onward into verse 19
let us reread verses 17-18 as well, The righteous cry, and the LORD
hearteth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles. The LORD is nigh unto
them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.
Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of
them all.
The word afflictions could be
translated grievous adversity. The word
is translated, evil in Genesis in reference to the tree of the knowledge of
good and evil. And the word is also translated wicked in reference to Sodom and
Gomorrah which says in Genesis
13:13, But the
men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly.
It is certain that those whom follow
Christ will face grievious adversity. All the evil of the world and all the forces
of darkness are going to come against you. But have no fear, Jesus said in John
16:33, In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I
have overcome the world.
The troubles that life can bring can
be very grievous indeed. And the persecutions that the evil of this world can
bring in opposition to the will of God can be a grievious adversity. The
difference between the righteous and the evil however is just as it says in
Psalms 34:19, Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD
delivereth him out of them all.
There is no deliverance for the evil
who have no fear of God. But the righteous, who are righteous because they have
the righteousness of Christ imputed unto them, the righteous Jesus will deliver
out of every trouble and every affliction.
This verse does not say that Jesus
will deliver his child out of some but out of all his afflictions. Deliverance
is certainly a theme here in Psalms 34. The word is used 3 times in 3 verses.
Psalms 34:4, I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all
my fears. Psalms 34:7, The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him,
and delivereth them. And Psalms 34:19, Many are the afflictions of the
righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all.
Psalms 34:20 says, He keepeth
all his bones: not one of them is broken.
This verse in Psalms is a Messianic verse which gives us detail
regarding the crucifixion of Christ. John 19:33-35 says, But when
they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs.
But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there
out blood and water. And he that saw it bare record, and his record is true:
and he knoweth that he saith true, that ye might believe. For these things were
done, that the scripture should be fulfilled, a bone of him shall not be
broken.
It seems appropriate that in these
verses in Psalms we are suddenly given detail about the crucifixion of Christ.
There is only deliverance because of Jesus. And there is only righteousness
because of Jesus.
Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will
teach you the fear of the LORD. Turn from your sins and turn to Jesus of
Nazareth. He died for your sins, was buried, and rose again the 3rd
day. All who cry unto him does he give both righteousness and salvation.
___________________________________________________
Copyright; 2012 by Charles
F. (Rick) Creech
All Rights Reserved