Psalms 34:21

Psalms 34:21-22 says, “Evil shall slay the wicked: and they that hate the righteous shall be desolate. The LORD redeemeth the soul of his servants: and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate.” Here in the last two verses of Psalms 34 we are given more detail about the contrast between the righteous and the wicked. Concerning the sinfulness of man it should be remembered that the Bible says in Romans 3:23, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.”

The difference between the righteous and the wicked is not that some men are sinners and some are not. The difference between the righteous and the wicked is based solely on one thing: the free gift of God. All men are sinners. All men are wicked. You either accept the free gift of God or you do not. And the free gift of God is the righteousness of Christ given unto those whom repent of their sins and trust in Him. John 1:12 says, “But as many as received him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.”

A very important principle is taught in Psalms 34:21 which says, “Evil shall slay the wicked: and they that hate the righteous shall be desolate.” The truth taught here is the principle of sowing and reaping. Galatians 6:8 says, “For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.”

Actions have consequences. If you do what is right you will reap good consequences. If you do that which is sinful you will reap bad consequences. This principle is true for every man that has ever lived on this earth regardless of age, sex, race, or time period of human history.

Psalms 34:21 says, “Evil shall slay the wicked: and they that hate the righteous shall be desolate.” Sometimes it seems like the wicked prosper. Sometimes it seems like there is such great injustice in this world. This verse however reminds us of a very important truth. Judgment is coming for the wicked. God is holy. There must be judgment for sin. There must be justice done unto those whom have hated the righteous and persecuted God’s children so grievously.

Notice the word desolate. The word desolate is a word that can be translated, ‘guilty.’ It implies both guilt and judgment. Second Corinthians 5:10 says, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that everyone may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.”

There is a judgment coming: the final judgment in which God will judge every man. We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ. Romans 12:19 says, “Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the LORD.” Psalms 34:21, “Evil shall slay the wicked: and they that hate the righteous shall be desolate.”

God is going to have the final say. There will be justice. God will judge men according to the truth. Remembering this will keep us from being vengeful and unjust. Remembering this will help us to endure the injustices of this life. The lost people of this world for the most part are vengeful. Christians should not be vengeful but should remember that it is Jesus Christ who will judge men and deal out vengeance justly on the Day of Judgment.

“Evil shall slay the wicked: and they that hate the righteous shall be desolate.” There is great suffering and injustice to face in this life if you are going to follow Christ. Those who hate and oppose Jesus will do the same to you because they do not have righteousness. They hate the truth. They have turned away from God. They are unrepentant of their sins. They are children of wrath. They walk according to the course of this world according the prince of the power of the air. They hate Jesus. Therefore they hate you. They hate righteousness. The end result of them however is that evil shall slay them and they shall be desolate.

Revelation 6:9-11 says, “And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the Word of God, and for the testimony which they held: And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellow-servants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.”

The sufferings, the injustices, the persecutions, and the murders that have been committed against God’s children are tales you will rarely hear in this world. Hollywood and the news media will not proclaim them. But God hears the cry of His children. He has not forgotten their suffering and the unspeakable wickedness done unto them. “How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?”

Judgment is coming because there must be justice. Psalms 33:18 says, “Behold, the eye of the LORD is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy.” Psalms 34: 21 says, “Evil shall slay the wicked: and they that hate the righteous shall be desolate.” Another way of saying this verse is the promise God gave to Abraham in Genesis 12:3 which says, “And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee:”

Psalms 34:22 says, “The LORD redeemeth the soul of his servants: and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate.” Certainly one of the most wonderful words in the Bible is the word redemption. Both the Old Testament and the New Testament word for redemption carry with it the idea of to buy out of slavery. Jesus said in Matthew 20:28, “Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.”

To be redeemed means have to have a ransom paid. To be redeemed means to be made free; free from the power of sin through the blood of Jesus Christ who paid his life on the cross of Calvary for the sins of the world. Oh how great is the price of sin! So great are the wages of sin that God the Son himself had to die and suffer the eternal fires of hell to pay its debt so that men could have redemption by grace through faith in Jesus Christ and not of works lest any man should boast.

In looking in these last two verses in Psalms 34 think carefully about the words desolate and redemption. The word desolate means both guilt and judgment. The word redemption means to have a ransom paid. The guilt and the judgment of sin has been paid through the ransom of the precious blood of Christ. There is freedom; eternal freedom from sin, eternal life for all those who trust in Christ. How wonderful it is to be redeemed!

To better understand the word redeemed consider Proverbs 30:18-19 which says, “There be three things which are too wonderful for me, yea, four which I know not: The way of an eagle in the air; the way of a serpent upon a rock; the way of a ship in the midst of the sea; and the way of a man with a maid.”

Of the three things which God said are too wonderful for him in the book of Proverbs the first listed is 30:19, “the way of an eagle in the air.” God loves freedom. This is why He gave man a free will that He might have the freedom to choose righteousness. Sadly all men have chosen sin instead of righteousness. This is why Jesus died for the sins of the world. Redemption means freedom; freedom from sin for eternity. Redemption means to not be desolate or guilty at the Day of Judgment.

Righteousness is freedom. The world and the devil deceive and mislead the blind through the guise of religion so that many are led to believe that righteousness leads to a lack of freedom. But it is sin that leads to slavery and righteousness to freedom. The false religions of the world and the false religious teachings of the world because of their legalism and self-righteousness are themselves a form of slavery. But true religion is a personal relationship with Christ by grace through faith. True religion begins with redemption in Jesus.

An excellent example of the freedom that righteousness brings is given for us here in Proverbs 30:18-19, “There be three things which are too wonderful for me, yea, four which I know not: The way of an eagle in the air; the way of a serpent upon a rock; the way of a ship in the midst of the sea; and the way of a man with a maid.” How wonderful is romance. God loves the way of a man with a maid. Hebrews 13:4 says, “Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.” Romance and marriage go together. In marriage there is freedom: the freedom to have all the romance your heart desires.

Righteousness and freedom go together. Thus Jesus has said, “...things which are too wonderful for me, yea...” (Proverbs 30:18) “…The way of an eagle in the air;…” (Proverbs 30:19).

When you read Psalms 34:21-22 consider the words desolate and redemption. To be desolate is to be without the righteousness of Christ at the Day of Judgment. There is no greater desolation than to stand before the judgment seat of Christ and to be found guilty of sin. There is no greater desolation than to stand before the judgment seat of Christ at the Day of Judgment having borne no fruit in life and having earned no rewards for eternity. There is no greater desolation than to be cut off from the promises of God and to be cast into hell to be remembered no more by God. “Evil shall slay the wicked: and they that hate the righteous shall be desolate.”

How wonderful is the freedom that is found in Jesus Christ. Those whom turn from their sins to Jesus are redeemed for eternity. “The LORD redeemeth the soul of his servants: and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate.”

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