Psalm 34: Evil Shall Slay the Wicked
Psalm 34:21, Romans 1:28-32 - What is our default destination in eternity?
“Evil shall slay the wicked
And those who hate the righteous will be condemned.”
Psalms 34:21 NASB1995
This second-to-last verse of Psalm 34 is thought-provoking. Evil shall slay the wicked. It seems like the wicked prosper in our world, but the evil that they admire and display and act upon will be their downfall. But all of us must be forewarned that hell and the eternal evil and torment that it represents is the default destination for every one of us! It is the price that we should pay for sin, which separates us from God.
Hell is not mentioned much these days, or if it is, it is done in a joking manner like “Far Side” cartoons or is touted by unrepentant sinners as the “place they want to be” because it will have more interesting people (other unrepentant sinners). When we describe a person who has died as being in a “better place”, we are usurping God’s judgment and assume that they are heaven-bound, regardless of what they may have believed (only God can know their inner heart and belief). This makes it all that more urgent that we bring the Gospel before other people in this life.
The second part of this verse says that those who hate the righteous will be condemned. I like this answer from Gotquestions.org on who will go to hell, which includes those who hate righteousness:
Jesus was clear that “no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again” (John 3:3). He was also clear that hell is an eternal punishment for those who do not obey Him (Matthew 25:46). Second Thessalonians 1:8–9 says that in the end God “will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might.” John the Baptist said about Jesus, “His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire” (Matthew 3:12).
John 3:18 explains in the simplest terms who will go to heaven and who will go to hell: “Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.” So, those who go to hell are specifically those who do not believe in Jesus’ name. To “believe” goes beyond a mental recognition of the truth. To believe in Christ for salvation requires a transfer of allegiance. We stop worshiping ourselves, we forsake our sin, and we begin to worship God with our heart, soul, mind, and strength (Matthew 22:36–37; Mark 12:30).
God desires that every person spend eternity with Him (Matthew 18:14; 2 Peter 3:9), but He honors our decision to accept or reject Him (John 4:14). Anyone who so desires can go to heaven (John 1:12). Jesus already paid the price for our salvation, but we must accept that gift and transfer ownership of our lives to Him (Luke 9:23). Heaven is perfect, and God cannot take anyone there who insists on holding on to his or her sin. We must allow Him to cleanse us of our sin and make us righteous in His sight (2 Corinthians 5:21). John 1:10–12 shows us the problem and the solution: “He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.”
We can choose to trust in Jesus’ payment for our sin—the result will be heaven—or we can choose to pay for our sins ourselves—the result will be eternity in hell.
We must repent, let go of our sins and believe in the atoning sacrifice of Christ on the cross and His resurrection. I know where I want to go! I trust in His payment for our sins and choose to have faith in His mercy and grace. Paul also clearly delineates the fate of the wicked and those who hate righteousness in Romans 1:
“And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper, being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful; and although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them.”
Romans 1:28-32 NASB1995
Spend five minutes reading comments on social media on almost any subject and you will see the wickedness of depraved minds, who cheer on the downward spiral of humanity and rage at God. They are on a dark path.
Here are the Charles Spurgeon Exposition/Explanatory notes from Precept Austin:
EXPOSITION
Ver. 21. Evil shall slay the wicked. Their adversaries shall be killing; they are not medicine, but poison. Ungodly men only need rope enough and they will hang themselves; their own iniquities shall be their punishment. Hell itself is but evil fully developed, torturing those in whom it dwells. Oh! happy they who have fled to Jesus to find refuge from their former sins, such, and such only will escape. And they that hate the righteous shall be desolate. They hated the best of company, and they shall have none; they shall be forsaken, despoiled, wretched, despairing. God makes the viper poison itself. What desolation of heart do the damned feel, and how richly have they deserved it!
EXPLANATORY NOTES AND QUAINT SAYINGS
Ver. 21. Evil. Afflictions though in the plural, prove not ruinous to the righteous, for the Lord delivers him out of them all, whereas evil in the singular slays the wicked, to signify the difference of God's economy towards righteous and wicked men. The former is permitted to fall into many pressures, the latter is not so frequently exercised with them, yet the many that befall the one do no hurt, but work good for him, whereas the few that befall the wicked, or perhaps the one singular affliction of his life is the utter ruin of him. Henry Hammond.
Ver. 21. --
Conscience self the culprit tortures, gnawing him with pangs unknown; For that now amendment's season is for ever past and gone, And that late repentance findeth pardon none for all her moan. S. Peter Damiano, 988-1072.
Ver. 21. Shall be desolate. In the margin it is, shall be guilty. And this is the proper meaning of the original word, (wmvay). They are guilty, and liable to punishment. Thus the word is frequently rendered in our version (see Leviticus 4:13, Leviticus 4:22); and generally includes it in the idea of guilt, and the punishment incurred by it. Samuel Chandler, D.D.
The NASB95 version of the Bible that I refer to in my devotionals uses the word “condemned” for those who hate the righteous. “Desolate” is from the KJV, but the message is clear - if you hate righteousness, you will be separated from God, condemned and will be in utter desolation and torment for eternity. It is your choice.
I hesitate to get all “fire and brimstone” on my readers, but the more I study God’s precepts, the more I realize that this dichotomy (evil versus righteous) is THE fundamental issue of our times. We don’t have much time left to find the lost sheep and those sheep include people we claim to love.
So why did I compare evil to righteousness instead of to “good”? Let’s do a word study:
Righteous comes from the Hebrew adjective צַדִּיק or tsaddîyq (Strong’s H6662) with the following Biblical usages:
just, lawful, righteous
just, righteous (in government)
just, right (in one’s cause)
just, righteous (in conduct and character)
righteous (as justified and vindicated by God)
right, correct, lawful
Beautiful sunsets can be good. A nice dinner can be good. A well-acted play can be good. But good is not the same as righteous. Becoming righteous means being correct and justified in God’s eyes; we fallen humans can be good most of the time-but growing in righteouness requires a relationship with God through the Holy Spirit This is sanctification.
My next devotional examines the last verse of Psalm 34 (verse 22) - Those who find refuge in the Lord shall not be condemned. I will not do a separate summary of Psalm 34 as each verse stands alone. My next series will be an examination of the NT epistle of Hebrews.
Heaven on Wheels Daily Prayer:
Dear Lord - Help me to reach out to others with the Gospel message of hope and help me to do my part to avoid adding to the downward spiral of evil that permeates our society. Amen.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Gotquestions.org was accessed on 09/23/2025 to answer the “Who will go to hell?”. © COPYRIGHT 2002-2025 GOT QUESTIONS MINISTRIES. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Precept Austin was accessed on 09/23/2025 to review commentary for Psalm 34:21.
The Blue Letter Bible was accessed on 09/24/2025 to review the lexicon for righteous.