Psalm 34: He Keeps All of His Bones
Psalm 34:20, John 19:31-37 - A prophecy in Psalm 34
“He keeps all his bones,
Not one of them is broken.”
Psalms 34:20 NASB1995
I thought the image I picked for this devotional was rather fascinating showing a crowned skeleton. David is claiming that his bones were not broken during the tribulations that he suffered. But we know another example of how a promise was fulfilled from scripture for bones remaining intact:
“Then the Jews, because it was the day of preparation, so that the bodies would not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), asked Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. So the soldiers came, and broke the legs of the first man and of the other who was crucified with Him; but coming to Jesus, when they saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs. But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out. And he who has seen has testified, and his testimony is true; and he knows that he is telling the truth, so that you also may believe. For these things came to pass to fulfill the Scripture, “Not a bone of Him shall be broken.” And again another Scripture says, “They shall look on Him whom they pierced.””
John 19:31-37 NASB1995
Here are the Charles Spurgeon Exposition/Explanatory notes from Precept Austin:
EXPOSITION
Ver. 20. He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken. David had come off with kicks and cuffs, but no broken bones. No substantial injury occurs to the saints. Eternity will heal all their wounds. Their real self is safe; they may have flesh wounds, but no part of the essential fabric of their being shall be broken. This verse may refer to frequent providential protections vouchsafed to the saints; but as good men have had broken limbs as well as others, it cannot absolutely be applied to bodily preservations; but must, it seems to me, be spiritually applied to great injuries of soul, which are for ever prevented by divine love. Not a bone of the mystical body of Christ shall be broken, even as his corporeal frame was preserved intact. Divine love watches over every believer as it did over Jesus; no fatal injury shall happen to us, we shall neither be halt or maimed in the kingdom, but shall be presented after life's trials are over without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, being preserved in Christ Jesus, and kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation.
EXPLANATORY NOTES AND QUAINT SAYINGS
Ver. 20. He keepeth all his bones, which were very many. Perhaps (saith Abenezra here), David had been scourged by the Philistines, but his bones were not broken, nor were our Saviour's. John 19:36. John Trapp.
Ver. 20. All his bones. Muis observes, "It says not his body, for this he permits to be afflicted; but it signifies that the evils of the godly are light, and scarcely penetrate to the bone; "but Geier observes, "This is too subtle, rather the bone reminds us of the essential parts of the body, by whose injury the whole frame is endangered. It is a proverbial form of speech like that in Matthew 10:30, `The very hairs of your head are all numbered, ' expressing the remarkable defence afforded to the righteous." Genebrard says, "The bones are put by synecdoche for all the members." From Poli Synopsis.
Ver. 20. The passover lamb, of which not a bone was broken, prefigured Jesus as one, "not a bone of whose body should be broken; " and yet, at the same time, it prefigured the complete keeping and safety of Christ's body, the church; as it is written, He keepeth all his bones; not one of them is broken. Andrew A. Bonar's Commentary on Leviticus.
Ver. 20. Christ's bones were in themselves breakable, but could not actually be broken by all the violence in the world, because God had fore decreed, a bone of him shall not be broken. So we confess God's children mortal; but all the power of devil or man may not, must not, cannot, kill them before their conversion, according to God's election of them to life, which must be fully accomplished. Thomas Fuller.
Such great commentaries! We may face many illnesses and injuries in this mortal life, but they will all be put behind us when facing our Lord in eternal life. His church is unbroken, too, in spite of the enemy’s efforts to destroy her.
Let’s look at one more commentary from Enduring Word:
He guards all his bones; not one of them is broken: David could look at his own body and see that though he had endured many battles, accidents, and hardships – yet not one bone was broken.
According to the Gospel of John, David spoke not only of his own experience. He also spoke prophetically of the Messiah to come, Jesus Christ. John explained that the Roman soldiers who supervised the crucifixion of Jesus came to His body on the cross, expecting to hasten and guarantee His death in the traditional way – breaking the legs of the crucified victim. When they looked carefully, they learned that Jesus was already dead and they pierced His side to confirm it. John wrote, for these things were done that the Scripture should be fulfilled, “Not one of His bones shall be broken” (John 19:36).
“Christ’s bones were in themselves breakable, but could not actually be broken by all the violence in the world, because God had fore-decreed, a bone of him shall not be broken.” (Fuller, cited in Spurgeon)
Guzik cites the same Fuller commentary that Spurgeon cited above and also notes the scripture in John 19. I find it so amazing that a verse in one of the many Psalms is yet again fulfilled in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus.
My next devotional examines Psalm 34:21 - Evil slays the wicked. There is one more verse in Psalm 34 after I study verse 21. I probably won’t summarize the Psalm because the verses are fairly self-explanatory. My next challenge is to tackle the epistle of Hebrews in the New Testament!
Heaven on Wheels Daily Prayer:
Dear Lord - Please send healing to my eyesight, which continues to be a problem for doing reading and writing (and it was a challenge on the trip we just finished when I was walking). I thank you for the daily blessings you send, regardless of this physical ailment. I’m grateful my eternal bones are unbroken! 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
Precept Austin was accessed on 09/21/2025 to review commentary for Psalm 34:20.
Commentary from Enduring Word by David Guzik is used with written permission. Minor formatting changes have been made to improve readability.
I recently started your daily devotional. So encouraging to read it each day May God comfort you with the same comfort and encouragement that you are providing for other.
Praying for your sight to be healed. Be thou my vision until then!