Psalm 34: The Angel of the Lord Rescues Them
Psalm 34:7 - We are surrounded by the heavenly realm and are rescued!
“The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him,
And rescues them.”
Psalms 34:7 NASB1995
A quick comment before diving into Psalm 34:7. I had a conversation with a friend in the comments for my last post about Psalm 34.6. I referred to a commentator that I quoted in my study of Philippians who described the five types of grumblers and complainers: Whiner, Martyr, Cynic, Perfectionist and Crusader. My friend felt that characterizing David as a whiner was a bit extreme (that commentator used David as an example of a whiner). I agree with my friend that in general because of the incredible legacy of this king, but David, like any other imperfect human, probably had his share of times when he was feeling picked on or treated unfairly. That attitude can translate into how you approach prayer. But God still hears us!
David now describes the fact that the angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him and rescues them. Gotquestions.org has a really good response to the question “What do angels do?”
The Bible tells us that angels worship the Lord and offer praises to Him (Psalm 148:2; Luke 2:13; Hebrews 1:6; Revelation 5:11–12). Thousands upon thousands of angels worship the Lord, bringing Him glory (Hebrews 12:22). At certain times God calls angels to present themselves before Him (Job 1:6; 2:1). Angels also serve God and carry out His commands (Psalm 103:20). Some of these commands include being sent by God to answer prayer (Daniel 10:12; Acts 12:5–10) and serve and protect believers (Psalm 34:7; Daniel 6:22; Hebrews 1:14). At times, God can use angels as instruments of judgment on unbelieving and rebellious people and nations (Genesis 19:13; Acts 12:23; Revelation 15:6–8). Everything that angels do is in accordance with the will of God.
Scripture indicates that angels observe Christians and their lives (1 Corinthians 4:9; Ephesians 3:10). Angels cannot experience salvation, and they are interested in the conversion experience of individuals and the application of God’s grace (Luke 15:10). Salvation through Jesus’ death and resurrection is such an amazing event that angels desire to investigate the preaching of the gospel: “It is all so wonderful that even the angels are eagerly watching these things happen” (1 Peter 1:12, NLT). Angels have delivered messages to humans that have provided guidance and encouragement (Daniel 10:12, 14; Matthew 1:20–21; Luke 1:11–17, 19; 2:26–37; Acts 10:3–6; 27:23–24). Angels are “ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation” (Hebrews 1:14). At the end of a believer’s life, angels provide care at the time of death (Luke 16:22).
Scripture shows angels involved in battles in the spiritual realm (Daniel 10:13; Jude 1:9; Revelation 12:7–9). We may be unaware of the angelic battles, but they do happen. Angels also are a part of new epochs of history. Angels were present when the earth was created, giving praise to God (Job 38:4–7). At the giving of the law to Moses, angels were present and had a part in it (Acts 7:53). At the first coming of Jesus into the world, angels announced His birth (Luke 2:10–11). At the rapture, the archangel (presumably Michael) will be present and call out (1 Thessalonians 4:16). And during the tribulation, Jesus’ return, the millennial kingdom, and the eternal state, angels will have plenty to do, issuing punishment from God, binding Satan, and measuring the New Jerusalem (Revelation 5:11–12; 8:2–3, 6–12; 9:1, 13; 10:1; 14:6, 8–9; 15:6; 16; 18:1–3; 19:9; 20:1–3; 21:15; 22:1, 6).
Our secular and skeptical world would likely scoff at the idea of supernatural beings like angels who are involved in the lives of believers. I have a little personal anecdote to tell about angels. Back in June, 2008, my 94-year-old Dad was in the process of dying in a hospice. On the day he died (he was a believer, although he admitted to rarely praying), I honestly sensed another being the room; the being seemed benevolent and was looking over him. I couldn’t see anything but the feeling was overwhelming. We went to get lunch and had a variety of strange distractions, like the silly dog that the hospice doctor had, the line at the Subway shop close by, and a conversation on the way back with someone else who was on vigil with a loved one.
We ate lunch outside and finally went back to the room. He was gone (apparently within minutes before our return) and so was the feeling of the presence of someone else. Luke 16:22 (noted in the commentary above) is the parable of the rich man and Lazarus and it describes how angels transported the poor man Lazarus to the bosom of Abraham. The folks who worked at the hospice had all sorts of stories about how they believed angels moved through the place and sometimes took several people at once (we saw this happen multiple times during the six weeks my Dad was there).
David knows that these beings are there to rescue those who have faith in God. Here is the exposition commentary from Charles Spurgeon, which also includes commentary from others that Spurgeon quotes (from Precept Austin):
EXPOSITION
Ver. 7. The angel of the Lord. The covenant angel, the Lord Jesus, at the head of all the bands of heaven, surrounds with his army the dwellings of the saints. Like hosts entrenched so are the ministering spirits encamped around the Lord's chosen, to serve and succour, to defend and console them. Encampeth round about them that fear him. On every side the watch is kept by warriors of sleepless eyes, and the Captain of the host is one whose prowess none can resist. And delivereth them. We little know how many providential deliverances we owe to those unseen hands which are charged to bear us up lest we dash our foot against a stone.
EXPLANATORY NOTES AND QUAINT SAYINGS
Ver. 7. The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them. I will not rub the questions, whether these angels can contract themselves, and whether they can subsist in a point, and so stand together the better in so great a number, neither will I trouble myself to examine whether they are in such and such a place in their substance, or only in their virtue and operation. But this the godly man may assure himself of, that whensoever he shall want their help, in spite of doors, and locks, and bars, he may have it in a moment's warning. For there is no impediment, either for want of power because they are spirits, or from want of good will, both because it is their duty, and because they bear an affection to him; not only rejoicing at his first conversion Luke 15:10, but, I dare confidently affirm, always disposed with abundance of cheerfulness to do anything for him. I cannot let pass some words I remember of Origen's to this purpose, as I have them from his interpreter. He brings in the angels speaking after this manner: --"If he (meaning the Son of God) went down, and went down into a body, and was clothed with flesh, and endured its infirmities and died for men, what do we stand still for? Come, let's all down from heaven together." Zachary Bogan.
Ver. 7. The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him. This is the first time that, in the psalter, we read of the ministrations of angels. But many fathers rather take this passage of the "Angel of the Great Counsel, "and gloriously to him it applies. J. M. Neale.
Ver. 7. The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, etc. By whom may be meant, either the uncreated Angel, the Lord Jesus Christ, the Angel of God's presence, and of the covenant, the Captain of salvation, the Leader and Commander of the people; and whose salvation is as walls and bulwarks about them, or as an army surrounding them; or a created angel may be intended, even a single one, which is sufficient to guard a multitude of saints, since one could destroy at once such a vast number of enemies, as in 2 Kings 19:35; or one may be put for more, since they are an innumerable company that are on the side of the Lord's people, and to whom they are joined; and these may be said to encamp about them, because they are an host or army (see Genesis 32:1-2 Luke 2:13); and are the guardians of the saints, that stand up for them and protect them, as well as minister to them. John Gill.
Ver. 7. The angel of the Lord is represented in his twofold character in this pair of Psalms, as an angel of mercy, and also as an angel of judgment, Psalms 35:6. This pair of Psalms (the thirty-fourth and thirty-fifth), may in this respect be compared with the twelfth chapter of the Acts of the Apostles, where the angel of the Lord is displayed as encamping about St. Peter, and delivering him, and also as smiting the persecutor, Herod Agrippa. Christopher Wordsworth, D.D.
What a marvelous sense of protection we have in Him! Who knows how many times we have been delivered in our lives? I think He had someone watch over us when we were wandering in the secular wilderness because He knew the plans He had for us!
The commentary from Enduring Word is also good:
The angel of the LORD encamps all around those who fear Him: David narrowly escaped death among the Philistines. He was still a hunted, wanted man with King Saul determined to kill him. A rag-tag group of desperate losers gathered to him at Adullam. David was at a genuine low point; yet he was still filled with praise and trust, even knowing that God had an angelic camp all around him.
The triumph and joy of this song is so clear that it is easy to forget the life context of the psalm. “It is for people who find themselves at the absolute low point in life, which is where David was. Or find themselves between a rock, which in this case was King Saul, and a hard place, which was King Achish. It is for you when everything seems against you.” (James Montgomery Boice)
David’s protection was real, even if it was invisible. He could not see the angelic presence around him, but it was real. Many times in the Old Testament, the angel of the LORD was an actual material appearance of Yahweh Himself (as in Judges 13). We don’t know if David meant an angelic being sent by God, or God Himself present with the believer. Both are true.
“The fugitive, in his rude shelter in the cave of Adullam, thinks of Jacob, who, in his hour of defenceless need, was heartened by the vision of the angel encampment surrounding.” (Alexander Maclaren)
Psalm 34:7 is one passage that gives support to the thought of a guardian angel for everyone, or perhaps at least for believers. One can’t say that this passage proves the idea, but it is consistent with it. “Let the consideration of these invisible guardians, who are also spectators of our actions, at once restrain us from evil, and incite us to good.” (George Horne)
The key to this marvelous protection, according to David, is that we are to fear the Lord! We must be in awe of Him and His creation, whether that creation is visible to us in this universe or is part of His heavenly realm.
My next devotional examines Psalms 34:8 - Taste and see that the Lord is good!
A quick aside: I humbly ask for prayers from my readers as I continue to have eye problems (a long story this year) and I had another appointment on 8/26. I have a condition known as a macular pucker in my left eye (the macula of the retina has been pulled by the vitreous as it liquifies - an aging thing - and the macula is damaged, causing a little scar). I also have a retinal cyst. I have lost visual acuity and have distortions going on in that eye now, but I still plan to write! It’s strange - my left eye feels like I’m wearing a pair of really old glasses. Thank you for your compassion and prayers!
Heaven on Wheels Daily Prayer:
Dear Lord - Please send your healing for my vision issues. I thank you for the protection of those from the unseen world! 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
Got questions.org was accessed on 08/26/2025 to answer the question, What do angels do?
Precept Austin was accessed on 08/26/2025 to review commentary for Psalm 35:7.
Enduring Word commentary by David Guzik is used with written permission. Minor formatting changes have been made to improve readability.
Praying for vision healing and peace during any procedure