Psalm 34: The Lord Redeems the Souls of His Servants
Psalm 34:22, Romans 8:1-2 - Those who take refuge in Him shall not be condemned.
“The Lord redeems the soul of His servants,
And none of those who take refuge in Him will be condemned.”
Psalms 34:22 NASB1995
We are redeemed if we are a servant of the Lord. None of those who take refuge in Him will be condemned. This beautiful promise is repeated in Romans 8:
“Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.”
Romans 8:1-2 NASB1995
Here are the Charles Spurgeon Exposition/Explanatory notes from Precept Austin:
EXPOSITION
Ver. 22. The Lord redeemeth the soul of his servants --with price and with power, with blood and with water. All providential helps are a part of the redemption by power, hence the Lord is said still to redeem. All thus ransomed belong to him who bought them-- this is the law of justice and the verdict of gratitude. Joyfully will we serve him who so graciously purchases us with his blood, and delivers us by his power. And none of them that trust in him shall be desolate. Faith is the mark of the ransomed, and wherever it is seen, though in the least and meanest of the saints, it ensures eternal salvation. Believer, thou shalt never be deserted, forsaken, given up to ruin. God, even thy God, is thy guardian and friend, and bliss is thine.
EXPLANATORY NOTES AND QUAINT SAYINGS
Ver. 22. The promises of God to his church, and his threatenings of sin recorded in the living book of his word, are not antiquate; no age shall ever superannuate them, or put them out of full force and virtue. What if good persons and good causes do suffer oppression? The poet is a divine in that case--
Informes hiemes reducit
Jupiter; idem
Summovet. Non si male nunc, et olim
Sic erit.After foul weather comes fair; though it be ill with us now, it will not be always. What if enemies of religion and moths of commonwealth do flourish and prosper, and have all things at will, let it not trouble David and Job; both of them saw as fair a sunshine shut up in a dark cloud, and a world of foul weather following. Edward Marbury.
Ver. 22. Satan cannot tempt longer than God shall give him leave; and he will never suffer thee to be tempted above measure, but will give a good issue unto the temptation. Thou art called to fight under the banner of Christ Jesus, and in the name of the Lord thou shalt be enabled to do valiantly and overcome. If Satan continue his assaults, "God's grace is sufficient for thee." 2 Corinthians 12:9. If thy strength be clean gone, God's power shall be magnified the more in thee, and he hath brought thee low that thou mayest not trust in thyself, but in the living Lord, and that the whole praise of the victory might be ascribed unto him. If thy strength did remain, it was not to be leaned unto; and now it is decayed and gone, there is no cause of fear, for the Lord will be thy stay. In the most difficult assaults and tedious encounters, we are exhorted to "be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might." Be of good courage, and God will grant thee an easy, a joyful victory. Satan's drift in tempting is to turmoil, dishearten, and perplex with fears, and drive into despair; and if thou take heart to rest quietly upon God's grace, and fly unto his name, thou shalt put him to flight, thou hast already got the day. Wait but awhile, and these dark mists and terrible storms shall be dispersed. By these temptations the Lord hath taught thee to see by weakness, and the malice of Satan; to deny thine own wisdom and prize his favour, lightly to esteem all things here below, and highly to value mercy reaching to the pardon of sin, and heavenly communion and fellowship with God. And if this bitter potion hath wrought so kindly for thy spiritual good, why shouldest thou be dismayed? Trust in the Lord, be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thee. The Lord redeemeth the soul of his servants: and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate, John Ball.
I like the words in that last explanatory note by John Ball: Trust in the Lord, be of good courage and he shall strengthen thee. We will have an easy and joyful victory in the end! When I still struggle with the eyesight problems that have struck me this year, I can hope in the pure vision that I will have when I take refuge with Him.
This finishes Psalm 34, which is a lovely collection of things to recall (paraphrased):
I will bless the Lord.
I will boast in the Lord.
I will seek the Lord.
He will deliver me from all of my fears.
We look to Him and are radiant.
The poor cry and saved out of their troubles.
The angel of the Lord rescues those who fear Him.
Taste and see that the Lord is good!
Those who fear Him will have no want.
Seek the Lord and you shall not be in want of any good thing.
Teach the children fear of the Lord.
Who is the man who desires life?
Keep your tongue from evil and deceit.
Depart from evil, do good and seek peace.
The eyes and ears of the Lord incline towards the righteous.
The face of the Lord is against evildoers.
The righteous cry and the Lord hears.
The Lord is near the brokenhearted and those crushed in spirit.
The Lord delivers the righteous from their afflictions.
He keeps all His bones.
Evil shall slay the wicked.
The Lord redeems the soul of His servants.
AMEN!
My next devotional is an introduction to the Epistle of Hebrews. I will look at the theories about the author and share other commentaries about this essential New Testament book.
Heaven on Wheels Daily Prayer:
Dear Lord - Thank you for guiding me through Psalm 34, which can be laid out like a beautiful prayer! Please be with me as I start a study of Hebrews. Also, please send Your healing power to me as I continue to struggle to see to read and write. 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 09/25/2025 to review commentary for Psalm 34:22.