Psalms 34:22
in Psalms 34The LORD redeems His servants, and none who take refuge in Him will be condemned.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Jehovah redeemeth the soul of his servants; And none of them that take refuge in him shall be condemned.
KJV
The Lord redeemeth the soul of his servants: and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate.
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This verse in Psalms 34
Commentary
11 notes on this verseThe 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.
This site's exposition
Many are the afflictions
on Psalms 34:19-22
Verse 19 grants many afflictions to the righteous and promises deliverance out of all of them. John 19:36 quotes verse 20 at the cross as Not one of His bones will be broken. The Passover law at Exodus 12:46 forbids breaking the lamb's bones.
This site's exposition
The LORD redeems His servants
Albert Barnes gave the primary sense of redeem as to buy loose or ransom, though he read it here as rescue by God's power. Charles Spurgeon held both together, redemption with price and with power. Adam Clarke rendered condemned literally as held guilty.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
But because there are many kinds of sinners, and not to be a sinner is difficult, or perhaps in this life impossible, he added immediately, of what kind of sinners the death is worst. "And they that hate the righteous one" (says he) "shall perish." What righteous one, but "Him that justifies the ungodly"? [Romans 4:5] Whom, but our Lord Jesus Christ, who is also "the propitiation for our sins"? [1 John 2:2] Who then hate Him, have the worst death; because they die in their sins, who are not through Him reconciled to our God. "For the Lord redeems the souls of His servants." But according to the soul is death to be understood either the worst or best, not according to bodily either dishonour, or honours which men see. "And none of them which trust in Him shall perish" [Psalm 34:22]; this is the manner of human righteousness, that mortal life, however advanced, because without sin it cannot be, in this perishes not, while it trusts in Him, in whom is remission of sins. Amen.
This psalm has certainly ended well in the hope of those who are good that, after forsaking the association of the wicked, they may instead reach toward the good things yet to come.
The Medieval Church1 voice
Then when he says, "The Lord will redeem," he shows how the good are delivered in these dangers. And first, how they are delivered from past sins. Second, how they are protected from future sins, at "And they shall not offend." He says therefore, "The …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Those that are God's faithful servants, that make it their care to please him and their business to honour him, and in doing so trust him to protect and reward them, and, with good thoughts of him, refer themselves to him, have reason to be easy whatever befals them, for they are safe and shall be happy.
The Lord redeemeth the soul of his servants,....
3 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
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.
The Lord redeemeth - Both the life and soul of God’s followers are ever in danger but God is continually redeeming both. Shall be desolate - Literally, shall be guilty. They shall be preserved from sin, and neither forfeit life nor soul. This verse probably should come in after the fifth. See the introduction to this Psalm.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
The Lord redeemeth the soul of his servants - The literal meaning of this is, that the Lord rescues the lives of his servants, or that he saves them from death. The word “redeem” in its primary sense means to let go or loose; to “buy” loose, or to ransom; and hence, to redeem with a price, or to rescue in any way. Here the idea is not that of delivering or rescuing by a “price,” or by an offering, but of rescuing from danger and death by the interposition of the power and providence of God. The word “soul” here is used to denote the entire man, and the idea is, that God will “rescue” or “save” those who serve and obey him. They will be kept from destruction. They will not be held and regarded as guilty, and will not be treated as if they were wicked. As the word “redeem” is used by David here it means God will save His people; without specifying the “means” by which it will be done. As the word “redeem” is used by Christians now, employing the ideas of the New Testament on the subject, it means that God will redeem His people by that great sacrifice which was made for them on the cross. And none of them that trust in him shall be desolate - Shall be held and treated as “guilty.” See Psa 34:21, where the same word occurs in the original. They shall not be held to be guilty; they shall not be punished. This is designed to be in contrast with the statement respecting the wicked in Psa 34:21. The psalm, therefore, closes appropriately with the idea that they who trust the Lord will be ultimately safe; that God will make a distinction between them and the wicked; that they will be ultimately rescued from death, and be regarded and treated forever as the friends of God.
The words behind it
9 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| פּוֹדֶ֣ה | podeh | [is] redeeming | H6299 → | 59 times |
| יְ֭הוָה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| נֶ֣פֶשׁ | nefesh | [the] life of | H5315 → | 754 times |
| עֲבָדָ֑יו | ʾavadav | servants his | H5650 → | 799 times |
| וְלֹ֥א | velo' | and not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| יֶ֝אְשְׁמ֗וּ | ye'shemu | they will be held guilty | H816 → | 35 times |
| כָּֽל־ | kal- | all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| הַחֹסִ֥ים | hachosim | those [who] take refuge | H2620 → | 37 times |
| בּֽוֹ׃ | bo | in him |
פּוֹדֶ֣ה[is] redeeming
podehH6299 →59 times
יְ֭הוָהYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
נֶ֣פֶשׁ[the] life of
nefeshH5315 →754 times
עֲבָדָ֑יוservants his
ʾavadavH5650 →799 times
וְלֹ֥אand not
velo'H3808 →5168 times
יֶ֝אְשְׁמ֗וּthey will be held guilty
ye'shemuH816 →35 times
כָּֽל־all
kal-H3605 →5413 times
הַחֹסִ֥יםthose [who] take refuge
hachosimH2620 →37 times
בּֽוֹ׃in him
bo
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Psalms 103:4who redeems your life from the Pit and crowns you with loving devotion and compassion,
it leads to
- Psalms 71:23
When I sing praise to You my lips will shout for joy, along with my soul, which You have redeemed.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Psalms 56:13
For You have delivered my soul from death, and my feet from stumbling, that I may walk before God in the light of life.
- Psalms 103:12
As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.
- Psalms 8:5
You made him a little lower than the angels; You crowned him with glory and honor.
- 1 Peter 5:4
And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.
- Psalms 71:23
Through
Psalms 31:5Into Your hands I commit my spirit; You have redeemed me, O LORD, God of truth.
it leads to
- Luke 23:46
Then Jesus called out in a loud voice, “Father, into Your hands I commit My Spirit.” And when He had said this, He breathed His last.
- Acts 7:59
While they were stoning him, Stephen appealed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”
- Luke 23:46
Through
Psalms 71:23When I sing praise to You my lips will shout for joy, along with my soul, which You have redeemed.
it leads to
- Psalms 104:33
I will sing to the LORD all my life; I will sing praise to my God while I have my being.
- Psalms 104:33
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Psalms
This page draws on 11 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the Book of Psalms; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Augustine of Hippo, Exposition on Psalm 34; Cassiodorus, EXPLANATION OF THE PSALMS 34:23; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David, Vol. 2; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Thomas Aquinas, Exposition on the Psalms of David.