Psalm 34 is wonderfully comforting and encouraging.
“I sought the Lord and He
answered me; he delivered me from all my fears” (v4). If we are fearful we
should pray to God.
“The Lord is close to the
broken-hearted and saves those crushed in spirit” (v18). No matter how bad
things are, no matter how dispirited we feel, God is always close by
Verse 7 (The angel of the Lord
is encamped around us) provides a comforting image of God’s complete protection
when we find ourselves surrounded by troubles and threats. It does not matter
what direction the threat may come from for the Lord’s protection surrounds us
completely.
Verse 19 tells us that a
righteous man may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from then all.
Not just some troubles, but all.
The language throughout is
absolute: we will be delivered of all our fears (not merely some) (v4 &7).
Those who fear him will lack nothing (not merely have most of what they need. v9).
The angel of the Lord is encamped all around us - not just here or there. The
psalmist makes it clear that our God is not a wishy-washy God, but one who has
the power and the will to deal fully with anything and everything.
The final verse (22) caps it all:
“The Lord redeems his servants; no-one will be condemned who takes refuge in
him”. God does not merely protect and comfort us but redeems us from all sin
and releases us from all condemnation though the sacrifice of Jesus on the
cross. The ultimate fear dispelled by the supreme comforter.