Psalm 34:21 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Affliction will slay the wicked, and those who hate the righteous will be condemned.

NIV: Evil will slay the wicked; the foes of the righteous will be condemned.

NASB: Evil will bring death to the wicked, And those who hate the righteous will suffer for their guilt.

CSB: Evil brings death to the wicked, and those who hate the righteous will be punished.

NLT: Calamity will surely destroy the wicked, and those who hate the righteous will be punished.

KJV: Evil shall slay the wicked: and they that hate the righteous shall be desolate.

NKJV: Evil shall slay the wicked, And those who hate the righteous shall be condemned.

David knew the righteous have troubles and are despised by their adversaries. Scripture is fully aware that faithful service to God does not make a person immune to hardship (Psalm 34:19; John 16:33). What provides ultimate hope for those who love God is knowledge that the Lord turns the tables on the wicked—He makes their efforts part of their own ruin. While struggles in life are part of a believer's path to eternity (Romans 8:28–30; Revelation 21:4), even the greatest success of the wicked is preparation for their judgment (John 3:36; Revelation 20:15).

The wicked despise the righteous (1 Peter 4:3–4), but they will pay a bitter price for their sin. A classic example of this is what became of Judas. He betrayed Jesus for thirty pieces of silver, but his sin made him feel so miserable he returned the money (Matthew 27:3) and then hanged himself (Matthew 27:5).

Further evidence of the condemnation of the wicked is found in Revelation 19. Satan's two henchmen, who spill the blood of righteous people in the tribulation period, receive judgment when Jesus returns to earth. He captures them and throws them "alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur" (Revelation 19:20). The righteous experience suffering, but it is only for "a little time" (1 Peter 1:6). However, the wicked will experience suffering that lasts forever (Revelation 20:10).

Psalm 34:15–22 contrasts what the Lord does for those who fear Him against what happens to the wicked. God watches over the righteous and answers their cry for help. He delivers the righteous from their troubles and draws near to them. He protects the righteous and redeems them. On the other hand, He opposes the wicked and condemns them. While David certainly experienced victories in his life, he also understood that God's love and provision have an eternal perspective (Romans 8:28–30). Verse 20 includes a reference which the Gospel of John ties to Jesus' role as Messiah.

David praises the Lord for delivering him from the Philistines, and he invites others to join him in singing joyfully to the Lord. He extols the virtue of fearing the Lord and remembering His goodness. He encourages the Lord's people to respect God and offers wisdom leading to a long and blessed life. At the end of this psalm David emphasizes the distinction the Lord draws between the wicked and the righteous. He cares for the righteous and will not condemn them, but He condemns the wicked.

David composed this psalm after he escaped from the Philistines at Gath. He accomplished this by feigning insanity and later sheltered in the cave of Adullum. This experience is recorded in 1 Samuel 21:10—22:1. Like Psalm 25, this is an acrostic psalm. Every verse except the final one begins with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet. First Peter 2:3 alludes to the psalm's eighth verse, and 1 Peter 3:10–12 quotes verses 12–16 of Psalm 34. John 19:36 refers to Psalm 34:20.

The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.