Psalms 34:17

17 They cry out and Yahweh hears and delivers them from all [of] their troubles.

Psalms 34:17 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 34:17

[The righteous] cry
The word "righteous" is not in the original text, but is rightly supplied in our version, as it is in the Targum, and by Jarchi; and so Kimchi and Ben Melech observe, that these words are not to be connected with ( Psalms 34:16 ) , but with ( Psalms 34:15 ) ; and they are indeed an amplification of the last clause of it; and the cry of the righteous is meant, to which the ears of the Lord are open; though Aben Ezra thinks that these words are to be understood of them that do evil, and of their cry to the Lord, when they turn from their evil ways; but the former sense is best;

and the Lord heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles;
their inward troubles, through the workings of corruption in their hearts; through the violent assaults of Satan, the blasphemous thoughts he injects into them, and his solicitations of them to sin; and through divine desertions, and their outward troubles; through afflictions of body, losses of estate and friends, and the reproaches and persecutions of men; out of all these the Lord sooner or later delivers his people who cry unto him.

Psalms 34:17 In-Context

15 The eyes of Yahweh [are] toward [the] righteous, and his ears toward their cry for help.

16 The face of Yahweh [is] against evildoers, to cut off the remembrance of them from [the] earth.

17 They cry out and Yahweh hears and delivers them from all [of] their troubles.

18 Yahweh [is] near to [those who are] heartbroken and saves [those who are] crushed in spirit.

19 Many [are the] distresses of [the] righteous, but Yahweh delivers him out of them all.

Footnotes

• [a]. That is, the righteous