Live a life of freedom

Psalm 34:11-22

Are you facing major challenges in your life – perhaps to do with your finances, relationships, health, family or some other difficult situation? This psalm is full of guidance and wonderful promises to those who face ‘many troubles’ (v.19).

The apostle Peter quotes this psalm in one of his letters as evidence of the kind of life we should lead – a life that reflects our new freedom as children of God.

Peter introduces David’s call to righteous living with the explanation that it is ‘to this you were called’ (1 Peter 3:9): ‘Whoever among you loves life and desires to see many good days, keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking lies. Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it. The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears attentive to their cry; the face of the Lord is against those who do evil’ (Psalm 34:12–16a; 1 Peter 3:10–12).

‘The Lord… saves’ (Psalm 34:18). You cannot save yourself. It is the Lord who sets you free.

Our God rescues us. He watches over you, waiting to hear your prayer: ‘His ears are attentive to [your] cry’ (v.15b). When we do cry out, ‘the Lord hears’ (v.17a), and delivers us from all our ‘troubles’ (v.17b). I find it so helpful to look back over the years at various ‘troubles’ I have written in the margins of my Bible and to see how God has delivered me. It encourages me to cry out again.

God does not say that there won’t be any troubles (v.19a), but he does promise to deliver you from them all (v.19b). He is especially close in the tough times, ‘The Lord is close to the broken-hearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit’ (v.18). When you are going through a difficult time, you may not necessarily feel God is close, but he is: ‘God is there every time’ (v.19, MSG).

‘God pays for each slave’s freedom’ (v.22a, MSG). He promises that there is no condemnation for those who take ‘refuge in him’ (v.22b, see Romans 8:1). You have a righteousness from God through Christ, hence, you can include yourself in the category of ‘the righteous’ (Psalm 34:17,19,21).