Matthew Henry Commentary Psalms 34:11-22

"Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of Jehovah. What man is he that desireth life, And loveth [many] days, that he may see good? Keep thy tongue from evil, And thy lips from speaking guile. Depart from evil, and do good; Seek peace, and pursue it. The eyes of Jehovah are toward the righteous, And his ears are [open] unto their cry. The face of Jehovah is against them that do evil, To cut off the remembrance of them from the earth. [The righteous] cried, and Jehovah heard, And delivered them out of all their troubles. Jehovah is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart, And saveth such as are of a contrite spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous; But Jehovah delivereth him out of them all. He keepeth all his bones: Not one of them is broken. Evil shall slay the wicked; And they that hate the righteous shall be condemned. Jehovah redeemeth the soul of his servants; And none of them that take refuge in him shall be condemned." — Psalms 34:11-22 (ASV)

Let young people set out in life by learning the fear of the Lord, if they desire true comfort here and eternal happiness hereafter. Those will be most happy who begin soonest to serve so good a Master. All aim to be happy. Surely this aspiration must look further than the present world, for human life on earth consists of only a few days, and those days are full of trouble.

What person is there who desires to see that good life where all bliss is perfect? Alas! Few have this good in their thoughts. The religion that promises best is the one that cultivates watchfulness over the heart and over the tongue. It is not enough not to do harm; we must strive to be useful and to live for a purpose. We must seek peace and pursue it, being willing to deny ourselves a great deal for peace's sake.

It is the constant practice of real believers, when in distress, to cry out to God, and it is their constant comfort that He hears them. The righteous are humbled for sin, and are low in their own eyes. Nothing is more necessary for true godliness than a contrite heart, broken from all self-confidence. In this soil, every grace will flourish, and nothing can encourage such a person but the free, rich grace of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The righteous are taken under the special protection of the Lord, yet they have their share of crosses in this world, and there are those who hate them.

Both from the mercy of Heaven and the malice of hell, the afflictions of the righteous must be many. But whatever troubles befall them, they shall not harm their souls, for God keeps them from sinning in their troubles. No one is desolate except the one whom God has forsaken.