Psalms 34:17
The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles.
Main message
Psalm 34:17: The righteous cry, the LORD hears, and he delivers them from troubles; the assurance sustains prayer without promising that every rescue is immediate or takes the form we expect.
Meaning in context
Psalm 34:15–18 · The LORD sees, hears, and draws near — Verses 15–18 contrast divine opposition to evil with attentive hearing and nearness to the brokenhearted and crushed in spirit.
The righteous cry, the LORD hears, and he delivers them from troubles; the assurance sustains prayer without promising that every rescue is immediate or takes the form we expect.
Further teachings
The LORD sees, hears, and draws near
The righteous cry, the LORD hears, and he delivers them from troubles; the assurance sustains prayer without promising that every rescue is immediate or takes the form we expect.
Cross References: Psalm 34:17 — Psalm 34:15–18.
Applications in daily life
- 1
Psalm 34:17
The righteous cry, the LORD hears, and he delivers them from troubles; the assurance sustains prayer without promising that every rescue is immediate or takes the form we expect.
Deliverance language must not be used to promise immediate rescue or blame sufferers when hardship continues.
Related Bible passages and resources
- Psalm 34 (full chapter)
Psalm 34 moves from personal praise and testimony into communal invitation, wisdom instruction, and renewed assurance that the LORD hears the afflicted. Its alphabetic shape reinforces a comprehensive meditation on praise, fear of the LORD, truthful speech, peace, suffering, and refuge. The psalm does not promise a trouble-free life: it explicitly says the righteous have many afflictions while insisting that God remains near, attentive, and redeeming. Later Christian reception of verse 20 in John 19:36 is important, but it should not erase the psalm’s original poetic setting.
- Psalm 34:16
Read the previous verse to preserve the movement.
- Psalm 34:18
Continue with the next verse to preserve the movement.
- Study the Book of Psalms
Keep this verse within Psalm 34’s movement from praise and deliverance to wisdom, peace, affliction, and refuge.
Common misreadings
Deliverance language must not be used to promise immediate rescue or blame sufferers when hardship continues.
The righteous cry, the LORD hears, and he delivers them from troubles; the assurance sustains prayer without promising that every rescue is immediate or takes the form we expect.
Related Verses
- Psalms 46:1
“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”
- Psalms 107:6
“Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses.”
- Psalms 18:6
“In my distress I called upon the Lord, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears.”
- Psalms 120:1
“In my distress I cried unto the Lord, and he heard me.”
- Nahum 1:7
“The Lord is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him.”
Related Topics
How to Apply Psalms 34:17
Pray through Psalms 34:17 slowly, pausing at each phrase. Journal what God highlights regarding on the theme of Distress in the Bible. Commit to one concrete application over the next seven days, and revisit your notes at the end of the week to see how your perspective has shifted through the lens of this passage.
Sources & Method
Biblical text
Commentary anchored in the public-domain Psalm 34 text used by the site.
- Author:
- The Lord Will Editorial Team
- Reviewed by:
- Ugo Candido
- Last updated:
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