Introduction

Some of us walked in today with a smile that hides a storm. Bills on the table, biopsy on the calendar, battles in the soul. Others carry a quiet ache—an empty chair at dinner, a friendship gone cold, a door that never opened. If you feel overlooked, unheard, unseen—hear this: the God who flung stars into space knows your address, reads your tears, and remembers your name. When life feels loud and lonely, heaven is attentive. The Shepherd does not misplace sheep. The Father does not forget children. The King does not ignore cries from the crib or the cancer ward.

David knew about pressure. He knew about the heat of pursuit, the pang of fear, the weariness of waiting. He penned Psalm 34 as a man who had tasted both triumph and trembling, both applause and accusations. And he tells us something tender, something strong: God’s eyes see. God’s ears hear. God’s hands save. If you have ever wondered, “Does God notice me? Does God hear these prayers I can barely whisper?” Psalm 34 answers with a steady yes.

Tim Keller once wrote, “The gospel is this: We are more sinful and flawed in ourselves than we ever dared believe, yet at the very same time we are more loved and accepted in Jesus Christ than we ever dared hope.” That is a song for worn-out hearts. Loved and accepted—when you feel brittle. Loved and accepted—when guilt growls and shame shouts. Loved and accepted—when your plans topple and your strength thins. The Lord is not aloof from your pain. He is near to your ache. He hears the sigh you cannot explain.

Have you ever sat in the dark and reached for a light switch, only to remember the power is out? You pat the wall anyway, as if the switch might suddenly work. We do that with our souls. We reach for control, for certainty, for fixes and formulas. And then Psalm 34 steps into the room with a lantern. It doesn’t promise a life without trouble; it promises a God who walks with you through trouble. It doesn’t offer cotton-candy comfort that melts in the rain; it offers a fortress for the storm.

Listen to the cadence of this psalm. Hear its patient rhythm for the restless heart: - God sees you when you do right in a world that rewards shortcuts. - God hears you when you cry at midnight and your phone stays silent. - God delivers you, not from every difficulty, but through every affliction with care that never quits. - God redeems your life so thoroughly that fear loses its grip and hope finds its voice.

This is hope with work boots on. This is comfort with calloused hands. This is a psalm for Mondays and midnights, for hospital hallways and kitchen tables, for new believers and old saints whose Bibles fall open to the Psalms because the pages are wrinkled with tears.

So bring your broken heart; the text says He is near to it. Bring your contrite spirit; the text says He saves it. Bring the stack of afflictions; the text says He delivers through them all. Bring the tangle of questions; the text says His eyes and ears are turned toward you. And if you wonder whether this promise stretches all the way to you—to your mistakes, your mishaps, your mess—remember the cross. The ultimate sign that God sees, hears, and saves is a Savior who stepped into our world, carried our sorrows, and rose to redeem every trusting heart.

Let’s read the Word that will lead us today.

Scripture Reading: Psalm 34:15-22 (KJV)

15 The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry. 16 The face of the LORD is against them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth. 17 The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles. 18 The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. 19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all. 20 He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken. 21 Evil shall slay the wicked: and they that hate the righteous shall be desolate. 22 The LORD redeemeth the soul of his servants: and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate.

Opening Prayer: Father, thank You that Your eyes are upon us and Your ears are open to our cry. Thank You that You draw near to the brokenhearted and You save the crushed in spirit. Today, steady our minds, soothe our fears, and strengthen our faith. By Your Spirit, let Your Word be living and active in us—comfort where there is pain, courage where there is pressure, clarity where there is confusion. Deliver those under heavy affliction. Heal those with hidden wounds. Redeem what the enemy has tried to steal. Teach us to trust You with a simple, steadfast trust. Fix our gaze on Jesus, our Redeemer and our righteousness. In His strong and saving name we pray. Amen.

God Sees and Hears the Righteous

Psalm 34 paints a God who pays attention. This is not a far-off glance. This is close care. Eyes that track. Ears that lean in. There is no static on this line. There is no locked door. When you call, you are heard. When you live by faith, you are seen.

The psalm uses family words. Cry. Hear. Save. These are everyday words. They fit a kitchen table. They fit a hospital bed. They fit the front seat of a car when tears come at a stoplight. God’s attention holds in places like that. You do not need polished speech. You do not need the right mood. A small cry reaches Him.

Scripture calls these people “righteous.” That can feel heavy. In this psalm, it means something simple and strong. It means people who take God seriously. People who turn from harm and choose good. People who ask for mercy and trust His name. This is character, yes. This is also reliance. The eye of the Lord is on people who put their weight on Him.

There is also a moral line in the text. God opposes evil. The psalm says so with strong words. That is not a threat for wounded hearts. That is good news for the harmed and the honest. It means there is a Judge who sees schemes and lies. It means cruelty does not run the world. It means the fear of God makes sense.

Affliction is real in this psalm. It is not hidden or dressed up. Troubles come in clusters. They come more than once. The promise here is steady help in those days. Rescue at the right time. Care that holds you together when life shakes you. Think of “bones” as the frame of a person. God guards your life at the level of the frame.

Redemption is the banner at the end of the passage. To redeem is to claim, to buy back, to free. Servants are safe under that banner. Trust is the open hand that receives it. The text says those who lean on Him will not be left empty. That word stands over panic, over loss, over long nights. It stands because He stands.

“The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry.” God’s seeing is not a camera. It is care. He looks with intent. He looks to help. The word “cry” is honest prayer. It can be a whisper. It can be words that trip. It can be silence with tears. He does not wait for you to tidy up your plea. He catches it as it rises. He knows the story behind the sound. He knows the need you cannot name. This builds a practice for us. Bring your real life into the light of His gaze. Speak simple prayers through the day. Short ones. “Lord, help.” “Lord, I’m scared.” “Lord, thank You.” This is how faith breathes. This is how hope keeps shape. His ears are open. So open your mouth. Or open your ache. He hears both.

“The face of the LORD is against them that do evil.” That line carries weight. In Scripture, face means presence and favor. To have God’s face turned toward you means welcome. To have it turned against evil means justice moves. This guards the community. It puts a fence around the weak. It tells leaders and neighbors that cheating, violence, and slander meet a wall. This gives courage to goodness. You can tell the truth, even when a lie seems easy. You can return what you owe. You can refuse to harm with your hands or your words. There is a witness over your life. There is also a shield over your home. When wrong seems loud, remember this line. The Holy One does not shrug at harm. He notices. He acts in time. This keeps fear from steering you. This also keeps bitterness from owning you. Leave room for God’s face to do its work.

“The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.” Nearness is the gift here. Near when the chest feels crushed. Near when shame stings. Near when grief makes your limbs heavy. Contrite means ground down. Like dust under a heel. The psalm says God moves close to that place. He is not spooked by sorrow. He is not bored by long pain. He meets you in the middle of it. Breath by breath. Verse by verse. There is a way to pray this line. Put your hand on your chest and say it slow. Tell Him where it hurts. Name the room. Name the hour. Ask for saving in the deep parts. Saving from despair. Saving from sin that calls your name when you are tired. Saving from lies that say you are alone. Expect small signs of His nearness. A verse that lands. A friend who texts at the right minute. Strength to get out of bed. These are not small. These are the mark of a nearby God.

“Many are the afflictions of the righteous: and the LORD delivereth him out of them all... He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken... The LORD redeemeth the soul of his servants: and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate.” This is a string of promises. Count them. Many troubles. Ongoing rescue. Kept frame. Final redemption. No desolation for those who trust. This does not erase pain. It sets pain inside a larger word from God. Trouble may stack up, yet deliverance also stacks up. Sometimes fast. Sometimes slow. In steps. In seasons. Guarding your “bones” means your life holds together under pressure. You do not come apart beyond repair. Redeeming your soul means God claims you in full. Past, present, future. He pays the cost to make you His. Trust is how you live inside this. Trust in the morning before the news. Trust at noon when stress spikes. Trust at night when fear grows. Say it plain. “I trust You to bring me through this.” Then take the next faithful step. His word says you will not end in emptiness. His word says He will see you through.

Deliverance Through Every Affliction

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