Psalms 34:19 - Exposition

Many are the afflictions of the righteous (comp. Job 36:8-10 ; Acts 14:22 ; 1 Corinthians 15:19 ; 2 Timothy 3:12 ; Hebrews 11:33-38 ; Hebrews 12:5-10 , etc.). The righteous suffer afflictions because they are so imperfectly righteous. They need purging, purifying, chastening, to rid them of the dross and defilement of sin which still clings to them, and from which they are never wholly freed while they continue in the flesh. "We must through mush tribulation enter into the kingdom of God" ( Acts 14:22 ). We must, like the Captain of our salvation, be "made perfect through suffering" ( Hebrews 2:10 ). But the Lord delivereth him out of them all. When they have done their appointed work of purging, purifying, instructing, improving, or whatever else their work may be, God removes the afflictions with which he has visited us or allowed us to be visited, ultimately, when he takes us to himself, mercifully delivering us "out of them all."