"The righteous have many afflictions"
[Psalm 34:15-22]
Do you think that afflictions can be light? If you answered “yes,” how do you think this is possible? I found an answer to this question while reading a piece by Pastor Kim Nam-jung on how afflictions can be light:
"The depth of the world’s sin becomes more evident in the afflictions of the righteous. ... The affliction of the righteous has the meaning of atoning for the sin of the world. In regard to evil, human instinct, intuition, and belief all agree that there must be punishment for it. Yet, the world, whether we like it or not, is full of evil. So, should not this world perish? The reason why the world does not perish, despite its evil, is because someone has paid the price for sin. That is the meaning of the affliction of the righteous. The affliction of the righteous is bearing the sin of the world and paying the price in its place. Whether the righteous intended this or not, they play the role of a sin offering. In this way, the righteous save the world. The righteous have many afflictions, but the afflictions they did not desire save the world." (Kim Nam-jung)
Our affliction can be light when, in the midst of it, we look to and think of Jesus, the Lamb of God, who bears the sin of the world. In other words, we can bear our afflictions lightly when we, like Jesus, think of Him, who suffered and died to pay the price for our sins. I believe there are two kinds of afflictions. The first type is the result of our own sins, and the second type is not caused by our sins but is a participation in the suffering of the Lord. This participation in the Lord’s suffering is God’s grace (Philippians 1:29). Those who know how to experience this grace find that affliction is light, because they are enjoying the grace of suffering, which is the experience of God's presence.
In today’s scripture, Psalm 34:15-22, we see David, the psalmist, who enjoys this grace of suffering. He says, “The righteous have many afflictions...” (v. 19). Today, under the theme “The righteous have many afflictions,” let us reflect on three aspects of the God the righteous encounter in the midst of affliction. May we, too, experience the grace of God’s presence in the midst of our afflictions.
First, the God that the righteous encounter in the midst of affliction is the God who is near to the brokenhearted.
Look at Psalm 34:18 in the Bible:
"The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit."
The God that David, the psalmist, encountered in the midst of his suffering was the God who is near to the brokenhearted. Why was David’s heart broken? Why was he contrite in spirit? The reason seems to be that he had sinned against God. Of course, in this passage, we don’t know exactly what sin David committed. We don’t know if his sin was pretending to be mad during his suffering, meaning he lied, or if during his suffering, he did not abandon evil and sinned with his lips (vv. 13-14). However, one thing is clear: the righteous David was brokenhearted amidst his many sufferings (v. 18). He was contrite in spirit during his affliction. This is the kind of sacrifice God desires. Look at Psalm 51:17:
"The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise."
Our hearts need to be broken. In other words, our hearts need to be crushed. Just like the ground that is plowed, our hard and stubborn hearts need to be broken. Whether through God’s rebuke or His discipline (for example, through suffering and pain), our hearts need to be broken (or crushed). However, the reason we don’t feel this need is that we don’t see sin as sin, or we hide our sin from God and don’t confess it. We should no longer hide our sins but confess them to God. We need to ask for His mercy and compassion in the midst of a convicted conscience and a broken heart.
In Isaiah 57:15, the heart of the repentant and the spirit of the humble are equated. In other words, the humble person is the one who is repentant. Our Lord comes near to the humble—those with a broken heart or a contrite spirit—and heals their hearts. Our Lord not only heals our broken hearts but also "binds up the wounds of the brokenhearted" (Psalm 147:3). The gospel song "To the Brokenhearted" speaks of how God draws near to those whose hearts are broken in suffering, and it gives us lessons to apply in our lives:
"The Lord is near to the brokenhearted, and truly saves those who are repentant. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for the Lord’s comfort will surround them. The Lord of love casts away pride and seeks those who mourn. Who will share the cup of suffering for the Lord? Why do you smile with such joy, when the Lord is weeping for the lost?"
Secondly, the God that the righteous encounters in suffering is the God who hears the cry of the righteous.
Look at Psalm 34:15 and 17:
"The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous, and His ears are open to their cry… When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles."
In Exodus 3:7, Moses describes the God of Israel as follows:
"The Lord said, ‘I have surely seen the affliction of My people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows.'"
Clearly, the God of Israel, or our God, sees the suffering of the righteous and, when they cry out, He hears their prayer. David has already confessed in Psalm 34:4 and 6 that our God is a God who responds to us—that when we are distressed and cry out to God, He hears our cries. In this very Psalm 34, David repeats the concept of prayer four times (in verses 4, 6, 15, and 17), showing us that, in the midst of many sufferings, David was offering many or fervent prayers. Many trials lead us to offer many prayers, or even more fervent prayers, to God. This is the key to victory when we suffer: crying out to God. When we do, God listens to our cries (Psalm 34:15).
If God listens and pays attention to our cries, then what prayer would He fail to hear? However, there are prayers that, even though God hears, He does not answer. These are the prayers that are not made with a repentant and contrite heart. As Isaiah 59:1-2 says:
"Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; nor His ear dull, that it cannot hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God, and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear."
This truth teaches us that, even if we cry out to God, if our hearts are not broken and we do not come with a contrite heart, God will not listen to our prayers. That is why prayers of repentance are so important. Therefore, we must approach the holy God, first repenting of our sins with a contrite heart, and then ask for His saving grace. Only then will our God listen to our requests.
Thirdly, the God that the righteous meets in times of suffering is the God who delivers the righteous from all their troubles.
Look at Psalm 34:17, 19, and 22 in the Bible:
"When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles... Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all... The Lord redeems the soul of His servants, and none of those who take refuge in Him will be condemned."
Our God listens to our cries when, with a heart of repentance, we ask for His salvation. He delivers us from all our troubles. The amazing truth is that God's salvation is certain and clear. The Bible says that when we cry out, our God delivers us from "all fears" (verse 4). Our God is the one who saves us from "all our troubles" (verse 6). He rescues us from "all our afflictions" (verse 17), and although the righteous have many afflictions, God delivers us from "all our troubles" (verse 19). In short, our God is the one who ensures that those who seek Him—those who cry out to Him—lack nothing in all good things (verse 10).
God listens to our prayers and saves the brokenhearted, but in doing so, He destroys the wicked. In other words, God saves the righteous by destroying the wicked (verse 16). When God saves the righteous, He displays His holiness. Therefore, the wicked cannot stand in His holiness. God cuts off the path of evildoers in this world. Ultimately, the wicked will die because of their evil: "Evil will slay the wicked, and those who hate the righteous will be condemned" (verse 21). But our God will certainly protect the righteous: "He keeps all their bones; not one of them is broken" (verse 20). The God who watches over us in times of trouble will ultimately save us.
The righteous have many afflictions, but the blessing they enjoy in the midst of these afflictions is the experience of God's presence. God is the one who draws near to the brokenhearted, the one who hears our cries, and the one who rescues us from all our afflictions. The righteous who experience this God find their troubles light. This is because Jesus bears our burdens. As we look at Jesus, who suffered in our place, we cannot help but think of the God who turned away from Jesus when He was brokenhearted, and further, the Father who abandoned Jesus when He was brokenhearted and did not hear His prayer on the cross. Why did the Father abandon Jesus, who was brokenhearted, and not answer His prayer on the cross? Because of our sins. Our Lord Jesus took our sins upon Himself and died on the cross, cleansing all of our sins. Therefore, by rescuing us from all our sufferings, afflictions, and fears, He blesses us with all good things (Psalm 34:10; Ephesians 1:4). For this reason, we must praise God (Psalm 34:1-3).
Experiencing God’s Presence in Times of Suffering
Pastor James Kim’s Sharing
(Thinking about those who are in suffering)