Psalms 33:19

19 to deliver their lives from death and keep them alive during a famine.

Psalms 33:19 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 33:19

To deliver their soul from death
Not a corporeal death, for the soul dies not, and is never in any danger of death; and should life, or the whole man, be intended here, yet those that fear the Lord, and hope in his mercy, are not exempted and secured from a corporeal death, but die as other men; though sometimes indeed they are remarkably preserved from death, and even in a time of general calamity; but a spiritual death is meant, which, while in a state of nature, they are under; but, being quickened at conversion, they live spiritually, and are preserved from dying any more in this sense; and also from an eternal death, which shall never harm them, nor have any power over them;

and to keep them alive in famine;
not corporeal, though the Lord does give meat to them that fear him, and sometimes in a miraculous way provides for them; as by sending ravens to feed them, and by increasing the cruse of oil; see ( Isaiah 41:17 Isaiah 41:18 ) ; but spiritual, a famine of hearing the word of the Lord; the Lord prepares a place for his church and people in the wilderness, where they are privately nourished with the word and ordinances, and their souls kept alive, ( Revelation 12:6 Revelation 12:14 ) .

Psalms 33:19 In-Context

17 A warhorse is a bad bet for victory; it can't save despite its great strength.

18 But look here: the LORD's eyes watch all who honor him, all who wait for his faithful love,

19 to deliver their lives from death and keep them alive during a famine.

20 We put our hope in the LORD. He is our help and our shield.

21 Our heart rejoices in God because we trust his holy name.

Footnotes

• [a]. Or souls; also in 33:20