How those who are strong can encourage us

I've been thinking about Psalm 34:2, "my soul will boast in the Lord; let the afflicted hear and rejoice." Who are the afflicted? Are they the ones who are mistreated, letdown, or are they poor, have some other disadvantage? I have always tried to overcome my weaknesses, handicap, nor even fears. As I look back I realize that despite my handicap it's kind of made me strong. I was reading in When Nietzsche Wept, "whatever doesn't kill me makes me stronger." I don't know about that statement.  I think sometimes many things can happen and we can be overwhelmed. But there's something about steel of character and it's about not by easy things but the hard things.
I think it's a good idea to let our kids experience problems. We can set a boundary on that experience and let them know we were behind them. But letting them work at their problems will make them stronger and let me introduce the idea of teaching them to pray. Being strong physically, mentally and emotionally doesn't exclude our need of God and prayer. God works through gifted people and people of character. The human need of salvation and the gift of eternal life is for both the strong and weak. If we think of the strong as not needing God then I don't think we see how it works. If someone thinKs they don't need God they are a fool, Ps, 14:1.
I have an exaggerated fear of helplessness. And I will doing anything I can to be an  overcomer. That used to be a theme in psychology books back in the 70s. Striving to overcome, to build up ourselves, to work at things so that in our life can be better that's a good thing. Some things don't come easy, there isn't really an easy road for it.
The occasion of Psalms 34 is David here acting the crazy man, he had put himself between a rock and hard place. Saul was trying to kill him and the Philistines were in front of him, and he ran out of options. David the champion for the Lord finds himself in a place where he couldn't do anything to save himself. That is hard place to be for anyone who is a strong person. I know how hard it is sometimes bend a knee, to ask for help. In Psalm 34 records his experience of trusting God when he is in a difficult life threatening situation.
To often we think others should care for those in need. We are fortunate to live in a country where we are generous that way. I have been challenging myself to find ways of doing things myself. It is not good enough to look back, somehow it still matters as an old man. I don't want a pat on the back. The truth is what ever I do it won't be enough. I only write of it to stimulate thought and action for any of us to keep at it and make it personal.
Think about widows and orphans, about those who for  no fault of themselves by himself unable to care for themselves. We might be strong without someone else, but when the light turns around and we are the ones who have that need even temporary, it is challenging. James 1:27 talks about people who are in distress, and if you we can help them to be relieved so they can go on to care for themselves, to work things out for a better situation that is a good religion. People being people there will always be someone in need. But hopefully meeting somebody's distress they can rebuild their life and give to someone else has a need.
Read through the psalm, David got to the bottom line, it's a place we really don't want to go to but we get there sometimes. All of his resources, his strength, the things that made him heroic were of no use to him and faking insanity I think in his heart, he cried out for God to help. You can check out the story but he lived through that crazy time and God protected him many times. If the strong cry out to God, which I think we think of is rare, but when they do many are encouraged. Keep walking