Psalms34

David resolves to continually bless the Lord, recounting his personal deliverance from fears and troubles. He encourages others to taste and see the Lord's goodness, assuring them that those who fear Him will lack no good thing. The psalm contrasts the Lord's attentive care for the righteous with His opposition to the wicked. It concludes with the promise of ultimate redemption and preservation for His servants.

Commitment to Perpetual Praise

1
I will bless the LORD at all times. His praise will always be in my mouth. ​
2
My soul shall boast in the LORD. The humble shall hear of it, and be glad. ​
3
Oh magnify the LORD with me. Let us exalt his name together.

Testimony of God's Deliverance

4
I sought the LORD, and he answered me, and delivered me from all my fears.
5
They looked to him, and were radiant. Their faces shall never be covered with shame.
6
This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles. ​
7
the LORD’s angel encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them. ​

Exhortation to Taste and See

8
Oh taste and see that the LORD is good. Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him. ​
9
Oh fear the LORD, you his holy ones, for there is no lack with those who fear him.
10
The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger, but those who seek the LORD shall not lack any good thing. ​

The Path to a Blessed Life

11
Come, you children, listen to me. I will teach you the fear of the LORD. ​
12
Who is someone who desires life, and loves many days, that he may see good?
13
Keep your tongue from evil, and your lips from speaking lies. ​
14
Depart from evil, and do good. seek peace, and pursue it. ​
15
The LORD’s eyes are toward the righteous. His ears listen to their cry.
16
The LORD’s face is against those who do evil, to cut off their memory from the earth. ​
17
The righteous cry, and the LORD hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles.
18
The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves those who have a crushed spirit. ​

Deliverance and Redemption

19
Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him out of them all.
20
He protects all of his bones. Not one of them is broken. ​
21
Evil shall kill the wicked. Those who hate the righteous shall be condemned.
22
The LORD redeems the soul of his servants. None of those who take refuge in him shall be condemned. ​

Study Notes for Psalms 34

Verse 1

The superscription links this psalm to David's feigned madness before Achish (Abimelech) in Gath (1 Sam 21), demonstrating that praise should follow deliverance, even when achieved through desperate means.

Verse 2

Boasting in the Lord means relying on His character and power, not one's own achievements. This reliance brings joy to the 'humble' (or afflicted) who recognize their own need for God.

Verse 6

David refers to himself as the 'poor man' ('ani), emphasizing his helplessness and dependence on God during his distress, setting an example for all the afflicted.

Verse 7

The 'angel of the LORD' is often understood as a manifestation of God's presence or a divine messenger, providing active, spiritual protection for the faithful.

Verse 8

This is a call to experiential faith, urging the reader to personally test and discover God's goodness and reliability through practical trust, rather than mere intellectual assent.

Verse 10

This verse contrasts the struggle of powerful natural forces (young lions starving) with the boundless, reliable provision available to those who seek the Lord.

Verse 11

The psalmist adopts the role of a wisdom teacher or sage, addressing the audience as 'children' and instructing them in the 'fear of the LORD,' which is the foundation of true wisdom.

Verse 13

Righteous living begins with controlling one's speech, recognizing that the tongue is the primary instrument for expressing guile, slander, or truth.

Verse 14

This is the core ethical instruction of the psalm: actively moving away from evil and proactively pursuing good, reconciliation, and shalom (peace).

Verse 16

The 'face of the LORD is against' is a powerful theological image illustrating God's active, personalized opposition and judgment against those who persist in wickedness.

Verse 18

God’s proximity is not based on status or power, but on humility and repentance. A 'contrite spirit' means a crushed or remorseful heart, ready to submit to divine will.

Verse 20

This image signifies complete, protective deliverance, even physical preservation. It is cited in the New Testament concerning Christ's crucifixion (John 19:36) as a prophecy of the Messiah's perfect preservation.

Verse 22

The final affirmation of God's role as Redeemer (go'el), ensuring that those who trust Him will not be condemned or left desolate, contrasting sharply with the fate of the wicked.

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