TRV
Study This Verse
Commentary on Psalms 34 verses 1–10
The title of this psalm tells us both who penned it and upon what occasion it was penned. David, being forced to flee from his country, which was made too hot for him by the rage of Saul, sought shelter as near it as he could, in the land of the Philistines. There it was soon discovered who he was, and he was brought before the king, who, in the narrative, is called Achish (his proper name), here Abimelech (his title); and lest he should be treated as a spy, or one that came thither upon design, he feigned himself to be a madman (such there have been in every age, that even by idiots men might be taught to give God thanks for the use of their reason), that Achish might dismiss him as a contemptible man, rather than take cognizance of him as a dangerous man. And it had the effect he desired; by this stratagem he escaped the hand that otherwise would have handled him roughly. Now, 1. We cannot justify David in this dissimulation. It ill became an honest man to feign himself to be what he was not, and a man of honour to feign himself to be a fool and a mad-man. If, in sport, we mimic those who have not so good an understanding as we think we have, we forget that God might have made their case ours. 2. Yet we cannot but wonder at the composure of his spirit, and how far he was from any change of that, when he changed his behaviour. Even when he was in that fright, or rather in that danger only, his heart was so fixed, trusting in God, that even then he penned this excellent psalm, which has as much in it of the marks of a calm sedate spirit as any psalm in all the book; and there is something curious too in the composition, for it is what is called an alphabetical psalm, that is, a psalm in which every verse begins with each letter in its order as it stands in the Hebrew alphabet. Happy are those who can thus keep their temper, and keep their graces in exercise, even when they are tempted to change their behaviour. In this former part of the psalm,
I. David engages and excites himself to praise God. Though it was his fault that he changed his behaviour, yet it was God's mercy that he escaped, and the mercy was so much the greater in that God did not deal with him according to the desert of his dissimulation, and we must in every thing give thanks. He resolves, 1. That he will praise God constantly: I will bless the Lord at all times, upon all occasions. He resolves to keep up stated times for this duty, to lay hold of all opportunities for it, and to renew his praises upon every fresh occurrence that furnished him with matter. If we hope to spend our eternity in praising God, it is fit that we should spend as much as may be of our time in this work. 2. That he will praise him openly: His praise shall continually be in my mouth. Thus he would show how forward he was to own his obligations to the mercy of God and how desirous to make others also sensible of theirs. 3. That he will praise him heartily: "My soul shall make her boast in the Lord, in my relation to him, my interest in him, and expectations from him." It is not vainglory to glory in the Lord.
II. He calls upon others to join with him herein. He expects they will (Psa 34:2): "The humble shall hear thereof, both of my deliverance and of my thankfulness, and be glad that a good man has so much favour shown him and a good God so much honour done him." Those have most comfort in God's mercies, both to others and to themselves, that are humble, and have the least confidence in their own merit and sufficiency. It pleased David to think that God's favours to him would rejoice the heart of every Israelite. Three things he would have us all to concur with him in: -
1.In great and high thoughts of God, which we should express in magnifying him and exalting his name, Psa 34:3. We cannot make God greater or higher than he is; but if we adore him as infinitely great, and higher than the highest, he is pleased to reckon this magnifying and exalting him. This we must do together. God's praises sound best in concert, for so we praise him as the angels do in heaven. Those that share in God's favour, as all the saints do, should concur in his praises; and we should be as desirous of the assistance of our friends in returning thanks for mercies as in praying for them. We have reason to join in thanksgiving to God,
(1.)For his readiness to hear prayer, which all the saints have had the comfort of; for he never said to any of them, Seek you me in vain. [1.] David, for his part, will give it under his hand that he has found him a prayer-hearing God (Psa 34:4): "I sought the Lord, in my distress, entreated his favour, begged his help, and he heard me, answered my request immediately, and delivered me from all my fears, both from the death I feared and from the disquietude and disturbance produced by fear of it." The former he does by his providence working for us, the latter by his grace working in us, to silence our fears and still the tumult of the spirits; this latter is the greater mercy of the two, because the thing we fear is our trouble only, but our unbelieving distrustful fear of it is our sin; nay, it is often more our torment too than the thing itself would be, which perhaps would only touch the bone and the flesh, while the fear would prey upon the spirits and put us out of the possession of our own soul. David's prayers helped to silence his fears; having sought the Lord, and left his case with him, he could wait the event with great composure. "But David was a great and eminent man, we may not expect to be favoured as he was; have any others ever experienced the like benefit by prayer?" Yes, [2.] Many besides him have looked unto God by faith and prayer, and have been lightened by it, Psa 34:5. It has wonderfully revived and comforted them; witness Hannah, who, when she had prayed, went her way, and did eat, and her countenance was no more sad. When we look to the world we are darkened, we are perplexed, and at a loss; but, when we look to God, from him we have the light both of direction and joy, and our way is made both plain and pleasant. These here spoken of, that looked unto God, had their expectations raised, and the event did not frustrate them: Their faces were not ashamed of their confidence. "But perhaps these also were persons of great eminence, like David himself, and upon that account were highly favoured, or their numbers made them considerable;" nay, [3.] This poor man cried, a single person, mean and inconsiderable, whom no man looked upon with any respect or looked after with any concern; yet he was as welcome to the throne of grace as David or any of his worthies: The Lord heard him, took cognizance of his case and of his prayers, and saved him out of all his troubles, Psa 34:6. God will regard the prayer of the destitute, Psa 102:17. See Isa 57:15.
(2.)For the ministration of the good angels about us (Psa 34:7): The angel of the Lord, a guard of angels (so some), but as unanimous in their service as if they were but one, or a guardian angel, encamps round about those that fear God, as the life-guard about the prince, and delivers them. God makes use of the attendance of the good spirits for the protection of his people from the malice and power of evil spirits; and the holy angels do us more good offices every day than we are aware of. Though in dignity and in capacity of nature they are very much superior to us, - though they retain their primitive rectitude, which we have lost; - though they have constant employment in the upper world, the employment of praising God, and are entitled to a constant rest and bliss there, - yet in obedience to their Maker, and in love to those that bear his image, they condescend to minister to the saints, and stand up for them against the powers of darkness; they not only visit them, but encamp round about them, acting for their good as really, though not as sensibly, as for Jacob's (Gen 32:1), and Elisha's, Kg2 6:17. All the glory be to the God of the angels.
2.He would have us to join with him in kind and good thoughts of God (Psa 34:8): O taste and see that the Lord is good! The goodness of God includes both the beauty and amiableness of his being and the bounty and beneficence of his providence and grace; and accordingly, (1.) We must taste that he is a bountiful benefactor, relish the goodness of God in all his gifts to us, and reckon that the savour and sweetness of them. Let God's goodness be rolled under the tongue as a sweet morsel. (2.) We must see that he is a beautiful being, and delight in the contemplation of his infinite perfections. By taste and sight we both make discoveries and take complacency. Taste and see God's goodness, that is, take notice of it and take the comfort of it, Pe1 2:3. he is good, for he makes all those that trust in him truly blessed; let us therefore be so convinced of his goodness as thereby to be encouraged in the worst of times to trust in him.
3.He would have us join with him in a resolution to seek God and serve him, and continue in his fear (Psa 34:9): O fear the Lord! you his saints. When we taste and see that he is good we must not forget that he is great and greatly to be feared; nay, even his goodness is the proper object of a filial reverence and awe. They shall fear the Lord and his goodness, Hos 3:5. Fear the Lord; that is, worship him, and make conscience of your duty to him in every thing, not fear him and shun him, but fear him and seek him (v. 10) as a people seek unto their God; address yourselves to him and portion yourselves in him. To encourage us to fear God and seek him, it is here promised that those that do so, even in this wanting world, shall want no good thing (Heb. They shall not want all good things); they shall so have all good things that they shall have no reason to complain of the want of any. As to the things of the other world, they shall have grace sufficient for the support of the spiritual life (Co2 12:9; Psa 84:11); and, as to this life, they shall have what is necessary to the support of it from the hand of God: as a Father, he will feed them with food convenient. What further comforts they desire they shall have, as far as Infinite Wisdom sees good, and what they want in one thing shall be made up in another. What God denies them he will give them grace to be content without and then they do not want it, Deu 3:26. Paul had all and abounded, because he was content, Phi 4:11, Phi 4:18. Those that live by faith in God's all-sufficiency want nothing; for in him they have enough. The young lions. often lack and suffer hunger - those that live upon common providence, as the lions do, shall want that satisfaction which those have that live by faith in the promise; those that trust to themselves, and think their own hands sufficient for them, shall want (for bread is not always to the wise) - but verily those shall be fed that trust in God and desire to be at his finding. Those that are ravenous, and prey upon all about them, shall want; but the meek shall inherit the earth. Those shall not want who with quietness work and mind their own business; plain-hearted Jacob has pottage enough, when Esau, the cunning hunter, is ready to perish for hunger.
Now follows, "O magnify the Lord with me" [Psalm 34:3]. Who is this that exhorts us, that we should magnify the Lord with him? Whoever, Brethren, is in the body of Christ, ought for this to labour, that the Lord may be magnified with him. For he loves the Lord, whoever he is. And how does he love Him? So as not to envy his fellow-lover....Let them blush who so love God as to envy others. Abandoned men love a charioteer, and whoever loves a charioteer or hunter, wishes the whole people to love with him, and exhorts, saying, Love with me this pantomime, love with me this or that shame. He calls among the people that shame may be loved with him; and does not a Christian call in the Church, that the Truth of God may be loved with him? Stir up then love in yourselves, Brethren; and call to every one of yours, and say, "O magnify the Lord with me." Let there be in you that fervour. Wherefore are these things recited and explained? If you love God, bring quickly to the love of God all who are joined unto you, and all who are in your house; if the Body of Christ is loved by you, that is, if the unity of the Church, bring them quickly to enjoy, and say, "O magnify the Lord with me."
Continue studying Psalms 34:3 across the web’s major study libraries — every link below opens this exact verse, chapter, or book on the destination site.
Read & Compare
BibleGatewayThis verse in more than 200 translations and 70 languages.
Bible.comThe YouVersion reader — hundreds of translations, reading plans, and highlights.
ESV.orgCrossway's official English Standard Version reader.
NET BibleThe NET translation with 60,000+ translators' notes on every rendering decision.
STEP BibleTyndale House's free study tool — original text, vocabulary, and scholarly resources.
BibliaLogos Bible Software's free web reader.
USCCBThe New American Bible (Revised Edition) with the U.S. bishops' study notes.
Commentaries
BibleHub CommentariesDozens of classic commentaries on this verse, gathered on one page.
StudyLightMore than 100 commentary sets — the largest collection on the web.
BibleRefPlain-English commentary on what this verse means, verse by verse.
Enduring WordDavid Guzik's free commentary on this chapter, widely used by Bible teachers.
Bible Study ToolsVerse commentary alongside Greek and Hebrew study aids.
Original Language & Research
- BibleHub InterlinearThe verse word by word — original language, transliteration, and English.
- BibleHub LexiconEvery word's original-language definition and Strong's entry.
Blue Letter BibleDeep-study tools — Strong's numbers, concordance, and word studies.
SefariaThe Hebrew text with Rashi and centuries of Jewish commentary.
Sermons, Hymns & Audio
TrulyRandomVerse is not affiliated with these sites and doesn’t control their content. They’re linked because they’re genuinely useful.
SUMMARY
Psalms 34:3 serves as a passionate invitation from the psalmist, David, to engage in a communal act of worship, urging fellow believers to join him in collectively acknowledging and declaring the supreme greatness and inherent worth of the LORD. This verse profoundly encapsulates the essence of corporate praise, emphasizing that the adoration of God is not merely an individual pursuit but a shared, joyful proclamation of His majesty, faithfulness, and delivering power, particularly in response to His personal goodness experienced by the worshipper.
CONTEXT
Literary Context: Psalm 34 is uniquely structured as an acrostic psalm, where each verse (or pair of verses) sequentially begins with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet, a sophisticated literary device that often signifies completeness and aids memorization. This particular verse immediately follows David's personal declaration of unwavering praise and his decision to "boast in the LORD" in Psalms 34:1-2. Thus, verse 3 acts as a direct extension and communal invitation, transforming his individual experience of God's goodness into a call for corporate participation. The subsequent verses, such as Psalms 34:4-7, then elaborate on the profound benefits and experiences of those who seek and revere the LORD, providing a compelling theological rationale for the collective praise David so earnestly encourages. The psalm skillfully transitions from personal testimony to a broader communal summons, culminating in universal truths about God's steadfast care for the righteous.
Historical & Cultural Context: The superscription to Psalm 34 critically informs its historical context, attributing its composition to David's harrowing experience when he feigned madness before Abimelech (identified as King Achish of Gath) and was subsequently sent away, a narrative vividly recounted in 1 Samuel 21:10-15. This period represented a moment of extreme vulnerability and peril for David, as he was fleeing from King Saul and sought refuge among the Philistines, only to find himself in grave danger there as well. His miraculous deliverance from this precarious situation was a profound act of divine intervention, eliciting an overwhelming outpouring of gratitude and an urgent desire to share his testimony. Within ancient Israelite culture, communal worship and thanksgiving were foundational to religious life, frequently celebrated through sacrifices, feasts, and the singing of psalms. The concepts of "magnifying" and "exalting" God were deeply ingrained in their understanding of worship, reflecting a collective desire to publicly honor and elevate the divine name above all others, typically within the context of a gathered assembly.
Key Themes: This verse powerfully contributes to several foundational themes within the Psalter and the broader biblical narrative. Firstly, it underscores the profound theme of corporate worship and community, highlighting the unique joy, strength, and spiritual synergy found when believers unite in praise, a concept echoed throughout the Psalms (e.g., Psalms 95:1-2). Secondly, it emphasizes the greatness and sovereignty of God, portraying Him as supremely worthy of ultimate adoration and exaltation. To "magnify" and "exalt" God is not to add to His inherent greatness, but to make His vastness, power, and glory visible and prominent in the perception of His people, acknowledging His supreme authority and matchless character (Psalms 145:3). Thirdly, it speaks compellingly to the theme of testimony and evangelism, as David's heartfelt invitation stems directly from his personal experience of God's miraculous deliverance. This prompts him to invite others to witness and participate in the celebration of God's faithfulness, reflecting a profound desire for others to "taste and see that the LORD is good" (Psalms 34:8).
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Psalms 34:3 masterfully employs several potent Literary Devices to convey its message. Firstly, the use of the Imperative Mood ("O magnify") and the Hortatory Subjunctive ("let us exalt") creates a direct, personal, and urgent Invitation, actively drawing the audience into the psalmist's profound experience of praise. This is not a call to passive observation but to active, engaged participation. Secondly, the verse exhibits exemplary Parallelism, a defining characteristic of Hebrew poetry. The phrase "magnify the LORD with me" is structurally and semantically mirrored by "exalt his name together." This form of Synonymous Parallelism powerfully reinforces the central message of collective praise, utilizing two distinct but complementary verbs ("magnify" and "exalt") and communal phrases ("with me" and "together") to deepen and amplify the call to worship. Thirdly, the verbs "magnify" and "exalt" function as potent Metaphors. God cannot literally be made bigger or higher; rather, these terms metaphorically describe the human act of recognizing, declaring, and celebrating His immense greatness and supreme worth, thereby making Him appear grander and more glorious in the eyes of observers and in the hearts of worshippers.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Psalms 34:3 profoundly articulates the communal dimension of worship, a recurring and vital theological theme woven throughout the fabric of Scripture. It teaches that while personal devotion and individual gratitude are absolutely essential, there is a unique power, deep joy, and profound spiritual benefit derived from gathering with other believers to collectively declare God's greatness. This corporate praise transcends mere emotional expression; it is a profound theological affirmation of God's sovereignty, His inherent worth, and His matchless character. It serves as a public testimony to His goodness and a powerful act that unifies the body of believers. When we magnify and exalt God's name together, we are participating in a divine mandate, echoing the heavenly chorus, and preparing our hearts for His continued work among us. This shared act of adoration strengthens individual faith, fosters deep fellowship, and presents a united front of worship to a watching world, powerfully demonstrating the transformative presence of God.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Psalms 34:3 serves as a timeless and compelling summons to active, communal worship, reminding us that our praise is not designed to be a solitary endeavor but a shared, synergistic experience that powerfully builds up the body of Christ and magnificently proclaims God's glory to the world. It encourages us to transcend individual gratitude and move towards a collective expression of adoration, recognizing that when we unite our voices and hearts, the impact of our worship is profoundly amplified, both for our own spiritual benefit and for the edification of those around us. This verse challenges us to critically examine how we personally contribute to the corporate worship experience, whether within formal congregational gatherings or in informal fellowship with other believers. It calls us to be intentional in inviting others to join us in acknowledging God's greatness, sharing our testimonies of His unwavering faithfulness, and actively participating in making His glorious name renowned. Our lives, both individually and corporately, should strive to be a continuous echo of David's heartfelt invitation, drawing others into the magnificent reality of God's presence and transformative power.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What is the significance of the phrase "magnify the LORD"?
Answer: To "magnify the LORD" means to make Him appear greater in our perception and in the eyes of others. It doesn't imply physically enlarging God, as He is already infinite and supreme. Instead, it's a declaration of His inherent greatness, power, and glory, expanding our understanding and appreciation of who He is. It's about proclaiming His vastness and worthiness of praise, making His attributes more prominent and visible to ourselves and to the world. This act of magnifying God is a core component of worship, shifting our focus from our problems to His immense power and sovereignty, as seen in passages like Psalms 145:3.
Why is corporate worship, as suggested by "with me" and "together," so important?
Answer: Corporate worship, powerfully emphasized by the phrases "with me" and "together," is crucial because it fosters profound unity, mutual encouragement, and a powerful collective testimony. While individual devotion is undeniably essential, gathering with other believers amplifies the impact of praise, creating a shared experience of God's presence and power. It actively builds up the body of Christ, strengthens individual faith through shared witness, and presents a united front of adoration to the world, demonstrating the transformative power of God's presence. The Bible consistently calls believers to gather for worship and fellowship, recognizing the unique blessings and spiritual power found in communal praise, as strongly encouraged in Hebrews 10:24-25.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Psalms 34:3 finds its ultimate fulfillment and deepest redemptive meaning in the person and work of Jesus Christ. While David invited others to magnify the LORD based on his personal deliverance from temporal danger, Christ is the ultimate deliverer, the one through whom all salvation, eternal life, and true worship are made profoundly possible. It is solely through His atoning sacrifice on the cross that we are reconciled to God, enabling us to approach Him with boldness and offer acceptable praise (Hebrews 10:19-22). Jesus Himself, during His earthly ministry, gathered disciples and taught them to worship God, and after His glorious resurrection, He promised His very presence when two or three are gathered in His name (Matthew 18:20). Furthermore, the "name" that is to be supremely exalted is preeminently the name of Jesus, to whom every knee will one day bow and every tongue confess that He is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:9-11). He is the true Lamb of God, whose perfect sacrifice takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29), making Him the ultimate object of our collective magnification and exaltation. Our corporate worship, therefore, becomes a profoundly Christ-centered act, as we magnify the Father through the Son, in the empowering presence of the Holy Spirit, making His glorious name known among all nations (Colossians 3:16-17).