Psalms 34
34
God’s Goodness
A song by King David composed after his escape from the king when he pretended to be insane
1Lord! I’m bursting with joy over what you’ve done for me!
My lips are full of perpetual praise.
2I’m boasting of you and all your works,
so let all who are discouraged take heart.
3Join me, everyone! Let’s praise the Lord together.
Let’s make him famous!
Let’s make his name glorious to all.
4Listen to my testimony: I cried to God in my distress
and he answered me. He freed me from all my fears!
5Gaze upon him, join your life with his, and joy will come.
Your faces will glisten with glory.
You’ll never wear that shame-face again.
6When I had nothing, desperate and defeated,
I cried out to the Lord and he heard me,
bringing his miracle-deliverance when I needed it most. # 34:6 David wrote this psalm at perhaps the lowest point in his life. He was alone. He had to part from Jonathan, his dearest friend. He was being chased by Saul and his paid assassins. He had run to hide in the cave of Adullam (meaning “their prey”). Yet the beautiful sounds of praise were heard echoing in his cavern. This is a lesson for all of us: we praise our way out of our difficulties into his light.
7The angel of Yahweh stooped down to listen as I prayed,
encircling me, empowering me, and showing me how to escape.
He will do this for everyone who fears God.
8Drink deeply # 34:8 Many translations read “Taste and see.” The Hebrew root word for “see” is taken from a word that means “to drink deeply.” of the pleasures of this God.
Experience for yourself the joyous mercies he gives
to all who turn to hide themselves in him.
9Worship in awe and wonder, all you who’ve been made holy!
For all who fear him will feast with plenty.
10Even the strong and the wealthy # 34:10 Following the ancient versions (Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulgate), this phrase is translated “rich ones.” Modern translations read “young lions.” grow weak and hungry,
but those who passionately pursue the Lord
will never lack any good thing.
11Come, children of God, and listen to me.
I’ll share the lesson I’ve learned of fearing the Lord:
12-13Do you want to live a long, good life,
enjoying the beauty that fills each day?
Then never speak a lie or allow wicked words
to come from your mouth.
14Keep turning your back on every sin,
and make “peace” your life motto.
Practice being at peace with everyone. # 34:14 Twice in this verse David used the Hebrew word shalom. This word means much more than “peace.” It means wholeness, wellness, well-being, safe, happy, friendly, favor, completeness, to make peace, peace offering, secure, to prosper, to be victorious, to be content, tranquil, quiet, and restful. So shalom is used to describe those of us who have been provided all that is needed to be whole and complete and break off all authority that would attempt to bind us to chaos.
15The Lord sees all we do;
he watches over his friends day and night.
His godly ones receive the answers they seek
whenever they cry out to him.
16But the Lord has made up his mind to oppose evildoers
and to wipe out even the memory of them
from the face of the earth. # 34:16 See 1 Peter 3:10–12.
17Yet when holy lovers of God cry out
to him with all their hearts,
the Lord will hear them and come to rescue them
from all their troubles.
18The Lord is close to all whose hearts are crushed by pain,
and he is always ready to restore the repentant one.
19Even when bad things happen to the good and godly ones,
the Lord will save them and not let them be defeated
by what they face.
20God will be your bodyguard to protect you
when trouble is near.
Not one bone will be broken.
21Evil will cause the death of the wicked,
for they hate and persecute the devoted lovers of God.
Make no mistake about it:
God will hold them guilty and punish them;
they will pay the penalty!
22But the Lord has paid for the freedom of his servants,
and he will freely pardon those who love him.
He will declare them free and innocent
when they turn to hide themselves in him.
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Psalms 34: TPT
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Learn More About The Passion TranslationPsalms 34
34
Psalm 34
A Psalm of David, when he changed his behaviour before Abimelech; who drove him away, and he departed.
Aleph
1¶ I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
Beth
2My soul shall glory in the Lord; the meek shall hear of this, and be glad.
Gimel
3O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together.
Daleth
4I sought the Lord, and he heard me and delivered me from all my fears.
He
5They looked unto him and were lightened, and their faces were not ashamed.
Vau
6This poor man cried out, and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles.
Zain
7The angel of the Lord encamps round about those that fear him and delivers them.
Cheth
8O taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man that shall trust in him.
Teth
9O fear the Lord, ye his saints; for those that fear him lack nothing.
Jod
10The young lions do lack and suffer hunger, but those that seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing.
Caph
11¶ Come, ye children, hearken unto me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
Lamed
12Who is the man that desires life and loves many days that he may see good?
Mem
13Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile.
Nun
14Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.
Samech
15The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry.
Ain
16The anger of the Lord is against those that do evil to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.
Pe
17 The righteous cried out, and the Lord heard and delivered them out of all their troubles.
Tzaddi
18The Lord is near unto those that are of a broken heart and saves such as are of a contrite spirit.
Koph
19Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord shall deliver him out of them all,
Resh
20keeping all his bones; not one of them shall be broken.
Schin
21Evil shall slay the wicked; and those that hate the righteous shall be declared guilty.
Tau
22The Lord ransoms the soul of his slaves, and none of those that trust in him shall be declared guilty.
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