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 TranslationPsalm 34
34
+[A Psalm+] of David; when he pretended to be insane before Abimelech, who drove him out, and he went away.
1 I WILL bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.
2 My life makes its boast in the Lord; let the humble and afflicted hear and be glad.
3 O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together.
4 I sought (inquired of) the Lord and required Him [of necessity and on the authority of His Word], and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. [Ps. 73:25; Matt. 7:7.]
5 They looked to Him and were radiant; their faces shall never blush for shame or be confused.
6 This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles.
7 The Angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him [who revere and worship Him with awe] and each of them He delivers. [Ps. 18:1; 145:20.]
8 O taste and see that the Lord [our God] is good! Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) is the man who trusts and takes refuge in Him. [I Pet. 2:2, 3.]
9 O fear the Lord, you His saints [revere and worship Him]! For there is no want to those who truly revere and worship Him with godly fear.
10 The young lions lack food and suffer hunger, but they who seek (inquire of and require) the Lord [by right of their need and on the authority of His Word], none of them shall lack any beneficial thing.
11 Come, you children, listen to me; I will teach you to revere and worshipfully fear the Lord.
12 What man is he who desires life and longs for many days, that he may see good?
13 Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit.
14 Depart from evil and do good; seek, inquire for, and crave peace and pursue (go after) it!
15 The eyes of the Lord are toward the [uncompromisingly] righteous and His ears are open to their cry.
16 The face of the Lord is against those who do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth. [I Pet. 3:10-12.]
17 When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears, and delivers them out of all their distress and troubles.
18 The Lord is close to those who are of a broken heart and saves such as are crushed with sorrow for sin and are humbly and thoroughly penitent.
19 Many evils confront the [consistently] righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.
20 He keeps all his bones; not one of them is broken.
21 Evil shall cause the death of the wicked; and they who hate the just and righteous shall be held guilty and shall be condemned.
22 The Lord redeems the lives of His servants, and none of those who take refuge and trust in Him shall be condemned or held guilty.
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1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation