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
David wrote this song when he made the Philistine king think that he was crazy. He wanted the king to send him away. #34:0 See 1 Samuel 21:10-15. When King Saul wanted to kill David, David ran away to Gath, which was a Philistine city. David did not want to join the Philistine army to fight against his own people. So David made the king think that he was crazy. The king sent David away. In Psalm 34 David thanks God that he was now safe.
God is great! #34:1 Psalm 34 is an alphabet psalm. There are 22 verses in it. Each verse begins with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet.
1I will always praise the Lord.
All the time I will sing to praise him.
2I will boast that the Lord is great!
I want weak people to hear that.
I want them to be happy!
3Join with me to tell people that the Lord is great!
Together we will make his name famous.
4I asked the Lord to help me,
and he answered me.
He saved me from everything that made me afraid.
5People who trust the Lord to help them
will be very happy.
Their faces will be bright,
and they will not be ashamed.
6I was weak and helpless,
so I called out to the Lord.
The Lord heard me.
He saved me from all my troubles.
7The Lord's angel is very near
to people who respect and obey the Lord.
He keeps them safe from danger.
8Taste and see that the Lord is good!
God blesses people who turn to him
to keep them safe.
9All you people who belong to the Lord,
continue to obey him.
People who respect the Lord
will have the things that they need.
10Even young lions may not have food,
so that they become hungry.
But people who trust the Lord for help
will receive every good thing that they need.
11Children, come and listen to me!
I will teach you how to respect the Lord.
12Do you want to live a good life?
Do you want your life to be long and happy?
13If so, do not speak any evil words.
Do not tell lies to deceive people.
14Do good things instead of evil things.
Try to bring peace into people's lives.
15The Lord watches over righteous people.
He hears them when they call to him for help.
16But the Lord turns against people who do evil things.
He causes everybody to forget that they ever lived.
17The Lord hears his righteous people
when they call for help.
He saves them from all their troubles.
18When people are upset,
the Lord is near to them.
He saves those who feel very weak and upset.
19 Righteous people may often have troubles,
but the Lord saves them from every danger.
20The Lord keeps them safe.
Not even one of their bones is broken!
21Evil things will return to kill wicked people.
Whoever hates God's own people
will receive punishment.
22The Lord saves the lives of his servants.
Everyone who trusts the Lord to keep them safe
will not receive punishment as a guilty person.
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