THE LORD DELIVERS THOSE WHO FEAR HIM
Key verse: 4
NIV
Psalm 34[a][b]
Of David. When he pretended to be insane(A) before Abimelek, who drove him away, and he left.
1 I will extol the Lord at all times;(B)
his praise will always be on my lips.
2 I will glory(C) in the Lord;
let the afflicted hear and rejoice.(D)
3 Glorify the Lord(E) with me;
let us exalt(F) his name together.
4 I sought the Lord,(G) and he answered me;
he delivered(H) me from all my fears.
5 Those who look to him are radiant;(I)
their faces are never covered with shame.(J)
6 This poor man called, and the Lord heard him;
he saved him out of all his troubles.(K)
7 The angel of the Lord(L) encamps around those who fear him,
and he delivers(M) them.
8 Taste and see that the Lord is good;(N)
blessed is the one who takes refuge(O) in him.
9 Fear the Lord,(P) you his holy people,
for those who fear him lack nothing.(Q)
10 The lions may grow weak and hungry,
but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.(R)
11 Come, my children, listen(S) to me;
I will teach you(T) the fear of the Lord.(U)
12 Whoever of you loves life(V)
and desires to see many good days,
13 keep your tongue(W) from evil
and your lips from telling lies.(X)
14 Turn from evil and do good;(Y)
seek peace(Z) and pursue it.
15 The eyes of the Lord(AA) are on the righteous,(AB)
and his ears are attentive(AC) to their cry;
16 but the face of the Lord is against(AD) those who do evil,(AE)
to blot out their name(AF) from the earth.
17 The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears(AG) them;
he delivers them from all their troubles.
18 The Lord is close(AH) to the brokenhearted(AI)
and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
Footnotes
- Psalm 34:1 This psalm is an acrostic poem, the verses of which begin with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.
- Psalm 34:1 In Hebrew texts 34:1-22 is numbered 34:2-23.
Cross references
- Psalm 34:1 : 1Sa 21:13
- Psalm 34:1 : Ps 71:6; S Eph 5:20; 1Th 5:18
- Psalm 34:2 : Ps 44:8; Jer 9:24; 1Co 1:31
- Psalm 34:2 : Ps 69:32; 107:42; 119:74
- Psalm 34:3 : Ps 63:3; 86:12; Da 4:37; Jn 17:1; Ro 15:6
- Psalm 34:3 : S Ex 15:2
- Psalm 34:4 : S Ex 32:11; Ps 77:2
- Psalm 34:4 : ver 17; Ps 18:43; 22:4; 56:13; 86:13
- Psalm 34:5 : S Ex 34:29
- Psalm 34:5 : Ps 25:3; 44:15; 69:7; 83:16
- Psalm 34:6 : S Ps 25:17
- Psalm 34:7 : S Ge 32:1; S Da 3:28; S Mt 18:10
- Psalm 34:7 : Ps 22:4; 37:40; 41:1; 97:10; Isa 31:5; Ac 12:11
- Psalm 34:8 : Heb 6:5; 1Pe 2:3
- Psalm 34:8 : S Ps 2:12
- Psalm 34:9 : S Dt 6:13; Rev 14:7
- Psalm 34:9 : S Ps 23:1
- Psalm 34:10 : S Ps 23:1
- Psalm 34:11 : Ps 66:16
- Psalm 34:11 : S Ps 32:8
- Psalm 34:11 : S Ps 19:9
- Psalm 34:12 : Ecc 3:13
- Psalm 34:13 : Ps 39:1; 141:3; Pr 13:3; 21:23; Jas 1:26
- Psalm 34:13 : S Ps 12:2; 1Pe 2:22
- Psalm 34:14 : Ps 37:27; Isa 1:17; 3Jn 1:11
- Psalm 34:14 : S Ro 14:19
- Psalm 34:15 : Ps 33:18
- Psalm 34:15 : S Job 23:10; S 36:7
- Psalm 34:15 : Mal 3:16; S Jn 9:31
- Psalm 34:16 : Lev 17:10; Jer 23:30
- Psalm 34:16 : 1Pe 3:10-12*
- Psalm 34:16 : S Ex 17:14; Ps 9:6
- Psalm 34:17 : Ps 145:19
- Psalm 34:18 : Dt 4:7; Ps 119:151; 145:18; Isa 50:8
- Psalm 34:18 : Ps 51:17; 109:16; 147:3; Isa 61:1
- Psalm 34:19 : ver 17; Ps 25:17
- Psalm 34:19 : S Job 5:19; 2Ti 3:11
- Psalm 34:20 : Jn 19:36*
- Psalm 34:21 : Ps 7:9; 9:16; 11:5; 37:20; 73:27; 94:23; 106:43; 112:10; 140:11; Pr 14:32; 24:16
- Psalm 34:22 : S Ex 6:6; S 15:13; Lk 1:68; Rev 14:3
- Psalm 34:22 : Ps 2:12
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway
ESV
Taste and See That the Lord Is Good
[a] Of David, when he (A)changed his behavior before (B)Abimelech, so that he drove him out, and he went away.34 I will bless the Lord (C)at all times;
his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
2 My soul (D)makes its boast in the Lord;
let the humble hear and (E)be glad.
3 Oh, (F)magnify the Lord with me,
and let us exalt his name together!
4 I (G)sought the Lord, and he answered me
and delivered me from all my fears.
5 Those who look to him are (H)radiant,
and their faces shall never be ashamed.
6 (I)This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him
and (J)saved him out of all his troubles.
7 (K)The angel of the Lord (L)encamps
around those who fear him, and delivers them.
8 Oh, (M)taste and see that (N)the Lord is good!
(O)Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!
9 Oh, fear the Lord, you his saints,
for those who fear him have no lack!
10 (P)The young lions suffer want and hunger;
but those who (Q)seek the Lord lack no good thing.
11 (R)Come, O children, listen to me;
(S)I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
12 (T)What man is there who desires life
and loves many days, that he may (U)see good?
13 (V)Keep your tongue from evil
and your lips from (W)speaking deceit.
14 (X)Turn away from evil and do good;
seek peace and (Y)pursue it.
15 (Z)The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous
(AA)and his ears toward their cry.
16 (AB)The face of the Lord is against those who do evil,
to (AC)cut off the memory of them from the earth.
17 (AD)When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears
and delivers them out of all their troubles.
18 The Lord is near to (AE)the brokenhearted
and saves (AF)the crushed in spirit.
19 (AG)Many are the afflictions of the righteous,
(AH)but the Lord delivers him out of them all.
20 He keeps all his bones;
(AI)not one of them is broken.
21 (AJ)Affliction will slay the wicked,
and those who hate the righteous will be condemned.
22 The Lord (AK)redeems the life of his servants;
none of those who take refuge in him will be (AL)condemned.
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Footnotes
- Psalm 34:1 This psalm is an acrostic poem, each verse beginning with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet
Cross references
- Psalm 34:1 : 1 Sam. 21:13
- Psalm 34:1 : [1 Sam. 21:10, 11, 12, 14]
- Psalm 34:1 : [Eph. 5:20; 1 Thess. 5:18]
- Psalm 34:2 : Ps. 44:8; 1 Sam. 2:1; Jer. 9:24
- Psalm 34:2 : Ps. 119:74
- Psalm 34:3 : Ps. 35:27; 40:16; 69:30; 70:4; Luke 1:46
- Psalm 34:4 : 2 Chr. 15:2; [Matt. 7:7]
- Psalm 34:5 : Isa. 60:5; [Ps. 4:6]
- Psalm 34:6 : ver. 15, 17
- Psalm 34:6 : ver. 17, 19; 2 Sam. 22:1
- Psalm 34:7 : Dan. 6:22; Heb. 1:14
- Psalm 34:7 : [Gen. 32:1, 2; 2 Kgs. 6:17]
- Psalm 34:8 : Heb. 6:5; 1 Pet. 2:3
- Psalm 34:8 : Ps. 100:5
- Psalm 34:8 : See Ps. 2:12
- Psalm 34:10 : Job 4:10, 11
- Psalm 34:10 : [Ps. 84:11]
- Psalm 34:11 : Ps. 66:16
- Psalm 34:11 : [Ps. 32:8]
- Psalm 34:12 : Cited 1 Pet. 3:10-12
- Psalm 34:12 : Eccles. 3:13; 6:6
- Psalm 34:13 : Ps. 15:3; 39:1; 141:3; Prov. 13:3; 21:23; James 1:26; 3:2; 1 Pet. 2:1, 22
- Psalm 34:13 : John 1:47; Rev. 14:5
- Psalm 34:14 : Ps. 37:27; Isa. 1:16, 17; [Job 28:28]
- Psalm 34:14 : Rom. 14:19; Heb. 12:14; [Rom. 12:18]
- Psalm 34:15 : See Ps. 33:18
- Psalm 34:15 : ver. 6, 8; Ps. 145:18; [John 9:31]
- Psalm 34:16 : Jer. 44:11; Amos 9:4
- Psalm 34:16 : See Ps. 21:10
- Psalm 34:17 : [See ver. 15 above]; ver. 6, 8; Ps. 145:18; [John 9:31]
- Psalm 34:18 : Ps. 51:17; 147:3; Isa. 61:1
- Psalm 34:18 : Isa. 57:15; 66:2; See Luke 15:17-24
- Psalm 34:19 : 2 Tim. 3:11, 12
- Psalm 34:19 : ver. 6, 17, 22; [Acts 12:11]
- Psalm 34:20 : John 19:36
- Psalm 34:21 : Ps. 94:23; Prov. 24:16; [Ps. 7:15, 16]
- Psalm 34:22 : See Ps. 25:22
- Psalm 34:22 : [Rom. 8:33, 34]
34 I will bless the Lord (C)at all times;
his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
2 My soul (D)makes its boast in the Lord;
let the humble hear and (E)be glad.
3 Oh, (F)magnify the Lord with me,
and let us exalt his name together!
4 I (G)sought the Lord, and he answered me
and delivered me from all my fears.
5 Those who look to him are (H)radiant,
and their faces shall never be ashamed.
6 (I)This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him
and (J)saved him out of all his troubles.
7 (K)The angel of the Lord (L)encamps
around those who fear him, and delivers them.
8 Oh, (M)taste and see that (N)the Lord is good!
(O)Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!
9 Oh, fear the Lord, you his saints,
for those who fear him have no lack!
10 (P)The young lions suffer want and hunger;
but those who (Q)seek the Lord lack no good thing.
11 (R)Come, O children, listen to me;
(S)I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
12 (T)What man is there who desires life
and loves many days, that he may (U)see good?
13 (V)Keep your tongue from evil
and your lips from (W)speaking deceit.
14 (X)Turn away from evil and do good;
seek peace and (Y)pursue it.
15 (Z)The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous
(AA)and his ears toward their cry.
16 (AB)The face of the Lord is against those who do evil,
to (AC)cut off the memory of them from the earth.
17 (AD)When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears
and delivers them out of all their troubles.
18 The Lord is near to (AE)the brokenhearted
and saves (AF)the crushed in spirit.
19 (AG)Many are the afflictions of the righteous,
(AH)but the Lord delivers him out of them all.
20 He keeps all his bones;
(AI)not one of them is broken.
21 (AJ)Affliction will slay the wicked,
and those who hate the righteous will be condemned.
22 The Lord (AK)redeems the life of his servants;
none of those who take refuge in him will be (AL)condemned.
Footnotes
- Psalm 34:1 This psalm is an acrostic poem, each verse beginning with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet
Cross references
- Psalm 34:1 : 1 Sam. 21:13
- Psalm 34:1 : [1 Sam. 21:10, 11, 12, 14]
- Psalm 34:1 : [Eph. 5:20; 1 Thess. 5:18]
- Psalm 34:2 : Ps. 44:8; 1 Sam. 2:1; Jer. 9:24
- Psalm 34:2 : Ps. 119:74
- Psalm 34:3 : Ps. 35:27; 40:16; 69:30; 70:4; Luke 1:46
- Psalm 34:4 : 2 Chr. 15:2; [Matt. 7:7]
- Psalm 34:5 : Isa. 60:5; [Ps. 4:6]
- Psalm 34:6 : ver. 15, 17
- Psalm 34:6 : ver. 17, 19; 2 Sam. 22:1
- Psalm 34:7 : Dan. 6:22; Heb. 1:14
- Psalm 34:7 : [Gen. 32:1, 2; 2 Kgs. 6:17]
- Psalm 34:8 : Heb. 6:5; 1 Pet. 2:3
- Psalm 34:8 : Ps. 100:5
- Psalm 34:8 : See Ps. 2:12
- Psalm 34:10 : Job 4:10, 11
- Psalm 34:10 : [Ps. 84:11]
- Psalm 34:11 : Ps. 66:16
- Psalm 34:11 : [Ps. 32:8]
- Psalm 34:12 : Cited 1 Pet. 3:10-12
- Psalm 34:12 : Eccles. 3:13; 6:6
- Psalm 34:13 : Ps. 15:3; 39:1; 141:3; Prov. 13:3; 21:23; James 1:26; 3:2; 1 Pet. 2:1, 22
- Psalm 34:13 : John 1:47; Rev. 14:5
- Psalm 34:14 : Ps. 37:27; Isa. 1:16, 17; [Job 28:28]
- Psalm 34:14 : Rom. 14:19; Heb. 12:14; [Rom. 12:18]
- Psalm 34:15 : See Ps. 33:18
- Psalm 34:15 : ver. 6, 8; Ps. 145:18; [John 9:31]
- Psalm 34:16 : Jer. 44:11; Amos 9:4
- Psalm 34:16 : See Ps. 21:10
- Psalm 34:17 : [See ver. 15 above]; ver. 6, 8; Ps. 145:18; [John 9:31]
- Psalm 34:18 : Ps. 51:17; 147:3; Isa. 61:1
- Psalm 34:18 : Isa. 57:15; 66:2; See Luke 15:17-24
- Psalm 34:19 : 2 Tim. 3:11, 12
- Psalm 34:19 : ver. 6, 17, 22; [Acts 12:11]
- Psalm 34:20 : John 19:36
- Psalm 34:21 : Ps. 94:23; Prov. 24:16; [Ps. 7:15, 16]
- Psalm 34:22 : See Ps. 25:22
- Psalm 34:22 : [Rom. 8:33, 34]
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway
1. Taste and see that the LORD is good (1-1
)
Can you feel David's exuberance in this psalm? He was determined that God's praise would always be on his lips and he wanted others to join with him in worshipping God as well. The reason for his joy was simple. When he was taken captive in a Philistine city, David cried out to the LORD in his time of need. The LORD heard his cry and delivered him from all his enemies. The joy David experienced is available to everyone who fears the LORD. The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and they are delivered. David invites us to experience this for ourselves. Put your trust in the LORD. Taste and see that he is good!
2. The LORD delivers the righteous (11-22)
What does it mean to fear the LORD? David says we are to keep our tongues from evil and our lips from lying. Even more, we are to turn from evil and do good. Doing so honors and glorifies God. The righteous enjoy God's full protection. He hears their prayers, and-even though they may have many troubles-he delivers his people from them all. The brokenhearted can take comfort in the knowledge that God is near, and he will save them.
Prayer: Father, we commit ourselves to you.
One Word: The LORD will rescue his servants
