A psalm of David, when he changed his behaviour in the presence of Abimelech, who drove him away, and he departed.
34:Title This psalm was written concerning one of David’s darkest hours. It is described in 1 Sam 21:10-15. Abimelech seems to have been a title of successive kings of the Philistines, as Pharaoh was of the Egyptian kings (Gen 20:2; 26:1).⚜
34
📚I will praise the LORDat all times.
His praise will continually be
in my mouth.
2 📚My soul will make its boast
in the LORD.
The humble will hear of this
and be glad.
3 📚O glorify the LORD with me,
and let us exalt his name together.
34:1-3 David learned to praise God even in difficulties and dangers. He found God sufficient for all times, a sure help in every circumstance. Many there are who boast in themselves. David was determined to boast in the Lord alone.⚜
4 📚I sought the LORD,
and he heard me and
delivered me from
all my fears.
34:4 Here is the reason for David’s praise. Also vs 6,17,19. God hears prayer. He listens to the cries of His people and in His time and way He delivers them.⚜
5 📚They looked to him
and became radiant,
and their faces were not ashamed.
34:5 Their shining is the reflected light of God Who is light.⚜
6 📚This poor man cried out,
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
and delivers them.
34:7 Note on angels at Gen 16:7. The Lord Jesus Himself does what is described here.⚜
8 📚Oh, taste and see that the LORD
is good!
Blessed is the man
who trusts in him.
34:8 Experience alone can teach us certain things. We learn more of the sweetness of honey by tasting it than by reading any number of books about it. So with the goodness of God. We may read endless books of theology and devotion, and constantly meditate on the Bible, but until we actually experience God ourselves we will not really understand His goodness. So David exhorts us to taste, to try God, to experience Him. How can we do this? The answer is in this same verse – by believing Him. Faith enables us to experience God’s goodness (Matt 9:29; 21:22; Mark 11:24; Heb 11:6).⚜
9 📚Oh, fear the LORD,
you saints of his;
for there is no lack
to those who fear him.
34:9 Compare Ps 31:23. These two verses give us two great words of the spiritual life – love and fear (reverential awe).⚜
10 📚The young lions are in want
and suffer hunger;
but those who seek the LORD
will not lack anything good.
34:10 The promise to supply all that is needed is made to those who fear God and who seek Him. It is not enough to have one of these without the other. But a great promise is here for those who have both.⚜
11 📚Come, you children,
listen to me.
I will teach you the fear
of the LORD.
12 📚What man is there who
desires life,
and loves to have many days,
so 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 peace, and pursue it.
34:11-14 See other notes on the fear of the Lord at 86:11; 111:10; Gen 20:11; Job 28:28; Prov 1:7. What is this fear of the Lord which is so very important? It is to have a reverential awe and respect for Him and His Word, to recognize His majesty, greatness and authority and to fear offending Him. These verses give us several things that are involved in it.
Fearing God means to guard the tongue. Lies and deceit are of the devil, and the person who truly fears God will refrain from this most dangerous of sins, this sin which God hates with all His holy being (Ps 5:6; Prov 6:16-19). Malicious gossip, evil speaking, filthy or bad or blasphemous language – these too must never have a place in the mouths of God’s people (Eph 4:29; 5:4; Col 3:8-9; Jam 3:9-12).
Fearing God means turning from evil (v 14; Prov 3:7; 8:13). But this alone is not sufficient. Some people’s religion is merely negative – “I don’t do this evil, I abstain from that wrong”. We must also do good (Isa 1:16-17). If we do not, we are guilty of sins of omission, and these are just as blameworthy as sins of commission (1 Sam 12:23; Matt 25:41-46). If we have the fear of the Lord as we ought we will not practice either kind of sin.
Fearing God also means to seek always to be at peace with Him and with all men (v 14; Heb 12:14). Here are some other references on the fear of God – Ps 25:14; 33:18-19; 85:9; 103:11, 13, 17; 115:13; 128:1; Deut 5:29; 6:2, 24; Prov 9:10; 14:27; 15:33; 16:6; 19:23; Isa 33:6. Verses 12-14 of this psalm are quoted in 1 Pet 3:10-12.⚜
15 📚The eyes of the LORD are
on the 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.
17 📚The righteous cry out,
and the LORD hears and
delivers them out of all
their troubles.
34:15-17 The righteous are those who trust and fear God. God will act toward such people entirely differently than He does toward the wicked (see Ps 18:25-26).⚜
18 📚The LORD is near those
who are of a broken heart,
and saves those who are crushed
in spirit.
19 📚Many are the distresses
of the righteous,
but the LORD delivers him
out of them all.
34:19 The Bible does not hold out false hopes of an easy, trouble-free life for believers. It insists again and again that they will suffer in this world (Mark 10:30; John 16:33; Acts 14:22; 1 Thess 3:3; 2 Tim 3:12; 1 Pet 2:21; 4:1).⚜
20 📚He protects all his bones;
not one of them is broken.
34:20 This is a prophecy fulfilled at Christ’s death. See John 19:33-36.⚜
21 📚Evil will slay the wicked,
and those who hate the righteous
will be condemned.
34:21 The evil that unbelievers do will turn to their destruction. Perfect justice will be fulfilled.⚜
22 📚The LORD redeems the soul
of his servants,
and none of those who trust
in him will be condemned.