Psalm 34
Taste and see that the LORD is good.
TASTE AND SEE THAT THE LORD IS GOOD
By David; when he pretended to be insane before Abimelech, who drove him away, and he departed.
VERSE 1. I will bless the LORD at all times. His praise will always be in my mouth.
VERSE 2. My soul shall boast in the LORD. The humble shall hear of it, and be glad.
VERSE 3. Oh magnify the LORD with me. Let’s exalt his name together.
NIV translation. Glorify the LORD with me; let us exalt his name together.
magnify. To “magnify” the LORD means to “glorify” the LORD.
with me. Worshipping the LORD is a communal event. We do it with other people.
VERSE 4. I sought the LORD, and he answered me, and delivered me from all my fears.
VERSE 5. They looked to him, and were radiant. Their faces shall never be covered with shame.
They looked to him. Looking to the LORD is a transformative event. We seek him, and things change.
and were radiant. That is, “were radiant with joy” (NAB translation).
Does your own walk with God make you radiant with joy?
VERSE 6. This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles.
VERSE 7. the LORD’s angel encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them.
the LORD’s angel. The angels of the LORD God encamp around us. They are a perpetual shield, a living presence from heaven.
Angels are powerful spirit-entities. They carry out the will of God. Some are assigned to minister to individual humans. We call then Guardian Angels. Read more »
VERSE 8. Oh taste and see that the LORD is good. Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.
taste and see. We are called to experiment. We are to “taste” the LORD and see if he is good.
VERSE 9. Oh fear the LORD, you his holy ones, for there is no lack with those who fear him.
NIV translation. Fear the LORD, you his holy people, for those who fear him lack nothing.
Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart! Read more »
VERSE 10. The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger, but those who seek the LORD shall not lack any good thing.
NLT translation: Even strong young lions sometimes go hungry, but those who trust in the Lord will lack no good thing.
those who seek the LORD. Do you seek the LORD? Are you hungry for more of him?
shall not lack any good thing. If you seek the LORD, you will lack no good thing.
Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart! Read more »
VERSE 11. Come, you children, listen to me. I will teach you the fear of the LORD.
VERSE 12. Who is someone who desires life, and loves many days, that he may see good?
VERSE 13. Keep your tongue from evil, and your lips from speaking lies.
The Bible calls us to use our words to uplift other people. However, many Christians use their words to tear down other people. They should say nothing. Read more »
VERSE 14. Depart from evil, and do good. Seek peace, and pursue it.
VERSE 15. The LORD’s eyes are toward the righteous. His ears listen to their cry.
VERSE 16. The LORD’s face is against those who do evil, to cut off their memory from the earth.
VERSE 17. The righteous cry, and the LORD hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles.
VERSE 18. The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves those who have a crushed spirit.
VERSE 19. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him out of them all.
VERSE 20. He protects all of his bones. Not one of them is broken.
VERSE 21. Evil shall kill the wicked. Those who hate the righteous shall be condemned.
VERSE 22. The LORD redeems the soul of his servants. None of those who take refuge in him shall be condemned.
PSALMS
CHAPTERS: 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 120, 121, 122, 123, 124, 125, 126, 127, 128, 129, 130, 131, 132, 133, 134, 135, 136, 137, 138, 139, 140, 141, 142, 143, 144, 145, 146, 147, 148, 149, 150
Deuterocanonical chapter: 151
RESOURCES: Summary, Outline, Memorize, David’s Fasting
Unless otherwise noted, all Bible quotations on this page are from the World English Bible and the World Messianic Edition. These translations have no copyright restrictions. They are in the Public Domain.