Chapter Summary
Core Passages from Psalms 34
Psalm 34:8Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!
This is a personal invitation to experience God's faithfulness and love firsthand. It's a call to trust Him and discover His good character for yourself.Psalm 34:18The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.
This verse offers great comfort, promising that God doesn't distance Himself from our pain but draws especially close to us when we are hurting and emotionally crushed.Psalm 34:22The Lord redeems the life of his servants; none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.
The psalm concludes with a powerful promise of ultimate security. To be redeemed by God means He rescues and protects His people, ensuring that those who trust in Him will not face ultimate condemnation.
Historical & Cultural Context
From Feigned Madness to Fervent Praise
The introduction to this psalm connects it to a specific, terrifying moment in David's life. While fleeing from King Saul, David sought refuge in the enemy Philistine city of Gath, but he was recognized. To escape, he feigned insanity before King Achish (also called Abimelech), and his act worked. This psalm is his grateful response after God delivered him from what seemed like certain death, turning a moment of deep fear into a reason for lifelong praise.
A Teacher's Invitation to a Blessed Life
After declaring his personal praise, David shifts his tone from a storyteller to a teacher. He gathers his listeners, calling them 'children,' and offers to teach them the 'fear of the Lord.' This isn't about being scared of God, but about a lifestyle of wisdom, reverence, and obedience. He explains that this path - marked by truthful speech, good deeds, and peace - is the true way to a long and prosperous life under God's watchful care.
A Song of Deliverance and an Invitation to Trust
Psalm 34 unfolds like a personal story shared with a community. It begins in verses 1-3 with David's own passionate decision to praise God, born from a recent, powerful experience of deliverance. He then shares his testimony, inviting others to join him in worship before transitioning into a wise teacher, explaining how anyone can experience the same divine protection and goodness in their own lives.
A Personal Vow and Public Invitation (Psalm 34:1-3)
1 I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
2 My soul makes its boast in the Lord; let the humble hear and be glad.
3 Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together!
Commentary:
David commits to praising God always and invites others to join him in exalting the Lord.
Testimony of God's Deliverance (Psalm 34:4-7)
4 I sought the Lord, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears.
5 Those who look to him are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed.
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, and delivers them.
Commentary:
David testifies that when he cried out to God in his fear, God heard, answered, and saved him.
Taste and See His Goodness (Psalm 34:8-10)
8 Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! 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 The young lions suffer want and hunger; but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.
Commentary:
David invites everyone to personally experience God's goodness, promising that those who trust in Him will be fully provided for.
Wisdom for a Good Life (Psalm 34:11-14)
11 Come, O children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
12 What man is there who desires life and loves many days, that he may see good?
13 Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit.
14 Turn away from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.
Commentary:
David teaches that the 'fear of the Lord' is a practical lifestyle of controlling your speech and actively doing good.
The Lord's Watchful Care (Psalm 34:15-18)
15 The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous and his ears toward their cry.
16 The face of the Lord is against those who do evil, to cut off the memory of them from the earth.
17 When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles.
18 The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.
Commentary:
God watches over the righteous and is especially close to the brokenhearted, while He opposes those who do evil.
Affliction and Ultimate Redemption (Psalm 34:19-22)
19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.
20 He keeps all his bones; not one of them is broken.
21 Affliction will slay the wicked, and those who hate the righteous will be condemned.
22 The Lord redeems the life of his servants; none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.
Commentary:
Though the righteous face many troubles, God promises complete deliverance and ultimate redemption for all who trust in Him.
The Goodness of God in Every Circumstance
God's Deliverance
The entire psalm is a response to God's saving action in David's life. It shows that God is not a distant deity but an active rescuer who hears the cries of His people and delivers them from their fears and troubles. This deliverance is both personal and available to all who seek Him.
The Fear of the Lord
Psalm 34 defines the 'fear of the Lord' not as terror, but as a practical, life-giving reverence for God. This respect is expressed through righteous living - controlling one's speech, turning from evil, and pursuing peace. It is presented as the foundation for a truly good and long life.
God's Closeness to the Hurting
The psalm makes a special point to comfort those who are suffering. It promises that God is 'near to the brokenhearted' and 'saves the crushed in spirit,' revealing a God of immense compassion. He meets people in their lowest moments with His presence and salvation.
Experiential Faith
The invitation to 'taste and see that the Lord is good' is a call to move beyond intellectual belief to a personal, sensory experience of God's character. True faith, as David presents it, involves personally encountering God's faithfulness, provision, and goodness in the reality of one's life.
Living Out God's Goodness Today
Blessing God in hard times means choosing to praise His character even when your circumstances are painful. Like David, you can recall God's past faithfulness and let that truth anchor your soul. This act of praise shifts your focus from the size of your problem to the greatness of your God, reminding you that He is good even when life is not.
This is an invitation to test God's faithfulness in your own life. You can 'taste and see' His goodness by trusting Him with a specific fear, stepping out to serve someone in His name, or dedicating time to prayer and Scripture when you feel lost. It's about moving from knowing about God to personally encountering His love and provision in your daily decisions.
This teaches us that the greatest 'good thing' is not an easy, trouble-free life, but God's presence itself. Even when you face afflictions, you lack no essential good because He is with you. He promises to be near your broken heart (v. 18) and to ultimately redeem your life (v. 22), which is a far greater treasure than a life without challenges.
God's Goodness is Always Present
Psalm 34 is a powerful testimony that God's goodness is a reality to be experienced, not solely a theological idea. David shows that crying out to God in our deepest fears leads to personal deliverance and a heart overflowing with praise. The message is a universal invitation: no matter your trouble, you can 'taste and see' God's faithfulness, find refuge in Him, and learn the way of life that He blesses.
What This Means for Us Today
This psalm is an invitation from someone who has been through the fire. It carries a significant message. David's testimony of deliverance becomes a call for us to 'magnify the Lord with me.' He invites us to move from hearing about God's goodness to experiencing it for ourselves, especially when we are afraid or brokenhearted
- What fear can you bring to the Lord today, trusting He will hear you as He heard David?
- How can you 'taste and see' God's goodness in a tangible way this week?
- Who in your life needs to hear the good news that the Lord is near to the brokenhearted?
Further Reading
Immediate Context
This preceding psalm is a song of praise for God's power in creation and His sovereign faithfulness, setting a tone of worship that Psalm 34 continues with a personal testimony.
Following this psalm of thanksgiving, David cries out to God for deliverance from his enemies, showing the ongoing reality of the 'many afflictions' mentioned in Psalm 34:19.
Connections Across Scripture
This passage provides the historical background for Psalm 34, describing the desperate situation where David feigned madness to escape from King Achish.
The Apostle Peter directly quotes Psalm 34:12-16 to instruct early Christians on how to live righteously and pursue peace, showing the psalm's enduring relevance.
The statement that 'not one of his bones will be broken' from Psalm 34:20 is cited as a prophecy fulfilled during Jesus's crucifixion, connecting David's deliverance to Christ's ultimate sacrifice.
Discussion Questions
- David wrote this psalm after a moment of great fear and desperation. When has God delivered you from a 'fear,' and how did it change the way you praise Him?
- Verse 8 invites us to 'taste and see that the Lord is good.' What does that sensory language suggest about the nature of faith, and how is it different from agreeing with facts about God?
- The psalm promises that God is 'near to the brokenhearted' (v. 18). How does this promise offer hope, especially when God's deliverance doesn't happen in the way or timing we expect?
Glossary
figures
theological concepts
Fear of the Lord
A posture of reverent awe, trust, and obedience toward God that leads to a wise and righteous life.
Redemption
The act of being rescued or bought back; in the Bible, it refers to God saving His people from sin and condemnation.
Righteousness
The state of being in right standing with God, which is demonstrated by living in a way that is morally right and just.