Psalm 34
New American Standard Bible
The Lord, a Provider and the One Who Rescues Me.
A Psalm of David, when he pretended to be insane before [a]Abimelech, who drove him away, and he departed.
34 I will (A)bless the Lord at all times;
His (B)praise shall continually be in my mouth.
2 My soul will (C)make its boast in the Lord;
The (D)humble will hear it and rejoice.
3 (E)Exalt the Lord with me,
And let’s (F)exalt His name together.
4 I (G)sought the Lord and He answered me,
And (H)rescued me from all my fears.
5 They (I)looked to Him and were radiant,
And their faces will (J)never be ashamed.
6 This wretched man cried out, and (K)the Lord heard him,
And saved him out of all his troubles.
7 The (L)angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him,
And rescues them.
8 (M)Taste and see that the Lord is good;
How (N)blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!
9 Fear the Lord, you (O)His saints;
For to those who fear Him there is (P)no lack of anything.
10 The young lions do without and suffer hunger;
But they who seek the Lord will (Q)not lack any good thing.
11 (R)Come, you children, listen to me;
(S)I will teach you (T)the fear of the Lord.
12 (U)Who is the person who desires life
And loves length of days, that he may (V)see good?
13 Keep (W)your tongue from evil
And your lips from speaking (X)deceit.
14 (Y)Turn from evil and do good;
Seek peace and (Z)pursue it.
15 The (AA)eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous,
And His ears are toward their cry for help.
16 The (AB)face of the Lord is against evildoers,
To (AC)eliminate the memory of them from the earth.
17 The righteous (AD)cry out, and the Lord hears
And rescues them from all their troubles.
18 The Lord (AE)is near to the (AF)brokenhearted
And saves those who are [b](AG)crushed in spirit.
19 (AH)The (AI)afflictions of the righteous are many,
But the Lord (AJ)rescues him from them all.
20 He protects all his bones,
(AK)Not one of them is broken.
21 (AL)Evil will bring death to the wicked,
And those who hate the righteous will suffer for their guilt.
22 The Lord (AM)redeems the souls of His servants,
And none of those who (AN)take refuge in Him will suffer for their guilt.
Footnotes
- Psalm 34 Title Possibly a title of King Achish of Gath, see 1 Sam 21:10-15
- Psalm 34:18 Or contrite
Psalm 34
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Psalm 34
Praise for Deliverance from Trouble
Of David, when he feigned madness before Abimelech, so that he drove him out, and he went away.
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.(A)
3 O magnify the Lord with me,
and let us exalt his name together.(B)
4 I sought the Lord, and he answered me
and delivered me from all my fears.(C)
5 Look to him, and be radiant,
so your[a] faces shall never be ashamed.(D)
6 This poor soul cried and was heard by the Lord
and was saved from every trouble.
7 The angel of the Lord encamps
around those who fear him and delivers them.(E)
8 O taste and see that the Lord is good;
happy are those who take refuge in him.(F)
9 O fear the Lord, you his holy ones,
for those who fear him have no want.(G)
10 The young lions suffer want and hunger,
but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.(H)
11 Come, O children, listen to me;
I will teach you the fear of the Lord.(I)
12 Which of you desires life
and covets many days to enjoy good?(J)
13 Keep your tongue from evil
and your lips from speaking deceit.(K)
14 Depart from evil, and do good;
seek peace, and pursue it.(L)
15 The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,
and his ears are open to their cry.(M)
16 The face of the Lord is against evildoers,
to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.(N)
17 When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears
and rescues them from all their troubles.(O)
18 The Lord is near to the brokenhearted
and saves the crushed in spirit.(P)
19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous,
but the Lord rescues them from them all.(Q)
20 He keeps all their bones;
not one of them will be broken.(R)
21 Evil brings death to the wicked,
and those who hate the righteous will be condemned.(S)
22 The Lord redeems the life of his servants;
none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.(T)
Footnotes
- 34.5 Gk Syr Jerome: Heb their
Psalm 34
Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition
34 For David himself. Judge thou, O Lord, them that wrong me: overthrow them that fight against me.
2 Take hold of arms and shield: and rise up to help me.
3 Bring out the sword, and shut up the way against them that persecute me: say to my soul: I am thy salvation.
4 Let them be confounded and ashamed that seek after my soul. Let them be turned back and be confounded that devise against me.
5 Let them become as dust before the wind: and let the angel of the Lord straiten them.
6 Let their way become dark and slippery; and let the angel of the Lord pursue them.
7 For without cause they have hidden their net for me unto destruction: without cause they have upbraided my soul.
8 Let the snare which he knoweth not come upon him: and let the net which he hath hidden catch him: and let the net which he hath hidden catch him: and into that very snare let them fall.
9 But my soul shall rejoice in the Lord; and shall be delighted in his salvation.
10 All my bones shall say: Lord, who is like to thee? Who deliverest the poor from the hand of them that are stronger than he; the needy and the poor from them that strip him.
11 Unjust witnesses rising up have asked me things I knew not.
12 They repaid me evil for good: to the depriving me of my soul.
13 But as for me, when they were troublesome to me, I was clothed with haircloth. I humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer shall be turned into my bosom.
14 As a neighbour and as an own brother, so did I please: as one mourning and sorrowful so was I humbled.
15 But they rejoiced against me, and came together: scourges were gathered together upon me, and I knew not.
16 They were separated, and repented not: they tempted me, they scoffed at me with scorn: they gnashed upon me with their teeth.
17 Lord, when wilt thou look upon me? rescue thou soul from their malice: my only one from the lions.
18 I will give thanks to thee in a great church; I will praise thee in a strong people.
19 Let not them that are my enemies wrongfully rejoice over me: who have hated me without cause, and wink with the eyes.
20 For they spoke indeed peaceably to me; and speaking in the anger of the earth they devised guile.
21 And they opened their mouth wide against me; they said: Well done, well done, our eyes have seen it.
22 Thou hast seen, O Lord, be not thou silent: O Lord, depart not from me.
23 Arise, and be attentive to my judgment: to my cause, my God, and my Lord.
24 Judge me, O Lord my God according to thy justice, and let them not rejoice over me.
25 Let them not say in their hearts: It is well, it is well, to our mind: neither let them say: We have swallowed him up.
26 Let them blush: and be ashamed together, who rejoice at my evils. Let them be clothed with confusion and shame, who speak great things against me.
27 Let them rejoice and be glad, who are well pleased with my justice, and let them say always: The Lord be magnified, who delights in the peace of his servant.
28 And my tongue shall meditate thy justice, thy praise all the day long.
Psalm 34
The Message
34 I bless God every chance I get;
my lungs expand with his praise.
2 I live and breathe God;
if things aren’t going well, hear this and be happy:
3 Join me in spreading the news;
together let’s get the word out.
4 God met me more than halfway,
he freed me from my anxious fears.
5 Look at him; give him your warmest smile.
Never hide your feelings from him.
6 When I was desperate, I called out,
and God got me out of a tight spot.
7 God’s angel sets up a circle
of protection around us while we pray.
8 Open your mouth and taste, open your eyes and see—
how good God is.
Blessed are you who run to him.
9 Worship God if you want the best;
worship opens doors to all his goodness.
10 Young lions on the prowl get hungry,
but God-seekers are full of God.
11 Come, children, listen closely;
I’ll give you a lesson in God worship.
12 Who out there has a lust for life?
Can’t wait each day to come upon beauty?
13 Guard your tongue from profanity,
and no more lying through your teeth.
14 Turn your back on sin; do something good.
Embrace peace—don’t let it get away!
15 God keeps an eye on his friends,
his ears pick up every moan and groan.
16 God won’t put up with rebels;
he’ll cull them from the pack.
17 Is anyone crying for help? God is listening,
ready to rescue you.
18 If your heart is broken, you’ll find God right there;
if you’re kicked in the gut, he’ll help you catch your breath.
19 Disciples so often get into trouble;
still, God is there every time.
20 He’s your bodyguard, shielding every bone;
not even a finger gets broken.
21 The wicked commit slow suicide;
they waste their lives hating the good.
22 God pays for each slave’s freedom;
no one who runs to him loses out.
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