上帝的美善

大卫在亚比米勒面前装疯,被赶出去后,作了此诗。

34 我要常常称颂耶和华,
时刻赞美祂。
我要夸耀祂的作为,
困苦人听见必欢欣。
让我们一同颂赞祂的伟大,
尊崇祂的名!
我向祂祷告,祂便应允我,
救我脱离一切恐惧。
凡仰望祂的必有荣光,
不致蒙羞。
我这可怜的人向祂呼求,
祂就垂听,
救我脱离一切困境。
祂的天使必四面保护敬畏祂的人,拯救他们。
你们要亲身体验,
就知道耶和华的美善;
投靠祂的人有福了!
耶和华的圣民啊,
你们要敬畏祂,
因为敬畏祂的人一无所缺。
10 壮狮也会忍饥挨饿,
但寻求耶和华的人什么福分都不缺。

11 孩子们啊,听我说,
我要教导你们敬畏耶和华。
12 若有人热爱生命,
渴望长寿和幸福,
13 就要舌头不出恶言,
嘴唇不说诡诈的话。
14 要弃恶行善,
竭力追求和睦。
15 耶和华的眼睛看顾义人,
祂的耳朵垂听他们的呼求。
16 耶和华严惩作恶之人,
从世上铲除他们。
17 义人向耶和华呼救,祂就垂听,
拯救他们脱离一切患难。
18 祂安慰悲痛欲绝的人,
拯救心灵破碎的人。
19 义人也会遭遇许多患难,
但耶和华必拯救他,
20 保全他一身的骨头,
连一根也不折断。
21 恶人必遭恶报,
与义人为敌的必被定罪。
22 耶和华必救赎祂的仆人,
投靠祂的人必不被定罪。

Praise God Who Judges and Saves

David’s song from the time he ·acted crazy [acted mad/insane; L changed his mind/discernment] so Abimelech [C perhaps another name for Achish] would ·send [drive] him away, and David did leave [1 Sam. 21:10–15].

34 I will ·praise [bless] the Lord at all times;
    his praise is always ·on my lips [L in my mouth].
My ·whole being [soul] praises the Lord.
    The ·poor [humble] will hear and be glad.
·Glorify [Praise; Magnify] the Lord with me,
    and let us ·praise [L extol] his name together.

I ·asked the Lord for help [sought the Lord], and he answered me.
    He ·saved [rescued; T delivered] me from all that I feared.
Those who ·go [L look] to him for help are ·happy [radiant],
    and ·they [L their faces] are never ·disgraced [shamed].
This ·poor [afflicted] man [C someone in the congregation or the psalmist himself] ·called [prayed], and the Lord heard him
    and ·saved him from [gave him victory over] all his ·troubles [distress].
The angel of the Lord [91:11; Gen. 32:1–2; 2 Kin. 6:17; Matt. 4:5–6] camps around those who fear God [Prov. 1:7],
    and he saves them.

·Examine [L Taste] and see how good the Lord is.
    ·Happy [Blessed] is the person who ·trusts [finds refuge in] him.
You ·who belong to the Lord [holy ones], fear him [Prov. 1:7]!
    Those who fear him will ·have everything they need [not lack anything; 23:1].
10 Even lions [C the most noble wild beast] may get weak and hungry,
    but those who ·look to [seek] the Lord ·will have every [L do not lack any] good thing.
11 Children, come and listen to me.
    I will teach you ·to worship [L the fear of] the Lord.
12 ·You must do these things
    to enjoy life and have many happy days [L Who of you takes pleasure in life and loves days to experience good?].
13 You must ·not say evil things [L guard/keep your tongue from evil],
    and ·you must not tell lies [L your lips from deception].
14 ·Stop doing [L Turn aside from] evil and do good.
    ·Look for [Seek] peace and ·work for [pursue] it.

15 ·The Lord sees the [L The eyes of the Lord are on] ·good [righteous] people
    and ·listens to their prayers [L his ears attend to their cries for help].
16 But the ·Lord is [L face of the Lord is] against those who do evil;
    he ·makes the world forget them [L cuts memory of them off the earth].
17 ·The Lord hears good people when they [L They] cry out to him,
    and he saves them from all their ·troubles [distress].
18 The Lord is close to the brokenhearted,
    and he saves those whose spirits have been crushed.

19 People who ·do what is right may [are righteous] have many ·problems [afflictions],
    but the Lord ·will solve them [L saves them from them] all.
20 He will protect their very bones;
    not one of them will be broken.
21 Evil will kill the wicked;
    those who hate ·good [righteous] people will be judged guilty.
22 But the Lord ·saves [redeems; ransoms] his servants’ lives;
    no one who ·trusts [finds refuge in] him will be judged guilty.

34 I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth.

My soul shall make her boast in the Lord: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad.

O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together.

I sought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.

They looked unto him, and were lightened: and their faces were not ashamed.

This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles.

The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.

O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.

O fear the Lord, ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him.

10 The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing.

11 Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the Lord.

12 What man is he that desireth life, and loveth many days, that he may see good?

13 Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile.

14 Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.

15 The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry.

16 The face of the Lord is against them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.

17 The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles.

18 The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.

19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all.

20 He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken.

21 Evil shall slay the wicked: and they that hate the righteous shall be desolate.

22 The Lord redeemeth the soul of his servants: and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate.

Psalm 34[a][b]

Of David. When he pretended to be insane(A) before Abimelek, who drove him away, and he left.

I will extol the Lord at all times;(B)
    his praise will always be on my lips.
I will glory(C) in the Lord;
    let the afflicted hear and rejoice.(D)
Glorify the Lord(E) with me;
    let us exalt(F) his name together.

I sought the Lord,(G) and he answered me;
    he delivered(H) me from all my fears.
Those who look to him are radiant;(I)
    their faces are never covered with shame.(J)
This poor man called, and the Lord heard him;
    he saved him out of all his troubles.(K)
The angel of the Lord(L) encamps around those who fear him,
    and he delivers(M) them.

Taste and see that the Lord is good;(N)
    blessed is the one who takes refuge(O) in him.
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.

19 The righteous person may have many troubles,(AJ)
    but the Lord delivers him from them all;(AK)
20 he protects all his bones,
    not one of them will be broken.(AL)

21 Evil will slay the wicked;(AM)
    the foes of the righteous will be condemned.
22 The Lord will rescue(AN) his servants;
    no one who takes refuge(AO) in him will be condemned.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 34:1 This psalm is an acrostic poem, the verses of which begin with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.
  2. Psalm 34:1 In Hebrew texts 34:1-22 is numbered 34:2-23.