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.

¹I will bless the Lord at all times;
    his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
²My soul makes its boast in the Lord;
    let the humble hear and be glad.^(A)
³O magnify the Lord with me,
    and let us exalt his name together.^(B)

⁴I sought the Lord, and he answered me
    and delivered me from all my fears.^(C)
⁵Look to him, and be radiant,
    so your^[a] faces shall never be ashamed.^(D)
⁶This poor soul cried and was heard by the Lord
    and was saved from every trouble.
⁷The angel of the Lord encamps
    around those who fear him and delivers them.^(E)
⁸O taste and see that the Lord is good;
    happy are those who take refuge in him.^(F)
⁹O fear the Lord, you his holy ones,
    for those who fear him have no want.^(G)
¹⁰The young lions suffer want and hunger,
    but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.^(H)

¹¹Come, O children, listen to me;
    I will teach you the fear of the Lord.^(I)
¹²Which of you desires life
    and covets many days to enjoy good?^(J)
¹³Keep your tongue from evil
    and your lips from speaking deceit.^(K)
¹⁴Depart from evil, and do good;
    seek peace, and pursue it.^(L)

¹⁵The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,
    and his ears are open to their cry.^(M)
¹⁶The face of the Lord is against evildoers,
    to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.^(N)
¹⁷When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears
    and rescues them from all their troubles.^(O)
¹⁸The Lord is near to the brokenhearted
    and saves the crushed in spirit.^(P)

¹⁹Many are the afflictions of the righteous,
    but the Lord rescues them from them all.^(Q)
²⁰He keeps all their bones;
    not one of them will be broken.^(R)
²¹Evil brings death to the wicked,
    and those who hate the righteous will be condemned.^(S)
²²The 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

Complete Jewish Bible

34 ⁽⁰⁾By David, when he pretended to be insane before Avimelekh, who then drove him away; so he left:

²⁽¹⁾I will bless Adonai at all times;
his praise will always be in my mouth.
³⁽²⁾When I boast, it will be about Adonai;
the humble will hear of it and be glad.

⁴⁽³⁾Proclaim with me the greatness of Adonai;
let us exalt his name together.
⁵⁽⁴⁾I sought Adonai, and he answered me;
he rescued me from everything I feared.

⁶⁽⁵⁾They looked to him and grew radiant;
their faces will never blush for shame.
⁷⁽⁶⁾This poor man cried; Adonai heard
and saved him from all his troubles.
⁸⁽⁷⁾The angel of Adonai, who encamps
around those who fear him, delivers them.

⁹⁽⁸⁾Taste, and see that Adonai is good.
How blessed are those who take refuge in him!
¹⁰⁽⁹⁾Fear Adonai, you holy ones of his,
for those who fear him lack nothing.
¹¹⁽¹⁰⁾Young lions can be needy, they can go hungry,
but those who seek Adonai lack nothing good.

¹²⁽¹¹⁾Come, children, listen to me;
I will teach you the fear of Adonai.
¹³⁽¹²⁾Which of you takes pleasure in living?
Who wants a long life to see good things?
¹⁴⁽¹³⁾[If you do,] keep your tongue from evil
and your lips from deceiving talk;
¹⁵⁽¹⁴⁾turn from evil, and do good;
seek peace, go after it!

¹⁶⁽¹⁵⁾The eyes of Adonai watch over the righteous,
and his ears are open to their cry.
¹⁷⁽¹⁶⁾But the face of Adonai opposes those who do evil,
to cut off all memory of them from the earth.

¹⁸⁽¹⁷⁾[The righteous] cried out, and Adonai heard,
and he saved them from all their troubles.
¹⁹⁽¹⁸⁾Adonai is near those with broken hearts;
he saves those whose spirit is crushed.
²⁰⁽¹⁹⁾The righteous person suffers many evils,
but Adonai rescues him out of them all.
²¹⁽²⁰⁾He protects all his bones;
not one of them gets broken.

²²⁽²¹⁾Evil will kill the wicked,
and those who hate the righteous will be condemned.
²³⁽²²⁾But Adonai redeems his servants;
no one who takes refuge in him will be condemned.

Psalm 34

The Message

34 I bless God every chance I get;
my lungs expand with his praise.

²I live and breathe God;
if things aren’t going well, hear this and be happy:

³Join me in spreading the news;
together let’s get the word out.

⁴God met me more than halfway,
he freed me from my anxious fears.

⁵Look at him; give him your warmest smile.
Never hide your feelings from him.

⁶When I was desperate, I called out,
and God got me out of a tight spot.

⁷God’s angel sets up a circle
of protection around us while we pray.

⁸Open your mouth and taste, open your eyes and see—
how good God is.
Blessed are you who run to him.

⁹Worship God if you want the best;
worship opens doors to all his goodness.

¹⁰Young lions on the prowl get hungry,
but God-seekers are full of God.

¹¹Come, children, listen closely;
I’ll give you a lesson in God worship.

¹²Who out there has a lust for life?
Can’t wait each day to come upon beauty?

¹³Guard your tongue from profanity,
and no more lying through your teeth.

¹⁴Turn your back on sin; do something good.
Embrace peace—don’t let it get away!

¹⁵God keeps an eye on his friends,
his ears pick up every moan and groan.

¹⁶God won’t put up with rebels;
he’ll cull them from the pack.

¹⁷Is anyone crying for help? God is listening,
ready to rescue you.

¹⁸If your heart is broken, you’ll find God right there;
if you’re kicked in the gut, he’ll help you catch your breath.

¹⁹Disciples so often get into trouble;
still, God is there every time.

²⁰He’s your bodyguard, shielding every bone;
not even a finger gets broken.

²¹The wicked commit slow suicide;
they waste their lives hating the good.

²²God pays for each slave’s freedom;
no one who runs to him loses out.

New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition (NRSVUE)

Complete Jewish Bible (CJB)

The Message (MSG)

Psalm 34 New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition