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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.

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

I sought the Lord, and he answered me
    and delivered me from all my fears.(C)
Look to him, and be radiant,
    so your[a] faces shall never be ashamed.(D)
This poor soul cried and was heard by the Lord
    and was saved from every trouble.
The angel of the Lord encamps
    around those who fear him and delivers them.(E)
O taste and see that the Lord is good;
    happy are those who take refuge in him.(F)
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

  1. 34.5 Gk Syr Jerome: Heb their

Thanksgiving for Yahweh’s Deliverance

Of David, when he pretended to be crazy[a] in front of Abimelech[b]

so that he drove him out, and so he departed.[c]

34 I will bless Yahweh at all times;
his praise shall be in my mouth continually.
My soul makes its boast in Yahweh;
let the humble hear and be glad.
Magnify Yahweh with me,
and let us exalt his name together.
I sought Yahweh and he answered me,
and from all my terrors he delivered me.
They looked to him and were radiant,
and their faces shall not be ashamed.[d]
This poor man called and Yahweh heard,
and saved him from all his troubles.
The angel of Yahweh encamps
around those who fear him,
and he rescues them.
Taste and see that Yahweh is good;
blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.
Fear Yahweh, you his saints,[e]
for there is no lack for those who fear him.
10 The young lions are in want and suffer hunger,
but those who seek Yahweh will not lack for any good thing.
11 Come, you children, listen to me;
I will teach you the fear of Yahweh.
12 Who is the man who desires life,
who loves many days in order to see good?
13 Keep your tongue from evil
and your lips from speaking deceit.
14 Turn from evil and do good.
Seek peace and pursue it.
15 The eyes of Yahweh are toward the righteous,
and his ears toward their cry for help.
16 The face of Yahweh is against evildoers,
to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.
17 They[f] cry out and Yahweh hears
and delivers them from all of their troubles.
18 Yahweh is near to those who are heartbroken
and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
19 Many are the distresses of the righteous,
but Yahweh delivers him out of them all.
20 He protects all his bones;
not one of them is broken.
21 Evil will slay the wicked,
and those who hate the righteous will incur guilt.
22 Yahweh redeems the life of his servants,
and none who take refuge in him will incur guilt.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 34:1 Literally “he changed his discernment”
  2. Psalm 34:1 Literally “my father is king” whereas 1 Sam 21:10(9) has “Achish.” “Abimelech” is perhaps an honorific title, since its literal meaning suggests a legitimate right to rule
  3. Psalm 34:1 The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm; the English verse number is reduced by one
  4. Psalm 34:5 Or “and let not their faces be ashamed”
  5. Psalm 34:9 Or “holy ones”
  6. Psalm 34:17 That is, the righteous

David Flees to Gath

10 David rose and fled that day from Saul; he went to King Achish of Gath. 11 The servants of Achish said to him, “Is this not David the king of the land? Did they not sing to one another of him in dances,

‘Saul has killed his thousands
    and David his ten thousands’?”(A)

12 David took these words to heart and was very much afraid of King Achish of Gath.(B) 13 So he changed his behavior before them; he pretended to be mad when in their presence.[a] He scratched marks on the doors of the gate and let his spittle run down his beard. 14 Achish said to his servants, “Look, you see the man is mad; why then have you brought him to me? 15 Do I lack madmen, that you have brought this fellow to play the madman in my presence? Shall this fellow come into my house?”

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Footnotes

  1. 21.13 Heb in their hands

David Flees to Achish in Gath

10 So David got up and fled on that day from the presence of Saul, and he came to Achish the king of Gath. 11 The servants of Achish said to him, “Is not this David the king of the land? Is it not for this one that they sang in the dances, saying, ‘Saul killed his thousands, but David his ten thousands?’” 12 David took these words seriously[a] and felt severely threatened by[b] Achish the king of Gath. 13 So he changed his behavior before them[c] and pretended to be mad in their presence.[d] He made scratches on the doors of the gate and let his saliva run down into his beard. 14 Then Achish said to his servants, “Look, you see a madman! Why did you bring him to me? 15 Do I lack madmen that you have brought this one to act like a madman before me? Should this one enter my household?”

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 21:12 Literally “David put these words in his heart”
  2. 1 Samuel 21:12 Literally “he was very afraid from the face of”
  3. 1 Samuel 21:13 Literally “in their eyes”
  4. 1 Samuel 21:13 Literally “in their hands”