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By David; when he pretended to be insane before Abimelech, who drove him away, and he departed.

34 [a] I will bless Yahweh at all times.
    His praise will always be in my mouth.
My soul shall boast in Yahweh.
    The humble shall hear of it and be glad.
Oh magnify Yahweh with me.
    Let’s exalt his name together.
I sought Yahweh, and he answered me,
    and delivered me from all my fears.
They looked to him, and were radiant.
    Their faces shall never be covered with shame.
This poor man cried, and Yahweh heard him,
    and saved him out of all his troubles.
Yahweh’s angel encamps around those who fear him,
    and delivers them.
Oh taste and see that Yahweh is good.
    Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.
Oh fear Yahweh, you his saints,
    for there is no lack with those who fear him.
10 The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger,
    but those who seek Yahweh shall not lack any good thing.

11 Come, you children, listen to me.
    I will teach you the fear of Yahweh.
12 Who is someone who desires life,
    and loves many days, that he may see good?
13 Keep your tongue from evil,
    and your lips from speaking lies.
14 Depart from evil, and do good.
    Seek peace, and pursue it.
15 Yahweh’s eyes are toward the righteous.
    His ears listen to their cry.
16 Yahweh’s face is against those who do evil,
    to cut off their memory from the earth.
17 The righteous cry, and Yahweh hears,
    and delivers them out of all their troubles.
18 Yahweh is near to those who have a broken heart,
    and saves those who have a crushed spirit.
19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous,
    but Yahweh delivers him out of them all.
20 He protects all of his bones.
    Not one of them is broken.
21 Evil shall kill the wicked.
    Those who hate the righteous shall be condemned.
22 Yahweh redeems the soul of his servants.
    None of those who take refuge in him shall be condemned.

Footnotes

  1. 34:1 Psalm 34 is an acrostic poem, with each verse starting with a letter of the alphabet (ordered from Alef to Tav).

Taste and See That the Lord Is Good

[a] Of David, when he (A)changed his behavior before (B)Abimelech, so that he drove him out, and he went away.

34 I will bless the Lord (C)at all times;
    his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
My soul (D)makes its boast in the Lord;
    let the humble hear and (E)be glad.
Oh, (F)magnify the Lord with me,
    and let us exalt his name together!

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

Oh, (M)taste and see that (N)the Lord is good!
    (O)Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!
Oh, fear the Lord, you his saints,
    for those who fear him have no lack!
10 (P)The young lions suffer want and hunger;
    but those who (Q)seek the Lord lack no good thing.

11 (R)Come, O children, listen to me;
    (S)I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
12 (T)What man is there who desires life
    and loves many days, that he may (U)see good?
13 (V)Keep your tongue from evil
    and your lips from (W)speaking deceit.
14 (X)Turn away from evil and do good;
    seek peace and (Y)pursue it.

15 (Z)The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous
    (AA)and his ears toward their cry.
16 (AB)The face of the Lord is against those who do evil,
    to (AC)cut off the memory of them from the earth.
17 (AD)When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears
    and delivers them out of all their troubles.
18 The Lord is near to (AE)the brokenhearted
    and saves (AF)the crushed in spirit.

19 (AG)Many are the afflictions of the righteous,
    (AH)but the Lord delivers him out of them all.
20 He keeps all his bones;
    (AI)not one of them is broken.
21 (AJ)Affliction will slay the wicked,
    and those who hate the righteous will be condemned.
22 The Lord (AK)redeems the life of his servants;
    none of those who take refuge in him will be (AL)condemned.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 34:1 This psalm is an acrostic poem, each verse beginning with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet

10 David arose, and fled that day for fear of Saul, and went to Achish the king of Gath. 11 The servants of Achish said to him, “Isn’t this David the king of the land? Didn’t they sing to one another about him in dances, saying,

‘Saul has slain his thousands,
    and David his ten thousands?’”

12 David laid up these words in his heart, and was very afraid of Achish the king of Gath. 13 He changed his behavior before them, and pretended to be insane in their hands, and scribbled on the doors of the gate, and let his spittle fall down on his beard. 14 Then Achish said to his servants, “Look, you see the man is insane. 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? Should this fellow come into my house?”

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David Flees to Gath

10 And David rose and fled that day from Saul and went to (A)Achish the king of Gath. 11 And the servants of Achish said to him, “Is not this David the king of the land? (B)Did they not sing to one another of him in dances,

‘Saul has struck down his thousands,
    and David his ten thousands’?”

12 And David (C)took these words to heart and was much afraid of Achish the king of Gath. 13 So he changed his behavior before them and pretended to be insane in their hands and made marks on the doors of the gate and let his spittle run down his beard. 14 Then Achish said to his servants, “Behold, 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 behave as a madman in my presence? Shall this fellow come into my house?”

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