Psalm 34

The Lord Delivers the Righteous

Concerning David, when he pretended to be insane in the presence of Abimelech,(A) who drove him out, and he departed.

I will bless the Lord at all times;
his praise will always be on my lips.(B)
I will boast in the Lord;(C)
the humble will hear and be glad.(D)
Proclaim the Lord’s greatness with me;(E)
let us exalt his name together.(F)

I sought the Lord, and he answered me
and rescued me from all my fears.(G)
Those who look to him are[a] radiant with joy;(H)
their faces will never be ashamed.(I)
This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him
and saved him from all his troubles.(J)
The angel of the Lord encamps
around those who fear him, and rescues them.(K)

Taste and see that the Lord is good.(L)
How happy is the person who takes refuge in him!(M)
You who are his holy ones, fear the Lord,
for those who fear him lack nothing.(N)
10 Young lions[b] lack food and go hungry,(O)
but those who seek the Lord
will not lack any good thing.(P)

11 Come, children, listen to me;
I will teach you the fear of the Lord.(Q)
12 Who is someone who desires life,
loving a long life to enjoy what is good?(R)
13 Keep your tongue from evil
and your lips from deceitful speech.(S)
14 Turn away from evil and do what is good;(T)
seek peace and pursue it.(U)

15 The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,
and his ears are open to their cry for help.(V)
16 The face of the Lord is set
against those who do what is evil,(W)
to remove[c] all memory of them from the earth.(X)
17 The righteous[d] cry out, and the Lord hears,
and rescues them from all their troubles.(Y)
18 The Lord is near the brokenhearted;
he saves those crushed in spirit.(Z)

19 One who is righteous has many adversities,
but the Lord rescues him from them all.(AA)
20 He protects all his bones;
not one of them is broken.(AB)
21 Evil brings death to the wicked,
and those who hate the righteous will be punished.(AC)
22 The Lord redeems the life of his servants,
and all who take refuge in him will not be punished.(AD)

Footnotes

  1. 34:5 Some Hb mss, LXX, Aq, Syr, Jer read Look to him and be
  2. 34:10 LXX, Syr, Vg read The rich
  3. 34:16 Or cut off
  4. 34:17 Lit They

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.
My soul will (C)make its boast in the Lord;
The (D)humble will hear it and rejoice.
(E)Exalt the Lord with me,
And let’s (F)exalt His name together.

I (G)sought the Lord and He answered me,
And (H)rescued me from all my fears.
They (I)looked to Him and were radiant,
And their faces will (J)never be ashamed.
This wretched man cried out, and (K)the Lord heard him,
And saved him out of all his troubles.
The (L)angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him,
And rescues them.

(M)Taste and see that the Lord is good;
How (N)blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!
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

  1. Psalm 34 Title Possibly a title of King Achish of Gath, see 1 Sam 21:10-15
  2. Psalm 34:18 Or contrite

David Flees to Gath

10 David fled that day from Saul’s presence and went to King Achish of Gath.(A) 11 But Achish’s servants said to him, “Isn’t this David, the king of the land? Don’t they sing about him during their dances:

Saul has killed his thousands,
but David his tens of thousands?” (B)

12 David took this to heart and became very afraid of King Achish of Gath, 13 so he pretended to be insane in their presence.(C) He acted like a madman around them,[a] scribbling[b] on the doors of the city gate and letting saliva run down his beard.

14 “Look! You can see the man is crazy,” Achish said to his servants. “Why did you bring him to me? 15 Do I have such a shortage of crazy people that you brought this one to act crazy around me? Is this one going to come into my house?” (D)

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Footnotes

  1. 21:13 Lit madman in their hand
  2. 21:13 LXX reads drumming

10 Then David set out and fled that day from Saul, and went to (A)Achish king of Gath. 11 But the (B)servants of Achish said to him, “Is this not David, the king of the land? (C)Did they not sing of this one as they danced, saying,

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

12 David (D)took these words [a]to heart and greatly feared Achish king of Gath. 13 So he (E)disguised his sanity while in their sight and acted insanely in their [b]custody, and he scribbled on the doors of the gate, and drooled on his beard. 14 Then Achish said to his servants, “Look, you see the man is behaving like an insane person. Why do you bring him to me? 15 Do I lack insane people, that you have brought this one to behave like an insane person in my presence? Shall this one come into my house?”

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 21:12 Lit in his
  2. 1 Samuel 21:13 Lit hand