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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

By David, when he pretended to be insane before Abimelech, who drove him away. So David[a] left.

Learning about God’s Deliverance

34 [b]I will bless the Lord at all times;
    his praise will be in my mouth continuously.
My soul will glorify the Lord;
    the humble will hear about it and rejoice.
Magnify the Lord with me!
Let us lift up his name together!

I sought the Lord and he answered me;
    he delivered me from all of my fears.
Look to him and be radiant;
    and you[c] will not be ashamed.

This poor man cried out, and the Lord heard
    and delivered him from all of his distress.
The angel of the Lord surrounds those who fear him,
    and he delivers them.

Taste and see that the Lord is good!
    How blessed is the person who trusts in him!
Fear the Lord, you holy ones of his;
    for those who fear him lack nothing.
10 Young lions lack and go hungry,
    but those who seek the Lord will never lack any good thing.

11 Come, children, listen to me,
    and I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
12 Who among you[d] desires life,
    and wants long life in order to see good?
13 Then keep your tongue from doing evil
    and your lips from spreading lies.
14 Avoid evil and do good!
    Seek peace and pursue it!

15 The[e] Lord looks on the righteous,
    and he listens to their cries.
16 The face of the Lord is set against those who do evil,
    and he will remove people’s recollection of them from the earth.

17 The Lord hears those who cry out,
    and he delivers them from all their distress.
18 The Lord is close to the brokenhearted,
    and he delivers those whose spirit has been crushed.
19 A righteous person will have many troubles,
    but the Lord will deliver him from them all.
20 God[f] protects all his bones;
    not one of them will be broken.

21 Evil will kill the wicked;
    those who hate the righteous will be held guilty.
22 The Lord redeems the lives of his servants;
    and none of those who trust in him will be held guilty.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 34:1 Lit. he
  2. Psalm 34:1 This Psalm is an acrostic poem.
  3. Psalm 34:5 Lit. their faces
  4. Psalm 34:12 Lit. Who is the person who
  5. Psalm 34:15 Lit. The eyes of the
  6. Psalm 34:20 Lit. He

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 Gath

10 David got up that day and fled from Saul, and he went to King Achish of Gath. 11 The officials[a] of Achish told him, “Isn’t this David, king of the land? Isn’t this the one about whom they sang as they danced,

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

12 David took these words seriously,[b] and he was very frightened of King Achish of Gath. 13 So David changed his behavior before them and acted like he was crazy in their presence. He scribbled on the doors of the gate, and let his saliva run down his beard. 14 Achish told his officials,[c] “Look, you see a person acting like a madman. Why’d you bring him to me? 15 Am I lacking madmen that you bring me this one to act like a madman around me? Shall this one come into my house?”

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 21:11 Or servants
  2. 1 Samuel 21:12 Lit. paid attention to these words
  3. 1 Samuel 21:14 Or servants