Psalms 34

Like Psalm 25, this is an acrostic psalm with the Hebrew letter waw omitted and an extra pe added at the beginning of verse 22. The title connects the psalm with David’s dangerous experience with the Philistines in Gath, as recorded in 1 Samuel 21:10—22:1, after which he fled to the cave of Adullum. The emphasis on fearing the Lord (vv. 7, 9, 11) and trusting His goodness (vv. 8, 10, 12) would fit into this historical context. The Philistine king is called Achish in 1 Samuel, but the dynastic title of Philistine kings was Abimelech, as in the title of the psalm. Egyptian rulers were called Pharaoh and the Amalekite kings called Agag. Verse 8 is quoted in 1 Peter 2: and verses 12–16 in I Peter 3:10–12. Out of his experience in Gath, David shared in this psalm four instructions for his own followers (1 Sam. 22:1–2), as well as for us today, to help us keep out of tight situations and live a life that pleases God.

David was delighted to be out of enemy territory (where he probably shouldn’t have gone to begin with) and back in the wilderness with his men. Note the verbs: bless, boast, magnify, exalt. The name “Lord” is used sixteen times in the psalm. If initially, David was speaking to his own men, then he was calling them to interrupt warfare and focus on worship. “In prayer, we act like men [people],” wrote Puritan preacher Thomas Watson, “in praise we act like angels.” David gave thanks to the Lord by magnifying Him and exalting His name. See what He did for David: He answered prayer (vv. 4, 15), provided his needs (vv. 9–10), delivered him from trouble (v. 17), and protected him from danger (v. 7). David didn’t boast about his own cleverness or skill; he boasted about the Lord, who He is and what He does. David saw God’s people as nothing in themselves, for they were only the humble and the poor (vv. 2, 6); but they had everything because they belonged to the Lord. They feared the Lord (vv. 7, 9), were set-apart (“saints”) as His righteous ones (vv. 10, 15, 19, 21), and were the servants of the Lord God (v. 22). Knowing who we are in Christ and who the Lord is ought to make us want to bless the Lord.

David gave a threefold witness of what the Lord does for His own: He saves (vv. 4–8), He keeps (v. 7), and He satisfies (v. 8). He sought the Lord and was saved from the fears (“terrors”; see 31:13) within him, and he cried to the Lord and was delivered from the troubles around him. To seek the Lord is the same as to look to the Lord; and when we look to Him by faith, He looks to us and “shines upon us” (4:6; Num. 6:22–27). If we walk in unbelief, our faces will be ashamed; if we walk by faith, our faces will be aglow (Ex. 34:29; Matt. 17:2; Acts 6:15; 2 Cor. 3:18). The word radiant in verse 5 describes the joyful countenance of a mother who is welcoming her children home (Isa. 60:4–5). After the Lord saves us, He keeps us and sends His angels to protect us (v. 7; 35:5–6; Gen. 48:16; Ex. 14:19). The Angel of the Lord is Jesus Christ, the second Person of the Trinity (Josh. 5:13–15), the Lord of the hosts of the angels, who made preincarnation visits to His people during Old Testament times. When David envisioned a camp of angels around him, he may have been recalling Jacob’s experience at Mahanaim (“the two camps”; Gen. 32:1–2). The angels are servants of the saints today and minister to us in ways we will never know about until we get to heaven (Heb. 1:14).

Those who seek the Lord discover that He not only saves and keeps but that He also satisfies (v. 8). “Taste” doesn’t suggest a sip or a nibble; it implies feeding on the Lord through His Word and experiencing all He has for us (1 Peter 2:3; see Heb. 2:9; 6:3). It means knowing Him better and enjoying Him more. It was a great blessing for David to be delivered from Gath, and it was a greater blessing for him to be protected by the Lord after he fled, but the greatest blessing was drawing nearer to God and enjoying His presence, not just His gifts. David found God’s Word sweet (119:103), and he rejoiced in the goodness of the Lord. “Good” is an important word in this psalm (vv. 8, 10, 12, 14).

Those who fear the Lord (vv. 7, 9, 11) need fear nothing else, for this is the fear that drives out all fear (112:1). When we fear the Lord, He provides all that we need when we need it. Verse 9 is the Old Testament equivalent of Matthew 6:33. “No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly” (84: nasb). God promises to give us what is good for us and to cause all things to work together for good (Rom. 8:28). If we don’t receive what we think we need, it means it isn’t good for us and we don’t need it at this time. At this point, David may have gathered the children and youths around him to teach them the secret of real living. Peter quoted verses 12–14 in 1 Peter 3:10–12, and his instructions are wise and workable.

Desire what is good (v. 12). To be one who “desireth life” means to desire a full life, the abundant life Christ came to give (John 10:10). This kind of life has little to do with possessions, status, or fame, but it has a lot to do with character, faith, and a desire to honor the Lord. They seek the Lord and want nothing less than His will for their lives. Solomon had wealth, knowledge, fame, and power, yet he wrote, “Therefore, I hated life …” (Eccl. 2:17–20). To cultivate a heart that desires what is good, a heart that delights in the Lord (37:4), is the first step toward the life that overflows with the blessing of the Lord.

Speak what is true (v. 13). If we can control the tongue, we can control the body (James 3:1–12); “whoever guards his mouth and tongue keeps his soul from troubles” (Prov. 21: nkjv). To speak the truth in love (Eph. 4:15) and to speak nothing evil is not easy in today’s competitive and corrupt society, but it can be done. Note David’s prayer in 141:3–4.

Pursue what is right (v. 14). This means abandoning sin once and for all, doing good as God gives strength and opportunity, and being a peacemaker and not a troublemaker. Christians don’t seek “peace at any price,” for peace depends on purity (James 3:13–18; Isa. 32:17), but they do make every effort not to make enemies (Matt. 5:9; Rom. 14:19; Heb. 12:14–21). Sometimes our best efforts seem to be in vain, but at least we obeyed the Lord (Matt. 5:21–26; 18:15–35). “Pursue” means that we have to work at it, with the help of the Lord.

Expect what is best (vv. 15–16). We must live by faith, trusting the Lord to guide us, care for us, and help us do the right thing. We need not fear because His eyes are upon us (32:8) and His ears are attentive to our prayers. God’s face is against those who would do evil to us. This promise is illustrated in Acts 12, when Peter was in prison awaiting execution, the church was praying, and King Herod seemed to be having his way. God saw Peter’s plight, He heard the prayers of the saints, and He delivered Peter but destroyed Herod.

Nowhere in this psalm does David suggest that the life of faith and obedience will exempt the child of God from trouble (see vv. 4, 6, 17, 19). He does promise that, if we trust Him and call on Him, the Lord can see us through our troubles and make them a blessing to us and through us to others. (See 28:7; Isa. 41:10; Heb. 13:6.) He is also able to help us with our feelings (v. 18). The assurance is that God is near us when our hearts are broken and our spirits are crushed, whether we feel like it or not. This is not a promise with conditions attached to it; it is a fact. (See 69:20; 119:151; 147:3; Isa. 50:8; 61:1; Luke 4:18.)

The Lord will take care of our physical safety (vv. 19–20) until our work is finished. The word means “to exercise great care over,” as when Adam cared for the garden (Gen. 2:15) or Jacob cared for his sheep (Gen. 30:31). The apostle John quoted verse 20 in John 19: and applied it to Jesus, the Lamb of God (Ex. 12:46; Num. 9:12). The Lord is able to keep our enemies in check, and their own evil deeds will destroy them, for sin is its own executioner (v. 21; see 7:14–16; 9:16; 10:2; Prov. 5:22; Rom. 12:17–21). “Desolate” in verses 21–21 (kjv) means “condemned.” The wicked are condemned, but the righteous face no condemnation because they trust the Lord (Rom. 8:1, 33–34). God redeemed David, just as He had redeemed Israel from Egypt, and He is able to redeem us from our troubles.