Psalms 34

Taste and See the LORD's Goodness in Fear and Refuge

personal praise after deliverance -> communal summons to magnify the LORD -> invitation to taste divine goodness -> wisdom instruction in holy fear -> ethical speech and peace-seeking -> divine attention to the righteous and opposition to evil -> nearness to the brokenhearted -> redemption and no condemnation for the LORD's servants

World English Bible, Public Domain

Psalms 34:1–7

I will praise the Lord at all times for He heard my cry and delivered me; His angel encamps around those who fear Him to keep them safe.

1 I will bless Yahweh at all times. His praise will always be in my mouth.

2 My soul shall boast in Yahweh. The humble shall hear of it and be glad.

3 Oh magnify Yahweh with me. Let’s exalt his name together.

4 I sought Yahweh, and he answered me, and delivered me from all my fears.

5 They looked to him, and were radiant. Their faces shall never be covered with shame.

6 This poor man cried, and Yahweh heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles.

7 Yahweh’s angel encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them.

Psalms 34:8–14

Experience the Lord's goodness for yourself and find that those who seek Him lack nothing; the path to a good life requires guarding your speech, turning from evil, and chasing after peace.

8 Oh taste and see that Yahweh is good. Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.

9 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.

Psalms 34:15–22

The Lord watches the righteous and stays close to the brokenhearted, delivering them from all their troubles and ensuring they will never be condemned.

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.

Key Terms

אֲבָרֲכָה avarakhah H1288
בְּכָל־עֵת bekhol-et H3605/H6256
תְּהִלָּה tehillah H8416
נַפְשִׁי nafshi H5315
תִּתְהַלֵּל tithallel H1984
עֲנָוִים anavim H6035
גַּדְּלוּ gaddelu H1431
שְׁמוֹ shemo H8034
עָנָנִי anani H6030
הִצִּילַנִי hitsilani H5337

World English Bible (WEB): Public Domain Scripture text · License details