Focused Passage

Psalms 34:1-7

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

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

Of David, when he pretended to be insane before Abimelech, so that the king drove him away.

1 I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise will always be on my lips.

2 My soul boasts in the LORD; let the oppressed hear and rejoice.

3 Magnify the LORD with me; let us exalt His name together.

4 I sought the LORD, and He answered me; He delivered me from all my fears.

5 Those who look to Him are radiant with joy; their faces shall never be ashamed.

6 This poor man called out, and the LORD heard him; He saved him from all his troubles.

7 The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear Him, and he delivers them.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 1

Cross-references

1 Samuel 21:8 BSB references 1 Thessalonians 5:18 Classic cross-references Colossians 3:17 Classic cross-references Psalms 145:1 Classic cross-references Ephesians 5:20 Classic cross-references Psalms 71:8 Classic cross-references

Original words

- אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker to be insane טַ֭עְמוֹ H2940 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular before לִפְנֵ֣י H6440 Preposition-l | Noun - common plural construct Abimelech אֲבִימֶ֑לֶךְ H40 Noun - proper - masculine singular so that [the king] drove him וַֽ֝יְגָרֲשֵׁ֗הוּ H1644 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine singular away וַיֵּלַֽךְ׃ H1980 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular I will bless אֲבָרֲכָ֣ה H1288 Verb - Piel - Imperfect Cohortative - first person common singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker the LORD יְהוָ֣ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular at all בְּכָל־ H3605 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct times עֵ֑ת H6256 Noun - common singular His praise תְּֽהִלָּת֥וֹ H8416 Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular will always תָּ֝מִ֗יד H8548 Adverb be on my lips בְּפִֽי׃ H6310 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular

BSB notes

Abimelech is another name for Achish; see 1 Samuel 21–29 and 1 Kings 2:39.
This psalm is an acrostic poem, each verse beginning with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.

Verse 2

Cross-references

Luke 1:46 Classic cross-references Jeremiah 9:24 Classic cross-references 1 Corinthians 1:31 Classic cross-references 2 Corinthians 1:4 Classic cross-references Psalms 119:74 Classic cross-references

Original words

My soul נַפְשִׁ֑י H5315 Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular boasts תִּתְהַלֵּ֣ל H1984 Verb - Hitpael - Imperfect - third person feminine singular in the LORD בַּ֭יהוָה H3068 Preposition-b | Noun - proper - masculine singular let the oppressed עֲנָוִ֣ים H6035 Adjective - masculine plural hear יִשְׁמְע֖וּ H8085 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural and rejoice וְיִשְׂמָֽחוּ׃ H8055 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine plural

Verse 3

Cross-references

Psalms 69:30 Classic cross-references Psalms 50:15 Classic cross-references Luke 1:46 Classic cross-references Psalms 148:1 Classic cross-references Revelation 19:5 Classic cross-references

Original words

Magnify גַּדְּל֣וּ H1431 Verb - Piel - Imperative - masculine plural the LORD לַיהוָ֣ה H3068 Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular with me אִתִּ֑י H854 Preposition | first person common singular let us exalt וּנְרוֹמְמָ֖ה H7311 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative - first person common plural His name שְׁמ֣וֹ H8034 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular together יַחְדָּֽו׃ H3162 Adverb

Verse 4

Cross-references

Psalms 18:6 Classic cross-references Matthew 7:7 Classic cross-references Psalms 116:1 Classic cross-references Psalms 56:3 Classic cross-references Luke 11:9 Classic cross-references

Original words

I sought דָּרַ֣שְׁתִּי H1875 Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker the LORD יְהוָ֣ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular and He answered me וְעָנָ֑נִי H6030 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular | first person common singular He delivered me הִצִּילָֽנִי׃ H5337 Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singular | first person common singular from all וּמִכָּל־ H3605 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct my fears מְ֝גוּרוֹתַ֗י H4034 Noun - feminine plural construct | first person common singular

Verse 5

Cross-references

Philippians 4:6 Classic cross-references Hebrews 12:2 Classic cross-references Psalms 123:1 Classic cross-references Psalms 18:28 Classic cross-references Psalms 25:3 Classic cross-references

Original words

Those who look הִבִּ֣יטוּ H5027 Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person common plural to Him אֵלָ֣יו H413 Preposition | third person masculine singular are radiant with joy וְנָהָ֑רוּ H5102 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural their faces וּ֝פְנֵיהֶ֗ם H6440 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural shall never אַל־ H408 Adverb be ashamed יֶחְפָּֽרוּ׃ H2659 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural

Verse 6

Cross-references

Psalms 34:19 Classic cross-references Psalms 34:17 Classic cross-references Psalms 12:5 Classic cross-references Psalms 3:4 Classic cross-references Psalms 10:17 Classic cross-references

Original words

This זֶ֤ה H2088 Pronoun - masculine singular poor עָנִ֣י H6041 Adjective - masculine singular man called out קָ֭רָא H7121 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular and the LORD וַיהוָ֣ה H3068 Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - masculine singular heard him שָׁמֵ֑עַ H8085 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular He saved him הוֹשִׁיעֽוֹ׃ H3467 Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine singular from all וּמִכָּל־ H3605 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct his troubles צָ֝רוֹתָ֗יו H6869 Noun - feminine plural construct | third person masculine singular

Verse 7

Cross-references

Psalms 91:11 Classic cross-references Daniel 6:22 Classic cross-references Hebrews 1:14 Classic cross-references Job 1:10 Classic cross-references 2 Kings 19:35 Classic cross-references

Original words

The angel מַלְאַךְ־ H4397 Noun - masculine singular construct of the LORD יְהוָ֓ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular encamps חֹנֶ֤ה H2583 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular around סָ֘בִ֤יב H5439 Adverb those who fear Him לִֽירֵאָ֗יו H3373 Preposition-l | Adjective - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular and he delivers them וַֽיְחַלְּצֵֽם׃ H2502 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine plural

Read full chapter context All Psalms chapters

<- Psalms 33 Psalms 34 Psalms 35 ->