Psa 34 | MHM | STEP | David Praises God for Deliverance This psalm was written by David after he escaped from King Achish (called Abimelech in the title) by pretending to be insane. David had to flee his own country because Saul wanted to kill him. When the Philistine king’s servants recognized David, he acted like a madman so they would not harm him. God’s mercy allowed David to escape, even though he used trickery. This psalm shows David’s calm trust in God, even in a frightening situation. David teaches us to keep faith and praise God in every circumstance. v. 1 : David promises to praise God at all times. He says, I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth . He is determined to thank God in every situation, not just in good times.

‏ Psalms 34

David Praises God for Deliverance

This psalm was written by David after he escaped from King Achish (called Abimelech in the title) by pretending to be insane. David had to flee his own country because Saul wanted to kill him. When the Philistine king’s servants recognized David, he acted like a madman so they would not harm him. God’s mercy allowed David to escape, even though he used trickery. This psalm shows David’s calm trust in God, even in a frightening situation. David teaches us to keep faith and praise God in every circumstance.

v. 1: David promises to praise God at all times. He says, I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth . He is determined to thank God in every situation, not just in good times.

v. 2: David says, My soul shall make her boast in the Lord . He is proud of his relationship with God, not himself. He wants humble people to hear about God’s goodness and be glad.

v. 3: David invites everyone to join him in praising God. He says, O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together . Praising God is even better when we do it together.

v. 4: David shares how God answered his prayer. He says, I sought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears . God not only saved him from danger but also took away his fear.

v. 5: David says that others who look to God are helped, too. They looked unto him, and were lightened: and their faces were not ashamed . Trusting God gives hope and joy, and no one who trusts Him will be disappointed.

v. 6: David calls himself “this poor man” and says, This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles . Even people who seem unimportant are heard by God when they pray.

v. 7: David says, The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them . God sends His angels to protect those who honor Him, even if we do not see it.

v. 8: David invites everyone to experience God’s goodness. He says, O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him . We should trust God and see for ourselves how kind He is (1 Peter 2:3 ^a).

v. 9–10: David encourages God’s people to respect and seek Him. He says, O fear the Lord, ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him (Psalm 34:9 ^b). Even strong animals like young lions may go hungry, but those who trust in God will not lack anything truly good (Psalm 84:11 ^c).

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Children, Listen to Me

This section is an invitation for young people, and for all who are willing to learn, to listen to the wisdom that leads to a good and happy life. David, the writer of this psalm, wants to teach us how to live in a way that pleases God and brings us true blessing, especially when we are in trouble or afraid.

v. 11: Come, you children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord . David calls to the young and those ready to learn: "Come, listen to me." He wants to teach them what it means to fear the Lord, which is to respect, trust, and obey God. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 9:10 ^d). David will show them, by his own experience and by God's word, what kind of life is truly good.

v. 12: Who is the man who desires life and loves many days, that he may see good? . David asks, "Who wants to live a long and happy life?" He knows that everyone wants this—to have good days and enjoy life. He is about to give practical advice on how to make that possible.

v. 13: Keep your tongue from evil, and your lips from speaking deceit . David teaches that the first step to a good life is to watch what we say. We must not speak evil or tell lies. Our words should be honest and kind, because our speech can do great harm or great good (James 3:5-10 ^e).

v. 14: Depart from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it (Psalm 34:14 ^f). Next, David says we must turn away from all evil actions and instead do what is good. It is not enough to avoid bad things—we should also do positive deeds. We should look for peace with others and do our best to keep it, making an effort to live in harmony, because God blesses peacemakers (Matthew 5:9 ^g).