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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 L ord at all times;

his praise shall continually be in my mouth.

My soul makes its boast in the L ord;

let the humble hear and be glad.

O magnify the L ord with me,

and let us exalt his name together.

I sought the L ord, and he answered me,

and delivered me from all my fears.

Look to him, and be radiant;

so your faces shall never be ashamed.

This poor soul cried, and was heard by the L ord,

and was saved from every trouble.

The angel of the L ord encamps

around those who fear him, and delivers them.

O taste and see that the L ord is good;

happy are those who take refuge in him.

O fear the L ord, you his holy ones,

for those who fear him have no want.

The young lions suffer want and hunger,

but those who seek the L ord lack no good thing.

Come, O children, listen to me;

I will teach you the fear of the L ord.

Which of you desires life,

and covets many days to enjoy good?

Keep your tongue from evil,

and your lips from speaking deceit.

Depart from evil, and do good;

seek peace, and pursue it.

The eyes of the L ord are on the righteous,

and his ears are open to their cry.

The face of the L ord is against evildoers,

to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.

When the righteous cry for help, the L ord hears,

and rescues them from all their troubles.

The L ord is near to the brokenhearted,

and saves the crushed in spirit.

Many are the afflictions of the righteous,

but the L ord rescues them from them all.

He keeps all their bones;

not one of them will be broken.

Evil brings death to the wicked,

and those who hate the righteous will be condemned.

The L ord redeems the life of his servants;

none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.

New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

18. Jehovah is nigh to those who are broken of heart. David here exemplifies and extends still more the preceding doctrine, that God is the deliverer of his people, even when they are brought very low, and when they are, as it were, half-dead. It is a very severe trial, when the grace of God is delayed, and all experience of it so far withdrawn, as that our spirits begin to fail; nay more, to say that God is nigh to the faithful, even when their hearts faint and fall them, and they are ready to die, is altogether incredible to human sense and reason. But by this means his power shines forth more clearly, when he raises us up again from the grave. Moreover, it is meet that the faithful should be thus utterly cast down and afflicted, that they may breathe again in God alone. From this we also learn, that nothing is more opposed to true patience than the loftiness of heart of which the Stoics boast; for we are not accounted truly humbled until true affliction of heart has abased us before God, so that, having prostrated ourselves in the dust before him, he may raise us up. It is a doctrine full of the sweetest consolation, that God departs not from us, even when we are overwhelmed by a succession of miseries, and, as it were, almost deprived of life.