Exposition of Psalm 34 Praise and Trust
Psalm 34 is an acrostic psalm, meaning each verse begins with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet, though some variations exist in the Masoretic text [5]. The psalm opens with a declaration of continuous praise: "I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth" (Psalm 34:1, ESV). This sets the tone for a psalm that intertwines themes of praise and trust in God, particularly in times of distress.
The psalmist invites others to join in this praise, stating, "My soul shall boast in Yahweh. The humble shall hear of it, and be glad" (Psalm 34:2). Rashi, a medieval French rabbi, interprets this verse to mean that the humble will rejoice upon hearing the wonders God has performed for the psalmist, understanding God's actions through the psalmist's praise [9]. The call to communal praise is explicit: "Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together!" (Psalm 34:3, ESV). The Geneva Bible of 1599 renders this as, "Praise ye the Lord with me, and let vs magnifie his Name together" [6]. This collective glorification of God's name is a recurring theme in the Psalms, emphasizing that praise is due to God for His majesty, glory, excellency, greatness, holiness, wisdom, power, goodness, mercy, and loving-kindness [7]. Augustine of Hippo, a prominent Church Father, also emphasizes the communal aspect of praise, noting that it is "comely to the upright" and involves presenting one's body as a living sacrifice [11]. He also connects praise with confession, stating that acknowledging transgressions is a part of praising God's glory [10].
The psalm then shifts to the psalmist's personal experience of seeking and finding deliverance from the Lord. "I sought the Lord, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears" (Psalm 34:4, ESV). This personal testimony serves as an encouragement for others to look to God. The psalmist declares, "This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles" (Psalm 34:6, ESV). This verse is cross-referenced with Psalm 34:15 and 34:19, suggesting a thematic connection between God hearing the cry of the righteous and delivering them [2, 3]. John Calvin highlights that God not only promises assistance but actively demonstrates His presence as a "present aid" to His people, confirming His providence through experience [8].
A central promise in Psalm 34 is found in verse 7: "The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them" (ESV). This imagery conveys divine protection for those who revere God. The psalm then exhorts, "Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!" (Psalm 34:8, ESV). This invitation encourages direct, experiential knowledge of God's goodness.
The psalm continues by contrasting the struggles of the wicked with the provision for the righteous: "The young lions suffer want and hunger; but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing" (Psalm 34:10, ESV). This highlights God's faithfulness in supplying the needs of those who trust Him. The psalmist then offers instruction on how to live a life that pleases God, emphasizing the importance of speech: "Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit" (Psalm 34:13, ESV). This moral instruction is followed by a call to "Turn away from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it" (Psalm 34:14, ESV).
The close relationship between God and the righteous is reiterated: "The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous and his ears toward their cry" (Psalm 34:15, ESV). This verse is strongly linked to Psalm 34:17, which states, "When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles" [1, 4]. Conversely, "The face of the Lord is against those who do evil, to cut off the memory of them from the earth" (Psalm 34:16, ESV).
The psalm concludes with a powerful affirmation of God's redemptive power: "The Lord redeems the life of his servants; none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned" (Psalm 34:22, ESV). This final verse encapsulates the psalm's message of trust in God's ultimate deliverance and protection for those who seek Him. The themes of praise and trust are thus interwoven throughout, demonstrating that a life of praise is a natural outflow of a heart that trusts in God's unfailing goodness and deliverance.
Sources
- OpenBible.info “Cross-reference: Ps.34.17 → Ps.34.15 (confidence: 32 votes)”
- OpenBible.info “Cross-reference: Ps.34.19 → Ps.34.6 (confidence: 41 votes)”
- OpenBible.info “Cross-reference: Ps.34.15 → Ps.34.6 (confidence: 15 votes)”
- OpenBible.info “Cross-reference: Ps.34.15 → Ps.34.17 (confidence: 25 votes)”
- Psalms “My soul shall boast in Yahweh. The humble shall hear of it, and be glad. -- Psalms 34:2”
- Psalms “Psalms 34:3 (Geneva1599) — Praise ye the Lord with me, and let vs magnifie his Name together.”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Praise — God is worthy of -- 2Sa 22:4. Christ is worthy of -- Re 5:12. God is glorified by -- Ps 22:23; 50:23. Offered to Christ -- Joh 12:13. Acceptable through Christ -- Heb 13:15. Is due to God on account of His majesty. -- Ps 96:1,6; Isa 24:14. His glory. -- Ps 138:5; Eze 3:12. His excellency. -- Ex 15:7; Ps 148:13. His greatness. -- 1Ch 16:25; Ps 145:3. His holiness. -- Ex 15:11; Isa 6:3. His wisdom. -- Da 2:20; Jude 1:25. His power. -- Ps 21:13. His goodness. -- Ps 107:8; 118:1; 136:1; Jer 33:11. His mercy. -- 2Ch 20:21; Ps 89:1; 118:1-4; 136:1-26. His loving-k”
- CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 75: the same time have greater pleasure in welcoming the blessings which we perceive to have been obtained by our prayers. Lastly, use and experience confirm the thought of his providence in our minds in a manner adapted to our weakness, when we understand that he not only promises that he will never fail us, and spontaneously gives us access to approach him in every time of need, 2148 but has his hand always stretched out to assist his people, not amusing them with words, but proving himself to be a present aid. For these reasons, tho”
- Sefaria (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Rashi (Rabbi Shlomo Yitzchaki) on Psalms 34:3: may the humble hear the wonders that He did for me. Through my praise, they will understand it and rejoice.”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 8: Augustine — Exposition on Psalms — PSALM XCV.(5) (part 3): praise of Him who forgiveth, as is the fulness of the penitent's confession more abundant. Let us not therefore imagine that we have receded from the song of praise, in understanding here that confession by which we acknowledge our transgressions: this is even a part of the song of praise; for when we confess our sins, we praise the glory of God. 5. "And make a joyful(2) noise unto Him with Psalms." We have already said what it is "to make a joyful noise:" the word is repeated, that it may be confirmed by the act: the very”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 8: Augustine — Exposition on Psalms — PSALM XXXIII.[3] (part 1): 1. "Rejoice in the Lord, O ye rigtheous:" rejoice, O ye righteous, not in yourselves, for that is not safe; but in the Lord. "For praise is comely to the upright" (ver. 1): these praise the Lord, who submit themselves unto the Lord; for else they are distorted and perverse. 2. "Praise the Lord with harp:" praise the Lord, presenting unto Him your bodies a living sacrifice.[4] "Sing unto Him with the psaltery for ten strings" (ver. 2): let your members be servants to the love of God, and of your neighbour, in which are k”