Psalm 34

Psalm 34, Praise from the Cave

Psalm 34 is titled, A Psalm of David, when he changed his behaviour before Abimelech, who drove him away, and he departed. The historical background is found in 1 Samuel 21:10 to 1 Samuel 22:1. David was fleeing from Saul and went to the Philistine city of Gath, where Achish was king. Abimelech was likely a royal title among the Philistines, while Achish was the ruler’s personal name. David found no safety there. In fear, he pretended to be mad, scratching on the doors of the gate and letting spittle fall on his beard. Achish drove him away, and David escaped to the cave of Adullam. There, men who were distressed, in debt, and discontented gathered to him. Psalm 34 appears to be David’s joyful instruction and testimony from that low place. It is praise from the cave, worship from humiliation, and wisdom from a man who had just learned again that the Lord delivers those who fear Him. The psalm is also nearly an acrostic, each verse generally following the order of the Hebrew alphabet, which likely helped God’s people memorize its instruction.

A. Calling God’s People to Praise

David says in verse 2, “My soul shall make her boast in the LORD.” David could have boasted in his cleverness. He escaped Gath by pretending madness, and humanly speaking, that strategy worked. Yet David knew better. His ultimate boast was not in his performance, wit, survival instinct, or ability to improvise. His boast was in the Lord. The Lord had preserved him when he had placed himself in a foolish and dangerous position.

This is the only safe boast. Men boast in strength, money, intelligence, reputation, skill, family, power, and connections. All of these can vanish. David boasts in the Lord because the Lord is faithful, merciful, strong, and worthy. Boasting in the Lord is not arrogance. It is humility, because it gives God credit instead of self.

Jeremiah 9:23, “Thus saith the LORD, , Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, , let not the rich man glory in his riches:”

Jeremiah 9:24, “But let him that glorieth glory in this, , that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, , in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD.”

David’s boast is exactly this kind of boasting. He glories in the Lord, not in himself.

David then says, “the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad.” The humble are those who know their need, who do not trust themselves, and who are not too proud to receive help from God. David’s testimony would make them glad because they would see that God delivers weak, needy, lowly people. This would have been especially fitting in the cave of Adullam, where distressed, indebted, and discontented men gathered to David.

1 Samuel 22:1, “David therefore departed thence, and escaped to the cave Adullam: and when his brethren and all his father's house heard it, , they went down thither to him.”

1 Samuel 22:2, “And every one that was in distress, and every one that was in debt, and every one that was discontented, , gathered themselves unto him; and he became a captain over them: and there were with him about four hundred men.”

Those men needed to hear that the Lord delivers. David’s praise was not merely private therapy. It became instruction and encouragement for other humbled men. The humble hear and are glad because God’s mercy toward one needy man gives hope to others.

Psalm 34:3 to Psalm 34:7, The Testimony of the Delivered One

Psalm 34:3, “O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together.”

Psalm 34:4, “I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.”

Psalm 34:5, “They looked unto him, and were lightened: and their faces were not ashamed.”

Psalm 34:6, “This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles.”

Psalm 34:7, “The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.”

David now invites others into worship, “O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together.” True praise is contagious. A man who has truly seen God’s mercy does not want to praise alone. He wants others to join him. David knows his own voice is not enough. He calls the humble, the distressed, the indebted, the discontented, and all who fear the Lord to magnify God with him.

To “magnify the LORD” does not mean making God greater than He already is. God is infinite and cannot be enlarged. It means making Him greater in our perception, attention, speech, and worship. A telescope does not make a star larger in reality, but it makes the greatness of the star clearer to the viewer. In the same way, worship magnifies the Lord by helping His people see, confess, and proclaim His greatness more rightly.

David says, “let us exalt his name together.” Worship is personal, but it is also corporate. David wants shared praise. God’s name represents His character, authority, covenant faithfulness, and revealed glory. Exalting His name together strengthens the people of God. One man’s deliverance becomes the congregation’s praise.

Verse 4 gives David’s testimony, “I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.” This is simple, but it is deep. David sought the Lord. He did not merely panic, scheme, or despair. Even if his conduct in Gath was questionable, David testified that he sought the Lord. He looked to God in need.

The Lord “heard” him. God’s hearing is not passive awareness. God hears with covenant mercy. He hears in order to answer according to His will. David’s cry did not disappear into silence. The Lord heard him.

David says the Lord “delivered me from all my fears.” Notice that David does not say only that God delivered him from danger, though He did. He says God delivered him from fears. Fear can become its own prison. David had many reasons to be afraid, Saul wanted to kill him, the Philistines recognized him, and he had no safe place to stand. Yet the Lord delivered him not only outwardly, but inwardly. God rescued him from the tyranny of fear.

This is important for believers. Sometimes God changes circumstances. Sometimes God strengthens the heart before circumstances change. Sometimes both happen. David’s testimony teaches that fear is not sovereign. The Lord can deliver His servant from it.

Verse 5 broadens the testimony, “They looked unto him, and were lightened: and their faces were not ashamed.” David moves from “I” to “they.” His experience is not unique in the sense that no one else can know it. All who look to the Lord in faith can share in this blessing. Those who look to Him are lightened, meaning made radiant, brightened, encouraged, and lifted. The gloom of shame and fear is replaced by the light of God’s favor.

The face often reveals the heart. A man burdened by fear, shame, guilt, or despair carries it outwardly. But those who look to the Lord receive light from Him. This anticipates a New Testament principle.

2 Corinthians 3:18, “But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, , are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.”

Looking to the Lord changes the person who looks. The believer is not transformed by staring endlessly at himself. He is transformed by beholding the Lord.

David adds, “and their faces were not ashamed.” Trust in the Lord does not end in ultimate disgrace. Men may mock, slander, or misunderstand for a season, but God does not abandon those who look to Him. Their faces will not be finally covered with shame.

Verse 6 returns to David’s personal experience, “This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles.” David calls himself “this poor man.” That is a remarkable statement from the anointed future king of Israel. But in that moment, David was poor in condition, poor in resources, poor in safety, and poor in self confidence. He had no throne, no palace, no army of strength, no secure place, and no control over events. He was a poor man in need of God.

The phrase “cried” shows urgency. A cry is not polished speech. It is the language of pain, danger, and desperation. David cried, and the Lord heard. This is a comfort to those who cannot form eloquent prayers. God hears the cry of the needy. A short, broken, desperate prayer can reach heaven when it is directed to the Lord in faith.

David says God “saved him out of all his troubles.” The word “all” must be understood according to God’s wise deliverance. David still had troubles after Gath. He was still hunted by Saul. He still lived in a cave. But God saved him out of all the troubles that would have destroyed him before God’s appointed purpose was complete. The Lord delivered him truly, even if He had not yet removed every hardship.

Verse 7 gives one of the great promises of the psalm, “The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.” David had been alone in human terms, but not alone spiritually. The Lord’s protection surrounded him. The word “encampeth” suggests a military camp placed around those who fear God. David, the fugitive in the cave, sees by faith that God’s protection is stronger than Saul’s hostility or Philistine danger.

The “angel of the LORD” in the Old Testament sometimes refers to a special manifestation of the Lord Himself and sometimes to a heavenly messenger sent by God. Either way, the meaning here is protection by divine command. God’s people may be surrounded by danger, but they are also surrounded by unseen protection.

This recalls Jacob’s experience.

Genesis 32:1, “And Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him.”

Genesis 32:2, “And when Jacob saw them, he said, , This is God's host: and he called the name of that place Mahanaim.”

Jacob saw that God’s host was present. David believes the same kind of protection belongs to those who fear the Lord. The believer does not always see the protection of God, but faith rests in it. God’s invisible care is no less real because it is unseen.

Psalm 34:8 to Psalm 34:10, An Invitation to Share the Joyful Testimony

Psalm 34:8, “O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.”

Psalm 34:9, “O fear the LORD, ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him.”

Psalm 34:10, “The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the LORD shall not want any good thing.”

David now moves from testimony to invitation, “O taste and see that the LORD is good.” He does not want his hearers merely to admire his experience from a distance. He calls them to experience God’s goodness for themselves. To taste and see requires personal encounter. A man may hear another describe honey, but he does not know its sweetness until he tastes. A man may hear another describe light, but he does not know its brightness until he sees. David is saying, “Do not merely hear my testimony, come know the Lord for yourself.”

The Lord’s goodness is not a theory to David. It has been proven in the pressure of life. He tasted it in danger. He saw it in deliverance. He now invites others to do the same. This is not shallow emotionalism. It is experiential faith grounded in the true character of God.

The New Testament draws from this language.

1 Peter 2:2, “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, , that ye may grow thereby:”

1 Peter 2:3, “If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.”

To taste that the Lord is gracious is to personally experience His saving mercy and continued goodness. Faith is not merely agreement with propositions, though it includes truth. Faith lays hold of the living God.

David says, “blessed is the man that trusteth in him.” Trust is the way a person tastes and sees God’s goodness. The blessing belongs to the man who takes refuge in the Lord, relies on Him, and places confidence in Him. David’s life at this moment did not look outwardly blessed by worldly standards. He was in a cave with desperate men. Yet he knew blessing because he trusted in the Lord.

Verse 9 says, “O fear the LORD, ye his saints.” David now calls the saints, the Lord’s set apart people, to fear Him. The fear of the Lord is not opposed to tasting His goodness. It is the proper response to His goodness. A man who truly knows God’s grace does not become casual with God. He becomes reverent. He sees that the Lord is merciful, holy, powerful, faithful, and worthy of obedience.

The verse continues, “for there is no want to them that fear him.” Those who fear the Lord lack nothing truly necessary according to God’s wise purpose. This does not mean they receive every earthly desire. David himself lacked many comforts while hiding in a cave. But he did not lack what God knew was good and necessary for him. The Lord supplies according to His wisdom, not according to man’s greed or impatience.

Verse 10 says, “The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger.” Young lions are strong, aggressive, skilled hunters. If any creature seems able to provide for itself, it is the young lion. Yet even they can lack and suffer hunger. Natural strength does not guarantee provision. Ability can fail. Instinct can fail. Power can fail.

David contrasts this with those who seek the Lord, “but they that seek the LORD shall not want any good thing.” Those who seek the Lord may lack some things they want, but they will not lack any good thing as God defines good. Sometimes what man calls good would destroy him. Sometimes what man calls lack is actually protection. Sometimes God denies a desire because He is giving something better, deeper, or more necessary.

This verse must be understood through the wisdom of God. It is not a promise of luxury or ease. It is a promise that God will not withhold what is truly good for those who seek Him.

Romans 8:28, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, , to them who are the called according to his purpose.”

Romans 8:32, “He that spared not his own Son, , but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?”

The God who gave His Son will not fail to give what is truly good. The cave may not look like goodness, but God was shaping David there. He was forming a king, a leader, a worshiper, and a teacher of distressed men.

B. Teaching the People of God

Psalm 34:11 to Psalm 34:14, Living in the Fear of the LORD

Psalm 34:11, “Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the LORD.”

Psalm 34:12, “What man is he that desireth life, and loveth many days, that he may see good?”

Psalm 34:13, “Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile.”

Psalm 34:14, “Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.”

David now takes the role of teacher, “Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the LORD.” This is fitting in the cave of Adullam. The men who gathered to David were distressed, indebted, and discontented. They needed more than a military leader. They needed instruction in the fear of the Lord. David’s recent deliverance had become a lesson he could pass on to others.

Calling them “children” does not necessarily mean they were young in age. It is the language of instruction, care, and authority. David speaks as a father, teacher, and leader. He calls them to listen carefully. The fear of the Lord must be taught, learned, and practiced. It is not merely a feeling of religious seriousness. It is a life posture of reverence, trust, obedience, and submission to God.

Verse 12 says, “What man is he that desireth life, and loveth many days, that he may see good?” David asks a practical question. Who wants life? Who wants many days? Who wants to see good? The answer is obvious. Men naturally desire life and good days. David now teaches that the path to such blessing is not found in wickedness, deceit, violence, or selfish ambition, but in the fear of the Lord.

This instruction is quoted in the New Testament.

1 Peter 3:10, “For he that will love life, and see good days, , let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile:”

1 Peter 3:11, “Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it.”

1 Peter 3:12, “For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: , but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.”

Peter applies David’s instruction to believers under the New Covenant, especially in the context of righteous conduct under pressure. The fear of the Lord still works itself out in speech, conduct, and peace seeking.

David says in verse 13, “Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile.” The first lesson in the fear of the Lord concerns the mouth. This is significant. Men often think courage is first proven by the sword, but David teaches these rough men that godliness is first shown in speech. The tongue must be guarded. Evil speech includes lying, slander, threats, profanity, cruelty, gossip, manipulation, and corrupt communication. Guile refers to deceit, trickery, and falsehood.

David had just escaped a situation involving deceptive behavior. He knew the danger of falsehood and fear driven conduct. Now he teaches his men to keep their lips from deceit. Men who fear the Lord must be truthful men.

James 3:5, “Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, , how great a matter a little fire kindleth!”

James 3:6, “And the tongue is a fire, , a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, , that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.”

The tongue can ruin a man, a family, a church, a unit, or a nation. David begins practical godliness by commanding control of speech.

Verse 14 says, “Depart from evil, and do good.” The fear of the Lord includes both separation and action. It is not enough to avoid evil in theory. One must depart from it. Turn away. Leave it. Do not linger near it. Do not negotiate with it. Do not dress it up as wisdom. Depart from evil.

But David also says, “and do good.” Biblical righteousness is not merely negative. A man must actively do what is right. He must pursue obedience, mercy, justice, truth, faithfulness, and service. Godliness is not merely the absence of scandal. It is the presence of righteousness.

David adds, “seek peace, and pursue it.” Peace must be sought and pursued. This would have been an important lesson for men gathered in distress and discontentment. Such men could easily become bitter, violent, reckless, or vengeful. David teaches them not merely to fight, but to seek peace. This does not mean cowardice or compromise with evil. David was a warrior. But the man who fears the Lord does not love conflict for its own sake. He seeks peace with God and, where righteousness allows, peace with men.

Romans 12:18, “If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, , live peaceably with all men.”

The words “seek” and “pursue” show effort. Peace is not always automatic. It must be chased down through humility, restraint, truth, patience, forgiveness, and wise conduct. This is the fear of the Lord in practical form.

Psalm 34:15 to Psalm 34:16, Living Under the Watchful Eye of God

Psalm 34:15, “The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry.”

Psalm 34:16, “The face of the LORD is against them that do evil, , to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.”

David now explains why the fear of the Lord matters. Verse 15 says, “The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous.” God sees His people. His eye is not merely the eye of inspection, but the eye of care. He watches over the righteous. He sees their obedience, their suffering, their prayers, their danger, and their needs.

David had experienced this personally. In Gath, in fear, in humiliation, and in the cave, the Lord saw him. David now teaches his men that they too live under the watchful eye of God. This is comfort for the righteous. They are not forgotten, even when hidden in a cave.

The verse continues, “and his ears are open unto their cry.” God not only sees. He hears. The cry of the righteous reaches Him. Again, the word “cry” implies need, urgency, and distress. God’s ears are open to His people. He is not deaf, distant, or indifferent.

This does not mean God answers every prayer according to human timing or preference. It means His people are heard by Him. The righteous can pray with confidence because the Lord’s ears are open.

Verse 16 gives the contrast, “The face of the LORD is against them that do evil.” This is severe. The same God whose eyes are upon the righteous sets His face against evildoers. His face against them means opposition, judgment, displeasure, and resistance. To have God against a man is the most terrifying condition possible.

David says the purpose is “to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.” The wicked often seek a name, legacy, influence, and lasting reputation. But God can erase their remembrance. Their schemes may seem strong for a time, but judgment will come. This would have warned David’s men not to think that lawlessness was a safe path. Distress, debt, and discontent did not excuse wickedness. God sees both the righteous and the evil.

This contrast is necessary. God’s mercy should not be twisted into moral carelessness. The Lord delivers the humble, but His face is against those who do evil. A man cannot claim the comfort of verse 15 while living in defiance of verse 16.

Psalm 34:17 to Psalm 34:18, God, the Helper of the Humble

Psalm 34:17, “The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles.”

Psalm 34:18, “The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.”

David repeats and deepens the comfort, “The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth.” The righteous are not people who never suffer. They cry. They face trouble. They experience fear, danger, sorrow, and need. But the Lord hears them. Their righteousness does not remove all affliction, but it places them in covenant fellowship with the God who hears.

David says the Lord “delivereth them out of all their troubles.” Again, this must be understood in the fullness of God’s wisdom. The Lord’s deliverance may come immediately, gradually, inwardly, outwardly, or ultimately. He may deliver from the trouble, through the trouble, or by using the trouble for sanctifying good. But He does not abandon His righteous ones. No trouble has final authority over them.

Verse 18 gives one of the most tender promises in the Psalms, “The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart.” The brokenhearted often feel that God is far away. David says the opposite. The Lord is near. Brokenness does not repel God when it humbles the soul before Him. He draws near to the crushed, wounded, humbled, and sorrowing.

This was exactly what the men in Adullam needed to hear. They were distressed, indebted, and discontented. They may have felt rejected by society, ruined by circumstance, and forgotten by God. David teaches them that the Lord is near to the brokenhearted. Their brokenness did not place them beyond God’s care.

The verse continues, “and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.” A contrite spirit is crushed, humbled, and beaten down in the right way. This is not mere emotional sadness. It is humility before God. The proud heart resists God. The contrite spirit yields to Him. God saves such people.

This is consistent with the whole testimony of Scripture.

Isaiah 57:15, “For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; , I dwell in the high and holy place, , with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, , to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.”

Isaiah 66:2, “For all those things hath mine hand made, , and all those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, , even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.”

God does not despise the broken and contrite. He draws near, revives, and saves. This is not weakness in God. It is the greatness of His mercy.

Psalm 34:19 to Psalm 34:22, God’s Care for His Righteous Ones

Psalm 34:19, “Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all.”

Psalm 34:20, “He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken.”

Psalm 34:21, “Evil shall slay the wicked: and they that hate the righteous shall be desolate.”

Psalm 34:22, “The LORD redeemeth the soul of his servants: and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate.”

David now gives a mature statement of suffering and deliverance, “Many are the afflictions of the righteous.” This is honest. The righteous may have many afflictions. Faithfulness to God does not guarantee an easy life. David’s own life proves that. He was anointed, but hunted. Chosen, but rejected. Faithful, but slandered. Courageous, but forced into caves. The righteous can suffer many afflictions.

This corrects shallow theology that treats trouble as proof of God’s absence. David says the righteous have many afflictions. The issue is not whether affliction comes. The issue is whether the Lord delivers.

David continues, “but the LORD delivereth him out of them all.” The Lord’s deliverance is greater than the righteous man’s afflictions. Many are the afflictions, but more faithful still is the Deliverer. God does not waste affliction, and He does not abandon His servant in it.

For the Christian, this deliverance is ultimately secured in Christ. Some deliverances happen in this life. Final deliverance comes in resurrection glory. The believer may die physically, but he is not destroyed. The Lord delivers him out of all afflictions in the fullest sense by bringing him safely into His eternal kingdom.

2 Timothy 4:18, “And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: , to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.”

Verse 20 says, “He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken.” In David’s own experience, he could testify that God had preserved him through battles, escapes, dangers, and hardships. His body had been guarded. Yet this verse also points beyond David to the Messiah.

John explicitly applies this verse to Jesus Christ at the crucifixion. The Roman soldiers normally broke the legs of crucified men to hasten death. But when they came to Jesus, He was already dead, so they did not break His legs.

John 19:33, “But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs:”

John 19:34, “But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water.”

John 19:35, “And he that saw it bare record, and his record is true: and he knoweth that he saith true, , that ye might believe.”

John 19:36, “For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled, , A bone of him shall not be broken.”

This shows the providence of God over even the details of Christ’s suffering. The Messiah’s bones were not broken because Scripture had spoken. God’s decree governed the actions of Roman soldiers, even when they did not know they were fulfilling Scripture.

Verse 21 says, “Evil shall slay the wicked.” Wickedness becomes its own judgment. Evil is not merely something the wicked do. It becomes the instrument of their destruction. Sin turns back upon the sinner. The wicked may use evil to harm others, but in the end evil destroys them.

David continues, “and they that hate the righteous shall be desolate.” Hatred of the righteous places a person under judgment. The wicked may despise those who fear the Lord, but they will not be vindicated. Their hatred ends in desolation, guilt, and ruin unless they repent.

Verse 22 closes with hope, “The LORD redeemeth the soul of his servants.” The Lord rescues, ransoms, and claims the souls of His servants. David’s hope is not merely outward survival. It is the redemption of the soul. God’s servants belong to Him, and He will not abandon them.

The final line says, “and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate.” This is the great assurance. Those who trust in the Lord will not be condemned, ruined, or left desolate in the final sense. They may be afflicted, but they will not be abandoned. They may be brokenhearted, but they will not be forsaken. They may be hunted, but they will not be lost. They may be in the cave, but the Lord is with them.

The New Testament states this truth with even greater clarity.

Romans 8:1, “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, , who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”

The believer’s freedom from condemnation rests ultimately in Christ. David knew the Lord redeems His servants. Paul declares that those in Christ are under no condemnation. The same saving God is at work.

Doctrinal and Practical Summary

Psalm 34 teaches that the Lord is worthy to be blessed at all times. David praised God from a cave after humiliation and danger, showing that worship is not dependent on comfortable circumstances.

Psalm 34 teaches that praise should be continual and verbal. David says the Lord’s praise will continually be in his mouth. Thanksgiving should not remain silent when God has delivered.

Psalm 34 teaches that the only safe boast is in the Lord. David could not boast in his own condition, wisdom, or dignity. He boasted in the Lord who delivered him.

Psalm 34 teaches that the humble are encouraged by testimonies of God’s mercy. David’s deliverance gave gladness to others who were lowly and needy.

Psalm 34 teaches that true praise invites others to join. David says, “O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together.” Worship is personal, but it is also congregational.

Psalm 34 teaches that the Lord hears those who seek Him. David sought the Lord, and the Lord heard him and delivered him from all his fears.

Psalm 34 teaches that looking to the Lord brings radiance and removes shame. Those who look to Him are lightened, and their faces are not ashamed.

Psalm 34 teaches that God hears the cry of the poor man. David was brought low, but the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles.

Psalm 34 teaches that the Lord’s protection surrounds those who fear Him. The angel of the Lord encamps around them and delivers them.

Psalm 34 teaches that every person must personally taste and see that the Lord is good. Testimony invites others, but each person must trust the Lord for himself.

Psalm 34 teaches that those who fear and seek the Lord lack no good thing. God may not give every desired thing, but He will not withhold what is truly good according to His wisdom.

Psalm 34 teaches that the fear of the Lord is practical obedience. David teaches control of the tongue, rejection of deceit, departure from evil, doing good, and pursuing peace.

Psalm 34 teaches that God’s eyes are upon the righteous and His ears are open to their cry. The righteous are watched and heard by the Lord.

Psalm 34 teaches that the face of the Lord is against those who do evil. God’s mercy must never be twisted into approval of wickedness.

Psalm 34 teaches that the Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the contrite in spirit. Brokenness before God is not despised by Him. It is met with nearness and mercy.

Psalm 34 teaches that the righteous may have many afflictions. Faithfulness does not remove suffering from life, but it brings the believer under the care of the Deliverer.

Psalm 34 teaches that God delivers His righteous ones out of all their afflictions. Some deliverance is immediate, some is gradual, and final deliverance is eternal.

Psalm 34 teaches that Psalm 34:20 points prophetically to Christ. Not one of His bones was broken at the crucifixion, fulfilling Scripture.

Psalm 34 teaches that evil ultimately destroys the wicked. Those who hate the righteous will be desolate unless they repent.

Psalm 34 teaches that the Lord redeems the soul of His servants. None who trust in Him shall be desolate, and in the fuller light of the gospel, those in Christ are under no condemnation.