Psalms 34:1-22·~1 min

Taste and See That the LORD Is Good

David begins with a resolve to bless the LORD at all times and to boast in him so that the humble may hear and rejoice. He calls others to magnify the LORD together, then testifies that when he sought the LORD, he was answered and delivered from fear; the poor who cry out are heard, and the angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him.

O¹f David, when he pretended to be insane before Abimelech, so that the king drove him away. ²My soul boasts in the LORD; ³Magnify the LORD with me; ⁴I sought the LORD, and He answered me; ⁵Those who look to Him are radiant with joy; ⁶This poor man called out, and the LORD heard him; ⁷The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear Him,

The psalm invites others to taste and see that the LORD is good, declaring blessed the one who takes refuge in him. The saints are urged to fear the LORD because those who fear him lack nothing truly needed, and even strong young lions may hunger while seekers of the LORD do not lack any good thing.

⁸Taste and see that the LORD is good; ⁹Fear the LORD, you His saints, ¹⁰Young lions go lacking and hungry,

David gathers his hearers like children to teach them the fear of the LORD, asking who desires life and many good days. The answer is practical and moral: keep the tongue from evil and lies, turn away from evil, do good, and seek peace with persistence.

¹¹Come, children, listen to me; ¹²Who is the man who delights in life, ¹³Keep your tongue from evil ¹⁴Turn away from evil and do good;

The final movement contrasts the LORD's attentive eyes and ears toward the righteous with his face set against evildoers. Yet while the righteous still suffer many afflictions, the LORD hears their cries, is near the brokenhearted, preserves them, judges the wicked, and redeems all who take refuge in him so that none of them will be condemned.

¹⁵The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, ¹⁶But the face of the LORD is against those who do evil, ¹⁷The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears; ¹⁸The LORD is near to the brokenhearted; ¹⁹Many are the afflictions of the righteous, ²⁰He protects all his bones; ²¹Evil will slay the wicked, ²²The LORD redeems His servants,

Section summaryDavid blesses the LORD continually and invites the humble to join him in magnifying God's name because the LORD hears, answers, and delivers those who seek him. From that testimony he calls people to taste the LORD's goodness and learn the fear of the LORD in practical righteousness, then closes by contrasting God's attentive care for the righteous with his opposition to evil and by affirming that the LORD redeems his servants.

Role in the chapterThis single section moves from exuberant praise, to invitation, to instruction, to assurance. It presents the LORD's goodness as something to be experienced in deliverance and embodied in a life of reverent obedience.