Psalm 34 — Taste and See
Introduction: Psalm 56 represented some of David’s thoughts after he escaped from the dangers he faced among the Philistines at Gath, and that Psalm ended with praise to the LORD. This Psalm 34 is filled with praise and confidence related to that same experience. The safe refuge he found in the LORD as he fled to a remote cave at Adullam marked the beginning of a new segment of his life, to rebuild with others who joined with him. Though King Saul still wanted David killed, David determined to place his full trust in the LORD, and he encouraged others to do likewise.
NOTE: Bible verses are from the 21st Century KJV.
A — The Lord Delivered David from All His Fears
Psalm 34 “1 I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. 2 My soul shall make her boast in the LORD; the humble shall hear thereof and be glad. 3 O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt His name together. 4 I sought the LORD, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. 5 They looked unto Him and were lightened, and their faces were not ashamed.”
Comments: This was perhaps the lowest point in David’s life after he had gained prominence as a valiant military leader for Israel until King Saul jealously wanted him to be killed. He had to leave his wife at their house and flee alone secretly in the night, going into Philistine territory in desperation. It must have been very encouraging to him later when his family left everything they had in Israel, and gave their allegiance to him at that remote cave in Philistine territory. David ended Psalm 56 with resolve to completely trust in the LORD: “In God have I put my trust; I will not be afraid what man can do unto me.” Now that his life had been preserved, his response in Psalm 34 was to openly say he would bless the LORD at all times, with God-honoring praise continually coming from his mouth. James 4 “6 God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. 7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”
B — Fear the Lord You His Saints
Psalm 34 “6 This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles. 7 The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear Him, and delivereth them. 8 O taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man that trusteth in Him! 9 O fear the LORD, ye His saints! For them that fear Him suffer no want. 10 The young lions lack and suffer hunger, but they that seek the LORD shall not want any good thing.”
Comments: David made no claim to a special reason why the LORD should hear his cry and save him from his trouble more than anyone else who genuinely fears the LORD. He said the angel of the LORD is constantly around those who fear Him, and will deliver them. If you experience (taste) refuge in the LORD you will learn that he is good, and you will be blessed by trusting in him. Using an example from the animal kingdom, David said even young lions can lack and suffer hunger, but those people who turn to and humbly inquire of the LORD shall not want for anything that is excellent and of true lasting value. Deuteronomy 8 “2 And thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee and to prove thee. 3 And He humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, that He might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live.” Philippians 4 “19 But my God shall supply all your need, according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. 20 Now unto God and our Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen.”
C — The Lord Watches the Righteous and Hears Their Petitions
Psalm 34 “11 Come, ye children, hearken unto me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD. 12 What man is he that desireth life, and loveth many days, that he may see good? 13 Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile. 14 Depart from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it. 15 The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and His ears are open unto their cry.”
Comments: David offers to teach others to fear the LORD if they would listen and respond to what he said. He gave straightforward advice to anyone who desires life to extend into the promised future, when we will see good forever: a) don’t let malicious or treacherous deceit come out of your mouth, b) don’t do spiteful and harmful things, but rather do things that are good and helpful, and c) seek peace and even make it your earnest pursuit. The Apostle Peter used words very close to those David wrote here to teach and encourage believers. 1 Peter 3 “10 He that would love life and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile. 11 Let him eschew evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it. 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.”
D — The Lord Will Cut Off Evil Doers and Deliver the Righteous
Psalm 34 “16 The face of the LORD is against them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth. 17 The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles. 18 The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart, and saveth such as are of a contrite spirit.”
Comments: The LORD is against those who persist in doing evil, and he will cut off all remembrance of them, but there will be remembrance for those who have a righteousness from God. When Nathan the prophet confronted David about the sin regarding Bathsheba, David knew that empty sacrifices had no value before the LORD. Psalm 51 “16 For Thou desirest not sacrifice, else would I give it; Thou delightest not in burnt offering. 17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise.” Isaiah 57:15 “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.” Malachi 3 “17 And they shall be Mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up My jewels; and I will spare them as a man spareth his own son who serveth him.”
E — The Lord Redeems the Soul of His Servants
Psalm 34 “19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivereth him out of them all. 20 He keepeth all his bones; not one of them is broken. 21 Evil shall slay the wicked, and they that hate the righteous shall be desolate. 22 The LORD redeemeth the soul of His servants, and none of them that trust in Him shall be desolate.”
Comments: There are many forms of pain, suffering, and distress that will come upon people who are righteous, and also upon those who are unrighteous. But for those whose righteousness is in Christ, there is a time when the LORD will deliver them out of all of their troubles. John 16:33 “In the world ye shall have tribulation; but be of good cheer: I have overcome the world.” David used a figure of speech in verse 20 in a general sense about the protection God affords. But that phrase also had prophetic importance about Jesus who would come to suffer and to purchase salvation. The Passover lamb’s bones were not to be broken (Numbers 9:12), and John the Baptist identified Jesus as “the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sin of the world.” After the blood of Jesus was shed on the cross: John 19 “33 But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was dead already, they broke not His legs. 36 For these things were done, that the Scripture should be fulfilled: A bone of Him shall not be broken.” What beautiful symbolism David’s prophetic choice of wording gives to show that Jesus became the perfect sacrifice to provide salvation for every believer! Ephesians 1 “3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in the heavenly places in Christ, 4 even as He hath chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love.”
Reflections in Prayer
Lord, I want to be your dedicated servant with my life, and I ask that you enable me to be consistently praising your name whether or not I am experiencing various trials and troubles. Whenever I can sincerely boast about the blessings from you, Lord, help me to do so in such a way that it encourages others to also magnify and exalt your name as we praise you together. Lord, I realized that I had nothing I could offer you when I cried out to you for your gift of salvation. I thank you for your continuous presence and I pray that I will be used of you to invite others to taste and see that the Lord is good, so they too will be blessed through their trust in the true and living God.
Help me, my Savior, to be careful not to use the standards of the world to evaluate whether I lack any good thing when I believe I am among those who properly fear and seek the Lord. I want to be on guard to keep from speaking evil or deceitful things. May I avoid ungodly things and instead do what is right. Help me to try to be at peace with everyone as much as it lies within me, and trust that you, Lord, are against those who practice evil. The words of David are a comfort to me to know that if those who have been made righteous in Christ cry out for help, you will hear them, Lord, and will deliver from all trouble. You, Lord, will redeem the soul of your servants, and none of those who trust in you shall be abandoned or rejected. Hallelujah, Amen.
Published 17 February 2016