1. O MAGNIFY THE LORD WITH ME.
Psalm 34:1-8.
David was ‘on the run’ from king Saul. Mistakenly thinking that he might find refuge with the Philistines, he only escaped from their clutches by feigning madness (1 Samuel 21:10-15). Then he hid in a cave.
Knowing that David was in this place, his family came to encourage him. A company of some four hundred men in humbling circumstances also resorted to him (1 Samuel 22:1-2). The fugitive’s response was a combination of thanksgiving, witness, evangelism, and wisdom teaching (Psalm 34).
Psalm 34:1. For us to “bless the LORD” is to tell forth His goodness. What we say reflects Whose we are. What we speak about should reflect who we are in Him. To “bless the LORD” is to bow the knee in worship and praise.
The words which we speak effect our attitudes and behaviour. When we speak positively about the things of the LORD, good things can happen. The converse is also true: when we ‘speak up’ bad things, that’s often just what we get! David determined that the praises of the LORD should constantly be in his mouth.
Psalm 34:2. The ‘sweet Psalmist of Israel’ sought to honour God in what amounted to a public act of praise. This Psalm is not addressed to the LORD, but to the congregation. They are “the humble”: the poor, the lowly, the weak, and the afflicted. “Those in distress, those in debt, and the discontented” (1 Samuel 22:2).
Psalm 34:3. David’s testimony calls for a response, and participation.
Psalm 34:4. This encourages the once-fearful. “The LORD delivered me from all my fears.” Negative fears are the opposite of faith, and destructive to our peace and well-being.
Psalm 34:5. This could be the choir’s response to the voice of the soloist. The once-shameful respond with their own observation. “They looked to Him, and lightened were: not shamed were their faces.”
We are reminded of the glory of the LORD, reflected in the face of Moses. The idea of “being radiant” is echoed in Isaiah 60:5 (NRSV), as the people thrilled at the prospect of the abundance of the nations flowing to Zion. Also in Jeremiah 31:12 (NRSV), as they beamed with satisfaction at the goodness of the LORD.
We are also reminded of “the glory of the Lord in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:6). When we look to Him, the light of the LORD is reflected in our lives.
Psalm 34:6. Those in distress find their encouragement here. “This poor (humble) man cried…” This is answered prayer - even where prayer is scarcely articulated. “The LORD heard the cry of the children of Israel” in Egypt (Exodus 3:9). The LORD hears, and saves, and redeems us from trouble.
Psalm 34:7. The angel of the LORD is in the midst of the camp, surrounding those who have a right kind of fear - reverence and godly fear - toward the LORD. He is there to protect, and deliver.
Psalm 34:8. It is good to wake up in the morning with a word of worship in our mouths. It is good to speak well of the LORD throughout the day. It is good to lie down at night in praise and thanksgiving. Come, says David, “taste” His goodness with me.
We “taste and see” the goodness of the LORD when the words of the LORD have their rightful place in our lives (Psalm 119:103). Along with the good word of God, we also have a powerful foretaste of things to come (Hebrews 6:5). Peter encourages us in our desire for “the sincere milk of the word” which we have already tasted (1 Peter 2:2-3).
When we first believe, we savour the things of God, and put our trust in the LORD. We feast with Him in our day to day living. We draw nourishment from the table of the Lord, and all that the sacrament represents to us.
When the LORD blesses us, He adds something to us. He saves us from our sins, and redeems us from the full penalty of the law. He sends seasonable weather, and our crops are given increase. He grants health, wealth, wisdom, status, success - and children. The LORD protects us, and delivers us - and gives us “the peace that the world cannot give” (John 14:27).
2. “O CHILDREN HITHER DO YE COME.”
Psalm 34:9-14.
Building upon his own recent experience of deliverance and answered prayer, David became an encourager. The Father of our Lord Jesus Christ comforts and consoles us not only for our own benefit, but so that we might ‘pass it on’ (2 Corinthians 1:3-4). The fugitive had just called upon his congregation to “taste and see” (Psalm 34:8) in order to comprehend - and apprehend - the goodness of the LORD.
Psalm 34:9. Now he addressed them as “saints” (sanctified ones). Yet some of these people had only just turned up in David’s life, and were a mixed band of humble folks (Psalm 34:2): the poor, the lowly, the weak, and the afflicted. If the Septuagint heading to the Psalm is to be believed, they were “those in distress, those in debt, and the discontented” (1 Samuel 22:2).
Preachers are sometimes well advised to address their hearers as believers rather than assuming that everyone needs converting. It is probably better to give people the benefit of the doubt, rather than sitting in judgement on their souls. As John Calvin once said, ‘The Lord alone knows who the elect are.’
David advised the saints to “fear” the LORD. The better translation is “revering Yahweh” - not so much being afraid of the God of Israel as respecting Him, trusting Him, obeying Him, and singling Him out for praise and worship. He is, after all, the one true God (Deuteronomy 6:4-5; Isaiah 45:5; 1 Corinthians 8:4).
This type of “fear” - if we may still call it that - is the antidote for the dread fears and terrors of Psalm 34:4. It reaps a result. When we trust the LORD in this way, we “have no want”.
Psalm 34:10. When we respect the LORD aright, we will “seek” Him (Psalm 105:4; Isaiah 55:6). Good results follow (Matthew 6:33). He sends seasonable weather, and our crops are given increase. He grants health, wealth, wisdom, status, success - and children.
Those who trust in their own strength - even like the “young lions” of the illustration here - will know lack, and hunger. When we “seek” Him, we shall “lack no good thing”. This reminds us of Psalm 23.
Psalm 34:11. The Psalmist goes on to elaborate what it means to “fear the LORD”.
The Scottish metrical version reads:
“O children, hither do ye come,
And unto me give ear;
I will you teach to understand
how ye the Lord should fear.”
David addresses his hearers as “children” - like disciples receiving instruction at the feet of their Rabbi.
Psalm 34:12. This anticipates the wisdom teachings of Solomon. The “come” of Psalm 34:11 is extended to a ‘whosoever’ in Psalm 34:12 and in Proverbs 9:4-6. The offer of life in Psalm 34:12 is echoed in Proverbs 9:11.
The offer is, ‘do good if you wish to receive good’ - not unlike Jesus’ Golden Rule: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” (Matthew 7:12). For Christians this is not so much ‘do good in order to be good’ - the “this do and live” of salvation by works - but ‘do good because you are good’. Righteousness is “by grace through faith” - but we are saved “unto” good works (Ephesians 2:8; Ephesians 2:10).
Having received the gift of grace, we are summoned throughout Scripture to live the life, and do the deeds of the righteous - and where we are able, to right the wrongs that we come up against in the world (Micah 6:8; James 1:27).
Psalm 34:13. David began this Psalm with God’s praises in his mouth (Psalm 34:1). Having shared his testimony, he then invited his congregation to “taste” the goodness of the LORD (Psalm 34:8). Now he opens the ethical part of his Psalm with an exhortation to guard our tongues from evil (cf. James 3:5; James 3:10).
Psalm 34:14. We are to “overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:21). As recipients of “peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1), we are to actively seek peace: and to make every effort to live in peace with all men (Hebrews 12:14). This is in fulfilment of our blessedness, and is an ongoing duty of our role as the “children of God” (Matthew 5:9).
The Apostle Peter echoes the wisdom teaching of this section (1 Peter 3:10-12).
3. THE LORD’S RELATIONSHIP TO THE RIGHTEOUS.
Psalm 34:15-22.
Jesus adopts the general principle, “the measure you give will be the measure you get” (Mark 4:24). This is because, despite all appearances to the contrary, we are still living in a moral universe.
Yet God does allow bad things to happen to good people, as the history of Job illustrates (Job 1-2). And good things do happen to bad people (Job 21:7-15).
The conclusion of the book of Job illustrates how things do come right in the end (Job 42:12-16). And not only right, but better (read again Mark 4:24, in its entirety).
David warned us not to be envious at the wicked (Psalm 37:1). Yet Asaph bemoaned the apparent inequalities of life (Psalm 73:3-14). Where was God in all this? The resolution of Asaph’s complaint came about when he “went into the sanctuary of God, and considered their end” (Psalm 73:17).
Sometimes we cannot account for the LORD seeming to turn His face away from us, and to remove His favour - but we know that He is working in all things for the good of His people (Romans 8:28).
Psalm 34:15-22 is part of the outworking of the good life of Psalm 34:12 (cf. 1 Peter 3:10-12). The dichotomy between the “righteous” and the “wicked” relates to choices that have already been made within the visible community of God’s people (Joshua 24:14-15). David could afford the luxury of calling his followers “humble” (Psalm 34:2), “saints” (Psalm 34:9), “children” (Psalm 34:11), and “righteous” (Psalm 34:15).
There are several anthropomorphisms of covenant relationship in this section.
Psalm 34:15. The “eyes” of the LORD are upon the righteous.
His “ears” are open to their cry. The testimony of Psalm 34 informs us that the LORD does hear the cry of the righteous (Psalm 34:4; Psalm 34:6; Psalm 34:15; Psalm 34:17).
Psalm 34:16. The “face” of the LORD is against those that do evil, and cuts off their remembrance. This speaks of exclusion from the community (excommunication), exile and - ultimately - death.
When we are in the midst of trials and tribulations we often imagine that the LORD has given up on us. We cannot ‘feel’ the presence of God, nor can we make sense of our afflictions, so we presume that He has deserted us: but He has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5). It is only in retrospect that we discover that He has been there all along.
There are also several verbs of deliverance in this section.
Psalm 34:17. The LORD “rescues” the righteous out of all their troubles.
Psalm 34:18. He “saves” such as be of a contrite spirit.
In our very sense of brokenness and dereliction, He is ‘nigh’ - nearer than ever before - carrying us over the difficult bits of the sandy terrain. His saving work continues even in the “valley of the shadow of death” (Psalm 23:4) - and of doubt.
Psalm 34:19. The Bible never denies that the righteous do suffer. Yet the LORD “rescues” them out of all their afflictions.
Psalm 34:20. He “keeps” all their bones. Not a bone of the Passover lamb was to be broken (Exodus 12:46). This prefigured the crucifixion of Jesus (John 19:33-36).
The resolution of the dichotomy between the righteous and the wicked is that each will reap just what they sow (Galatians 6:7-8).
Psalm 34:21. Evil itself shall slay those who persist in their wicked ways. Those who hate the righteous shall be desolate.
Psalm 34:22. The LORD “redeems” the soul of His servants. This echoes the positive assertion of verse 20. The idea of rescue echoes the beatitude of Psalm 34:8.
There is “no condemnation” to those who are in Christ Jesus - redeemed by the blood of the Lamb - “walking not after the flesh but after the Spirit” (Romans 8:1).
