PSALM 34:1-6 - PART 2 - RADIANT FACES HAVE LOOKED TO THE MIGHTY GOD OF DELIVERANCE
[1]. INTRODUCTION
In the last message we spent time on the setting for this Psalm, set deep in David’s experience with Achish the king of Gath. The lives of God’s people spread out over the journey of a lifetime with ups and downs; victories and failures. We are to rejoice in victories and learn from failures.
In this message today, we are going to look at a few of the most delightful verses I can find in scripture. The word of God speaks to us in different ways and shines its light on some bible passage for some, and on other passages for others. These four verses we concentrate on today had the light shone on them for me. We will look at the four verses now.
[2]. PERSONAL, DEEP AND PERSONAL!
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 answered me, and delivered me from all my fears.
Psalm 34:5 They looked to Him and were radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed.
Psalm 34:6 This poor man cried and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles.
This psalm principally concerns itself with the righteous ones and their relationship to God. We will now work through the first 6 (4) verses. The verses bounce from “I” to “They”, in other words from David and to the people.
In those 4 verses, David moves from the personal “me” to “us” and makes a short, personal statement in verse 3 followed by one of the loveliest verses in scripture. He finishes with another personal statement, he being the “poor man”. Verse 5, the gold plated verse, comes out of the crucible of fire, and rests on the testimony of verses 4 and 6. We will look in more detail at this.
[3]. VERSE 3 – PURE PRAISE FOR THE LORD ALONE
Psalm 34:3 O MAGNIFY the LORD with me and let us EXALT His name together.
The two verbs here are “magnify” and “exalt” and they mean to make the name of the Lord great and lift up His name. David is calling for great praise to God, and remember from the last message, this was because of the dramatic deliverance David had experienced from the Philistines who lived in the Hamas area of Gaza today. This is when the rescued soul bursts out in praise because of the work of the Lord on our behalf. We know the same in our dispensation with personal salvation in Jesus Christ.
This verse is a call to the faithful and genuine hearted people to join with David in exalting God’s name. It is a sham to call on people to praise and worship when you don’t do it yourself. I don’t like to say this again, but there is so much pretence and falsity in so much Christian testimony. There are ministers who call people to worship and commitment when they do not worship themselves, and don’t have much commitment in their lives to God. Song leaders do the same and some youth leaders speak out of the head and not the heart. It does us no good to highlight the negative, and there are many leaders of God’s people who are genuine before their Lord. They are the ones who are effective.
When we have a great experience of God we want to share it and that is what David is doing. The Lord delivered him from the clutches of two enemies and now he rejoices and wants others to join in with him, to join in, in combined praise.
The Psalms (Songs) of Ascent are beautiful and they begin with this verse – {{Psalm 120:1 “In my trouble I cried to the LORD and He answered me.”}} That is almost a repeat of the thankfulness of Psalm 34, and it sets the tone for the whole series of the Ascent Psalms. 120 – 134.
Deliverance is one of the mighty themes of scripture. Israel was delivered out of Egypt; Joseph from the dark dungeon of Pharaoh; Daniel from the lion’s den; David from his enemies many times; Israel from the devil’s claws of Haman; Peter and John from the prison, and lastly, every born again saint from the great iron chains of sin in Satan’s prison. Our God is a God of deliverance. Even the Lord Jesus Christ cried out for deliverance as recorded in these two Messianic Psalms -
{{Psalm 69:14 “DELIVER ME from the mire, and do not let me sink. May I be delivered from my foes and from the deep waters.” Psalm 22:20 “DELIVER MY SOUL from the sword, My only life from the power of the dog. Psalm 22:21 Save me from the lion’s mouth, and from the horns of the wild oxen You answer me.”}} Both those Psalms are prayers of the Lord from the cross.
Yes, our God is One of deliverance and what does deliverance do to you apart from setting you free? Well it causes such gratitude that you can’t help praising God. Praise and worship burst forth in thankfulness. Matthew Henry – [[If we hope to spend eternity in praising God, it is fit that we should spend much of our time here in this work. He never said to any one, Seek ye me in vain.]] That is why I said that you can’t pretend this. Don’t sham deliverance if you have not been delivered from your sins. God hates imposters. If that is you then get yourself right with God in humility and repentance.
[4]. SEEKING THE LORD IN THE PHILISTINE STRONGHOLD
Psalm 34:4 I SOUGHT the LORD and He ANSWERED me, and DELIVERED me from all my fears.
Where did David seek the Lord on this occasion? Well it was in the midst of the enemy when his life was under threat from the Philistines. There are three verbs here, strong action words. David sought and the Lord answered and delivered. That experience was often the case with David and can be with us. We hear people say, “God did not help me when I asked.” Some understand the Lord does not always answer in the way we would like, while others give up on God. It all comes back to commitment.
David says he was delivered from all his fears. Fear is a very real thing. There are all sorts of fears and terrors. Fear of losing one’s job; fear of sickness; fear of bankruptcy; fear of the unknown; even fear of spiders and snakes, but David’s fear was of death, for it looked certain the Philistines would put him to death. He earnestly sought the Lord and was answered in deliverance.
I don’t think anyone can give you a step-by-step progress to deal with fear. This is not my purpose in any case today. I do think a valuable verse, though, is this one – {{1 John 4:17-18 “By this, love is perfected with us, that we may have confidence in the day of judgement because as He is, so also are we in this world. There is no fear in love but PERFECT LOVE CASTS OUT FEAR, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love.”}}
[5]. UNASHAMED FACES GLOWING WITH RADIANCE
VERSE 5. {{Psalm 34:5 “THEY LOOKED TO HIM AND WERE RADIANT, and their faces shall never be ashamed.”}}
From the Study Bible – “THEY LOOKED TO HIM”: This phrase invites us to consider the act of looking as one of faith and expectation. In the Hebrew, the word for "looked" is "na?a?," which implies a gaze that is not merely physical but deeply spiritual and attentive. This looking is an act of trust and reliance on God, suggesting a turning away from worldly distractions to focus on divine help. Historically, this reflects the Israelites' dependence on God during times of distress, as seen throughout their journey in the wilderness and their battles for the Promised Land.”
“AND WERE RADIANT”: The Hebrew word "nahar" is used here, which can mean to shine or beam with joy. This radiance is not just a physical glow but a reflection of inner peace and joy that comes from being in God's presence. The transformation from fear or despair to radiance signifies the profound impact of divine encounter. Scripturally, this mirrors Moses' face shining after speaking with God on Mount Sinai (Exodus 34:29-35), symbolising the transformative power of divine communion.”
“AND THEIR FACES”: The face in Hebrew culture often represents one's presence or identity. The word "panîm" is used here, which can also mean "presence." This suggests that the transformation affects the very essence of a person. In biblical times, the face was a reflection of one's inner state, and a radiant face indicated favour and blessing from God.”
Those who are delivered look to God as the One who cares so much, that He delivers His own dear children. That thankfulness caused the faces to be radiant. Their faces shone with joy and thanksgiving, because God lifted them out of troubles. The redeemed have a song to sing to the nations because they have a personal testimony. Radiant testimonies are those that get people’s attention because they are real. There is TRUE REAL, and there is PRETEND REAL. The real believers who know deliverance will radiate that deliverance. The pretend, professing believers just go along with the crowd in confusion.
What a beautiful word this “radiant” is. It reminds us of Moses who had been in God’s presence and his face testified to the fact. Those, who like Moses, spend much time in God’s presence will radiate the love and goodness of God. This is a challenge for all of us. Are we, metaphorically speaking, walking with the radiance of God, or are we examples of what astronomers call “dark matter”. “Radiant” means “to shine, beam, light up”.
In our sinful flesh there is no good thing. All that is good in us is from the Lord. It is appropriated, and that word means given to us by grace to make us what we were not by nature. Can you see God’s people with radiant faces? Maybe not always here for everyone, but there is coming a day when in the Lord’s presence, a holy radiance will be upon His redeemed and their/our faces will shine with His radiance. We do not deserve any of that. It will all be accomplished by grace.
Theodoret renders it: [[? µet? p?ste?? t? ?e? p??s??? f?t?? ??t??a? d??eta? ??e???, the gracious countenance of God is reflected on their faces; to the actus directus of fides supplex succeeds the actus reflexus of fides triumphans. It never comes to pass that their countenances must be covered with shame on account of disappointed hope.]]
Now what is it that we have been delivered from? The bible uses many examples and illustrations to explain this but the familiar one for John was to be delivered out of the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light. That is as graphic a transformation as you can get. There are hardly any greater opposites than light and darkness. It is equal to God and Satan. Christians are walking in light not in darkness.
Then there is this one from Paul – {{1Thessalonians 1:9 They themselves report about us what kind of a reception we had with you, and how you turned to God FROM IDOLS TO SERVE A LIVING AND TRUE GOD, 1Thess 1:10 and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, that is, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.”}} Paul looks at this stark contrast – from idolatry to Christ. Paul was more familiar with that concept than John, for Paul moved among the idolatrous, heathen Gentiles. He saw the dramatic change in converts out of idolatrous darkness into heavenly light.
Look now at the expression, “they shall never be ashamed,” At the end of verse 5. How magnificent is that! What makes us ashamed? Well it is sin, failure, pretense, being caught out and discovered, being exposed, and walking in the old nature. Truly, I don’t think that position (NEVER being ashamed) can be fully realised this side of glory, for we continue to carry the sin nature, but there is a level of un-ashamedness we can reach as the Holy Spirit does His work in us. How glorious one day will it be, when we will never be ashamed again.
It is interesting what the New Testament says about being ashamed. There is one verse that often gives me a scare. This is it here – {{Luke 9:26 “Whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when He comes in His glory, and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.”}} This verse more has its application to the Second Coming, but the concept can equally be applied at the Rapture. It is possible for us even as Christians, to be unsteady in our testimony and let the Lord down. We think, “Have I failed the Lord, and backed away when I should have spoken out?” That is something we must always have in mind.
The other serious matter of being ashamed is the one that concerns that time when each one of us will stand before the Lord. Can you picture that, just the Lord and you at the judgement seat of Christ? What will we say? What will we feel? The verse concerning this is the following – {{2Corinthians 5:10 “for we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may be RECOMPENSED FOR HIS DEEDS IN THE BODY, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.”}}
Do you find that fearsome? That will be a test of how good a servant of the Lord you have been? It says “whether good or bad”. The good is what honours the Lord, and the bad is what is unprofitable. I think it will be calling into account our faithfulness, for that to me is the key word in service. How faithful have we been? In {{Matthew 25:23 His master said to him, ‘Well done, GOOD AND FAITHFUL slave. You were faithful with a few things so I will put you in charge of many things. Enter into the joy of your master.’”}} – the words “good and faithful” I think are the serious ones. It is faithfulness that will be called into account.
Our service for Christ will be tested. What will result? What remains to glorify the Lord? Consider these verses – {{1Corinthians 3:11 “for no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 1Cor 3:12 Now if any man builds upon the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, 1Cor 3:13 each man’s work will become evident, for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man’s work.”}}
[6]. VERSE 6 DAVID CRIED OUT AND THE LORD HEARD AND SAVED
{{Psalm 34:6 This poor man cried and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles.}}
We will look briefly at this verse – {{Psalm 34:6 “This poor man cried and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles.”}} The word “poor” there does not mean destitute of money or assets. It means poor in spirit and being in desperation. Something like “pitiful”. Our compassionate God looks on such a person when he and she calls out to God and He will answer those needy ones. Recall the scene in the Temple one day when a Pharisee praised himself for how good he thought he was, but a poor sinner just cried to the Lord for mercy. The humble, the meek, the poor and the needy, they are the ones the Lord will hear. He who is too big for his boots will never be able to walk properly in God’s sight.
I think David is speaking of himself here. He is the poor man. People build up edifices around themselves and present themselves as great and mighty men and women. This is especially so in Hollywood, the sporting arena and in politics. They are not poor in spirit, but proud and vain and puffed up. If you could strip all that glitzy show away, what remains? What you would see is a poor, destitute, and pathetic individual.
It is only when we realise that our sin has made us poor and vain and destitute, only then, can God take up the individual and make him a rich, humble and gentle servant. We know from the Psalms that David was a man after God’s own heart and he was poor in spirit and humble before his God. So must we all!
FINAL THOUGHTS FOR SERVICE
The Christian life is not meant to be a lazy one. It does not mean turning up at some church service and then thinking you have done your duty for God, then go away and live as you please. Let me tell you the time is short before the end of the Church age is on us. For the Christians, they will go to be with the Lord in His call, “Come up here!” from Revelation 4:1. If you belong to Jesus you go to be with Him but what regrets might you have? Indeed I address myself here. Before my eyes in the coming day might flash all the useless times when I could have served the Lord but my pleasure and my desires outweighed the desires of the Lord for me. How much of our lives has been eaten up by locusts?
There is a wonderful lesser known hymn that says this (just the first stanza) :-
By and by when I look on His face,
Beautiful face, thorn-shadowed face;
By and by when I look on His face,
I’ll wish I had given Him more
More, so much more —
More of my love than I e’er gave before.
By and by when I look on His face,
I’ll wish I had given Him more.
Grace Reese Adkins (Author)
Wishing I had given Him more when we are in His presence, is too late. While it is still day, rise up and go out in the strength of the Lord and do all that God directs you to do. Look forward to the commendation from the Lord Jesus Christ of “Well done you good and faithful servant.”
The older we get, the more our lives seem to be filled with regret, “I could have done more. There was too much empty activity and the Lord was sidelined.” While the light of day is here let us work for the Lord in whatever field he has given you because the night is so close when you will not be able to work. {{John 9:4 “We must work the works of Him who sent Me as long as it is day. Night is coming when no man can work.”}}
