David praises God and exhorts others thereto by his experience, 1-7. They are blessed who trust in God, 8-10. He exhorts to the fear of God, 11-14. The privileges of the righteous, 15-22.
1 [A Psalm of David: when he changed his behavior before Abimelech, who drove him away, and he departed.]
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 of it 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 to him and were radiant,/
and their faces were not ashamed.
6 This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him/
and saved him out of all his troubles.
7 The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him/
and delivers them.
8 O taste and see that the LORD is good./
Blessed is the man who trusts in him.
9 O fear the LORD, you his saints,/
for there is no lack with those who fear him.
10 The young lions lack and suffer hunger,/
but those who seek the LORD shall not lack any good thing.
11 Come, you children, listen to me./
I will teach you the fear of the LORD.
12 What man is he who desires life/
and loves many days, that he may see good?
13 Keep your tongue from evil/
and your 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 to their cry.
16 The face of the LORD is against those who do evil/
to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.
17 The righteous cry, and the LORD hears/
and delivers them out of all their troubles.
18 The LORD is near to those who are of a broken heart/
and saves those who are of a contrite spirit.
19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous,/
but the LORD delivers him out of them all.
20 He keeps all his bones./
Not one of them is broken.
21 Evil shall slay the wicked,/
and those who hate the righteous shall be desolate.
22 The LORD redeems the soul of his servants,/
and none of those who trust in him shall be desolate.
Matthew Henry Commentary - Psalms, Chapter 34[➚]
John Calvin's Chapter Summary:
Calvin did not provide a summary of Psalm 34.
[v.8] - Quoted in 1st Peter 2:3.
[v.12-15] - Quoted in 1st Peter 3:10-12.
[v.18] - Reference, 2nd Corinthians 7:10.
[v.20] - Quoted in John 19:36.