Taste and See: Psalm 34

I will extol the Lord at all times; his praise will always be on my lips.

The psalm is alphabetical in Hebrew—each verse beginning with the next letter. But the content is anything but mechanical. David had escaped Abimelech by feigning madness. Now, safe, he praises.

At all times. Not just when rescued. Always. Continuous praise, regardless of circumstance.

I will glory in the Lord; let the afflicted hear and rejoice.

Glory—boast, exult. And a specific audience: the afflicted. Those still in trouble need to hear from those who've come through.

Glorify the Lord with me; let us exalt his name together.

Invitation to corporate worship. With me. Together. Praise is better shared.

I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears.

Testimony: sought, answered, delivered. Not some fears—all fears. Complete deliverance.

Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame.

Radiant faces. The opposite of shame. Looking to God produces visible joy.

This poor man called, and the Lord heard him; he saved him out of all his troubles.

Poor man—David at his lowest, drooling before a foreign king to save his skin. That poor man called. And was heard. And was saved.

The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them.

Angelic protection. Encampment—military imagery. The fearers of God have heavenly guards surrounding them.

Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.

The famous invitation. Taste—experiential knowledge, not just information. See—discover for yourself. The Lord is good—but you must taste to know it.

Fear the Lord, you his holy people, for those who fear him lack nothing.

Fear of the Lord produces provision. Nothing lacking for those who properly revere him.

The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.

Lions—apex predators—still get hungry. But seekers of God lack no good thing. The greatest power in nature is exceeded by divine provision.

Come, my children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord.

The sage instruction begins. Children addressed. Teaching offered. Subject: how to fear the Lord properly.

Whoever of you loves life and desires to see many good days, keep your tongue from evil and your lips from telling lies.

Practical wisdom. Want a good life? Control your tongue. No evil speech. No lies.

Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.

Two movements: turning from and turning to. And active pursuit of peace—not passive waiting but energetic seeking.

The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are attentive to their cry.

Divine attention. God sees the righteous. God hears their cries. They are noticed.

The face of the Lord is against those who do evil, to blot out their name from the earth.

The contrast. God's face against evildoers. Their memory erased. Their name forgotten.

The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles.

Repeated for emphasis. Cry out. Heard. Delivered. All troubles.

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

Close to the brokenhearted. Not distant during pain but near. Crushed spirits receive salvation.

The righteous person may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all.

Honest about troubles. The righteous are not exempt from difficulty. Many troubles come. But deliverance from all of them also comes.

He protects all his bones, not one of them will be broken.

Protection to the bone—literally. And fulfilled in Jesus, whose legs were not broken on the cross.

Evil will slay the wicked; the foes of the righteous will be condemned.

Justice comes. Evil destroys its practitioners. Foes face condemnation.

The Lord will rescue his servants; no one who takes refuge in him will be condemned.

The final promise. Rescue for servants. No condemnation for refugees. The one who tastes and sees will find the Lord is indeed good.