Psalm 34: Grateful Praise & Fear of God

​I will bless the Lord at all times; 
his praise shall continually be in my mouth. 
2    My soul makes its boast in the Lord; 
let the humble hear and be glad. 
3    Oh, magnify the Lord with me, 
and let us exalt his name together! 
4    I sought the Lord, and he answered me 
and delivered me from all my fears. 
5    Those who look to him are radiant, 
and their faces shall never be 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    Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! 
Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him! 
9    Oh, fear the Lord, you his saints, 
for those who fear him have no lack! 
10    The young lions suffer want and hunger; 
but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing. 
11    Come, O children, listen to me; 
I will teach you the fear of the Lord. 
12    What man is there who desires life 
and loves many days, that he may see good? 
13    Keep your tongue from evil 
and your lips from speaking deceit. 
14    Turn away from evil and do good; 
seek peace and pursue it. 
15    The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous 
and his ears toward their cry. 
16    The face of the Lord is against those who do evil, 
to cut off the memory of them from the earth. 
17    When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears 
and delivers them out of all their troubles. 
18    The Lord is near to the brokenhearted 
and saves the crushed in 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    Affliction will slay the wicked, 
and those who hate the righteous will be condemned. 
22    The Lord redeems the life of his servants; 
none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned. 
 
 
Meditation
God is faithful to save, even when we are fearful of our struggles more than our Savior. Today’s psalm of grateful praise gets our soul in gear for worship as it teaches us to fear the Lord.

This psalm commemorates David’s wilderness run from Saul, growing specifically from an episode of danger and deceit (1 Samuel 21). David’s grateful praise (1-3) for deliverance (4-6) fuels fear of the Lord (7-10) before he offers instruction for the righteous (11-14), promises of future deliverance (15-20), and condemnation of the wicked (20-22). David’s tension between fear and faith in the wilderness gives birth to grateful praise when he sees the Lord’s deliverance. The Lord’s faithfulness fuels fear of Him rather than fear of enemies.
 
Worship is the right response to Divine rescue! Praise for the Lord’s salvation comes out of our mouth (1), from our soul (2), and in gladness with community (3). The overflow of praise pours out invitation for others to taste the goodness of God and His salvation (8). God delivers from trials and troubles (19). God will keep safe (20), defeat enemies (21), and redeem all who take refuge in Him (22). 
 
John sees Jesus as the fulfillment of this Psalm, not one of His bones being broken (John 19:31-33, 19-22). Jesus was delivered to death so all who trust in Him can know we will be forgiven for fearing the wrong things! And delivered from our enemy (the last enemy being death itself- 1 Corinthians 15:24-26). Jesus is faithful to save, and this should fuel grateful praise!


Richly Dwelling
-What stands out to you from today’s psalm, especially the grateful praise, deliverance of God, and the focus to fear the Lord?
 
-Do you fear the Lord and look to Him in faith for salvation or fear enemies and difficulties in our world, looking horizontally for hope of deliverance?
 
-How does Jesus being delivered to death, defeating death, and offering you salvation both fuel grateful praise and form your heart to hope in Him for deliverance? Where do you need to apply this?
 
Key Verse
4    I sought the Lord, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears.