Psalm 34

I will extol the Lord at all times;
    his praise will always be on my lips.
I will glory in the Lord;
    let the afflicted hear and rejoice.
Glorify the Lord with me;
    let us exalt his name together.
I sought the Lord, and he answered me;
    he delivered me from all my fears.
Those who look to him are radiant;
    their faces are never covered with shame.
This poor man called, and the Lord heard him;
    he saved him out of all his troubles.
The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him,
    and he delivers them.
Taste and see that the Lord is good;
    blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.
Fear the Lord, you his holy people,
    for those who fear him lack nothing.
The lions may grow weak and hungry,
    but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.
Come, my children, listen to me;
    I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
Whoever of you loves life
    and desires to see many good days,
keep your tongue from evil
    and your lips from telling lies.
Turn from evil and do good;
    seek peace and pursue it.
The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,
    and his ears are attentive to their cry;
but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil,
    to blot out their name from the earth.
The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them;
    he delivers them from all their troubles.
The Lord is close to the brokenhearted
    and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
The righteous person may have many troubles,
    but the Lord delivers him from them all;
he protects all his bones,
    not one of them will be broken.
Evil will slay the wicked;
    the foes of the righteous will be condemned.
The Lord will rescue his servants;
    no one who takes refuge in him will be condemned.

• Psalm 34:1-22

Type of Psalm

Didactic psalms: These psalms are psalms that are intended to teach.  In most cases the psalm instructs us in moral principles.

Psalms of thanksgiving for God’s goodness to good people:  Giving God thanks as noted.

Psalms of thanksgiving for God’s mercies to individuals:  Giving God thanks as noted.

Matthew Henry’s Summary

“This psalm was penned upon a particular occasion, as appears by the title. I. He praises God for the experience which he and others had had of his goodness, ver. 1-6. II. He encourages all good people to trust in God, ver. 7-10. III. He gives good counsel to us all, to make conscience of our duty both to God and man, ver. 11-14. IV. To enforce this good counsel he sets before us good and evil, the blessing and the curse, ver.15-22.”

• Matthew Henry, Matthew Henry’s Commentary

Noted Biblical Scholars, Teachers, and Preachers Comments

Psalm 34:7 “Chiffon wings and meringue sweetness? Perhaps for angels in the gift books and specialty shops, but God’s angels are marked by indescribable strength. Paul says Christ will come with his mighty angels (2 Thessalonians 1:7). From the word translated mighty, we have the English word dynamic. Angels pack dynamic force. It took only one angel to slay the firstborn of Egypt and only one angel to close the mouths of the lions to protect Daniel. David called angels ‘mighty warriors who do what he says and who obey his voice’ (Psalm 103:20).
“No need for you to talk to angels; they won’t listen. Their ears incline only to God’s voice. They are ‘spirits who serve God,’ responding to his command and following only his directions (Hebrews 1:14). Jesus said they ‘are always with my Father in heaven’ (Matthew 18:10). Only one sound matters to angels—God’s voice.”

• Max Lucado, Come Thirsty

My Thoughts

The note before the first verse states that this psalm came from the time David pretended to be insane and Abimelech let him go.  First Samuel 21 says Achish, but I think Abimelech is the title for the king of that region.

David lifts up praises to God.  And he suggests that we all do that.  In fact, let’s do it together.

God saved David in this case, but God protects and saves all who fear in the Lord.  Those that fear the Lord lack nothing.

We should teach each other to fear the Lord.

God will blot out evil and deliver us.

We may still get broken bones, but verse 20 is talking about Jesus.  Some pastors get irritated when the pastor mentions during the communion that Christ’s body was broken.  No bone was broken to fulfill this verse.

Psalm 35

Contend, Lord, with those who contend with me;
    fight against those who fight against me.
Take up shield and armor;
    arise and come to my aid.
Brandish spear and javelin
    against those who pursue me.
Say to me,
    “I am your salvation.”
May those who seek my life
    be disgraced and put to shame;
may those who plot my ruin
    be turned back in dismay.
May they be like chaff before the wind,
    with the angel of the Lord driving them away;
may their path be dark and slippery,
    with the angel of the Lord pursuing them.
Since they hid their net for me without cause
    and without cause dug a pit for me,
may ruin overtake them by surprise—
    may the net they hid entangle them,
    may they fall into the pit, to their ruin.
Then my soul will rejoice in the Lord
    and delight in his salvation.
My whole being will exclaim,
    “Who is like you, Lord?
You rescue the poor from those too strong for them,
    the poor and needy from those who rob them.”
Ruthless witnesses come forward;
    they question me on things I know nothing about.
They repay me evil for good
    and leave me like one bereaved.
Yet when they were ill, I put on sackcloth
    and humbled myself with fasting.
When my prayers returned to me unanswered,
    I went about mourning
    as though for my friend or brother.
I bowed my head in grief
    as though weeping for my mother.
But when I stumbled, they gathered in glee;
    assailants gathered against me without my knowledge.
    They slandered me without ceasing.
Like the ungodly they maliciously mocked;
    they gnashed their teeth at me.
How long, Lord, will you look on?
    Rescue me from their ravages,
    my precious life from these lions.
I will give you thanks in the great assembly;
    among the throngs I will praise you.
Do not let those gloat over me
    who are my enemies without cause;
do not let those who hate me without reason
    maliciously wink the eye.
They do not speak peaceably,
    but devise false accusations
    against those who live quietly in the land.
They sneer at me and say, “Aha! Aha!
    With our own eyes we have seen it.”
Lord, you have seen this; do not be silent.
    Do not be far from me, Lord.
Awake, and rise to my defense!
    Contend for me, my God and Lord.
Vindicate me in your righteousness, Lord my God;
    do not let them gloat over me.
Do not let them think, “Aha, just what we wanted!”
    or say, “We have swallowed him up.”
May all who gloat over my distress
    be put to shame and confusion;
may all who exalt themselves over me
    be clothed with shame and disgrace.
May those who delight in my vindication
    shout for joy and gladness;
may they always say, “The Lord be exalted,
    who delights in the well-being of his servant.”
My tongue will proclaim your righteousness,
    your praises all day long.

• Psalm 35:1-28

Type of Psalm

Psalms of Affliction: Psalms where the psalmist is crying out in pain or distress, asking God where He is in the psalmist’s time of need.  But no matter how dire the circumstances or how long the lament, there seems to always be a word of praise.  Otherwise, why do we go to God in such times, other than to recognize Him as the only one who can help us?

Imprecatory psalms: Asking for vengeance against enemies.  From the two examples above, these requests for vengeance are usually not specific in how God does it.  I have written about this type of psalm or prayer in that they are legitimate requests to God.  We know that God will eventually stamp out all evil in the world.  Praying that God would do as He promises that He will eventually do is legitimate, but when a face is applied to that evil, our first reaction should be one of forgiveness and mercy.

Matthew Henry’s Summary

“David, in this psalm, appeals to the righteous Judge of heaven and earth against his enemies that hated and persecuted him. It is supposed that Saul and his party are the persons he means, for with them he had the greatest struggles. I. He complains to God of the injuries they did him. II. He pleads his own innocency, that he never gave them any provocation (ver. 7, 19), but, on the contrary, had studied to oblige them, ver. 12-14. III. He prays to God to protect and deliver him.  IV. He prophesies the destruction of his persecutors, ver. 4-6, 8. V. He promises himself that he shall yet see better days (ver. 9, 10), and promises God that he will then attend him with his praises, ver. 18, 28.”

• Matthew Henry, Matthew Henry’s Commentary

Noted Biblical Scholars, Teachers, and Preachers Comments

Psalm 35:21-22 “What David’s enemy allegedly saw, the Lord has seen perfectly.  David knew that his God would vindicate him based on the true evidence, all in his favor.”

• John MacArthur, John MacArthur Commentary (quoted Scripture without bold/italics)

My Thoughts

David is being very military minded.  He wants God to contend, to fight, and even take up weapons against David’s enemies.

The imprecatory verses are a blend of mild admonishments to send David’s enemies away in disgrace, with shame, and simply turned away.  Then there is the dark and slippery places with the angels chasing them and having them fall in a pit.  Near the end, David repeats the shame, confusion, and disgrace.

But then a common lament in the psalms, “How long?”  There is a difference in God’s timing and ours and we wanted that done yesterday.  In this description, David loves his enemies and he helps them when they are down, but when he is down, they slander and mock.

How long indeed.

Lord, do not let them wink an eye.  Do not let them gloat.

Lord, do not be far from me.

But those who know my heart, Lord, they will praise you.  The Lord will be exalted.

Psalm 36

I have a message from God in my heart
    concerning the sinfulness of the wicked:
There is no fear of God
    before their eyes.
In their own eyes they flatter themselves
    too much to detect or hate their sin.
The words of their mouths are wicked and deceitful;
    they fail to act wisely or do good.
Even on their beds they plot evil;
    they commit themselves to a sinful course
    and do not reject what is wrong.
Your love, Lord, reaches to the heavens,
    your faithfulness to the skies.
Your righteousness is like the highest mountains,
    your justice like the great deep.
    You, Lord, preserve both people and animals.
How priceless is your unfailing love, O God!
    People take refuge in the shadow of your wings.
They feast on the abundance of your house;
    you give them drink from your river of delights.
For with you is the fountain of life;
    in your light we see light.
Continue your love to those who know you,
    your righteousness to the upright in heart.
May the foot of the proud not come against me,
    nor the hand of the wicked drive me away.
See how the evildoers lie fallen—
    thrown down, not able to rise!

• Psalm 36:1-12

Type of Psalm

Didactic psalms: These psalms are psalms that are intended to teach.  In most cases the psalm instructs us in moral principles.

Psalms of thanksgiving for God’s goodness to good people:  Giving God thanks as noted.

Matthew Henry’s Summary

“I. The sinfulness of sin, and how mischievous it is, ver. 1-4. II. The goodness of God, and how gracious he is, 1. To all his creatures in general, ver. 5, 6. 2. To his own people in a special manner, ver. 7-9. By this the psalmist is encouraged to pray for all the saints (ver. 10), for himself in particular and his own preservation (ver. 11), and to triumph in the certain fall of his enemies, ver. 12. If, in singing this psalm, our hearts be duly affected with the hatred of sin and satisfaction in God’s lovingkindness, we sing it with grace and understanding.”

• Matthew Henry, Matthew Henry’s Commentary

Noted Biblical Scholars, Teachers, and Preachers Comments

Psalm 36:7 ” ‘He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you can hide’ (Psalm 91:4).
“The image of living beneath Shaddai’s shadow reminds me of a rained out picnic.  My college friends and I barely escaped a West Texas storm before it pummeled the park where we were spending a Saturday afternoon.  As we were leaving, my buddy brought the car to a sudden stop and gestured to a tender sight on the ground.  A mother bird sat exposed to the rain, her wing extended over her baby who had fallen out of the nest.  The fierce storm prohibited her from returning to the tree, so she covered her child until the wind passed.
“From how many winds is God protecting you? His wing, at this moment shields you.
“A slanderous critic heading toward your desk is interrupted by a phone call.  A burglar en route to your house has a flat tire.  A drunk driver runs out of gas before your car passes his.  God, your guardian, protects you.”

• Max Lucado, Come Thirsty

My Thoughts

Again, David laments that no one fears the Lord.  It will be a frightening sight to be in God’s presence.  In our present bodies, we would surely die.  But fear of the Lord is a helpful fear, an awe of God and an understanding of what God is: bigger, stronger, more wise, and more holy than we could ever imagine.

But people flatter themselves.  They commit to a sinful coarse of action.

Have you ever noticed that when we take a sinful coarse of action, the road is smoother until it is not?  When you go on the less traveled road, you have others mocking you and you better not trip.  But further down each of those roads, the road changes.

Psalm 36:6 is the verse Mark Lowry uses in his comedy routine about how Dogs go to Heaven.  It just says animals, or beasts, depending on the translation.  But God will preserve both.

It is interesting that David speaks of God keeping him safe from the foot of the proud and the hand of the wicked.  The proud are always looking down on everyone else and to keep the other person down, they love stepping on them.  I have heard that it is lonely at the top.  You got there by stepping on everyone else.  But beware of the hand of the wicked.  They will rob you blind.

David understood those little things, so that a few words have deep meaning.

But before God, the evil doers will fall and be unable to rise.

Some Serendipitous Reflections

Psalm 34

“1. Peter uses this psalm to comfort those who suffer for doing good (v.8 = 1Pe 2:3; vv.12-16 = 1Pe 3:10-12). How do you reconcile the ‘good things’ the Lord promises with the acute suffering experienced by some Christians?
“2. How does the Christian life ‘taste’ to you: Sweet? Sour? Spicy? Salty? Bitter? Bland? Why? Or have you only sampled God? Why is that?
“3. John saw verse 20 fulfilled in Jesus (see Jn 19:36). What was significant about the bones (see Ex 12:46)? How might this psalm be Jesus’ testimony, as well as David’s?
“4. In what way is this psalm also your testimony (see V.22 with Ro 8:1)?
“5. What does it mean to ‘seek peace and pursue it’ (v.14)? How does it apply to God? Others? Society? Would ‘casual’ or ‘relentless’ better describe your pursuit of peace this week? Why?”

Psalm 35

“1. How do you respond when people treat you unfairly? And if that went on and on? In what situation do you wish the Lord would fight for you?
“2. Are you comfortable with David’s many cries for vengeance? How might a Christian pray ‘against’ enemies?
“3. When we pray ‘Thy kingdom come,’ what are we asking God to do to those who oppose him? How does that relate to David’s plea?
“4. What injustice around you hurts enough to move you to pray against it? If nothing does, what does that say about your concern for justice and compassion for others?”

Psalm 36

“1. In the Psalms the ‘righteous’ seem to be those who may do evil but are generally seeking to please God. The ‘wicked’ are those who, despite good they may do, are generally rejecting God’s ways. What aspects of each do you see in your own life?
“2. Using your own literary license, re-write verses 5-6 in terms of your own experience of God. To what can you compare God’s love? His faithfulness? His justice?
“3. What have you tasted of God’s ‘feast’ recently? How has he refreshed or enlivened you?”

• Lyman Coleman, et al, The NIV Serendipity Bible for Study Groups

There is one set of questions for each psalm.

Substitute whatever group for any reference to a small group or ask who could come to your aid.

Soli Deo Gloria.  Only to God be the Glory.