The title of Psalm 34 tells us when David wrote it. He was running from King Saul and fled to the Philistine city of Gath. When the king’s servants recognized him, David was terrified and pretended to be insane until they sent him away. It was not his finest hour. Yet out of that frightening and humbling moment came one of the most joyful psalms in the Bible. Psalm 34 shows that God’s goodness meets us even in our weakest moments.
Praise at All Times
David begins with a promise to himself: I will bless the LORD at all times (Psalm 34:1-3). Remember where he had just been. He had acted like a madman in front of a foreign king, scratching on doors and letting spit run down his beard (1 Samuel 21:10-15). Most of us would want to forget such a day. David turned it into worship. He did not boast in his clever escape. He boasted in the Lord, and he invited the humble to join him. Praise at all times means praise on good days and embarrassing days, in plenty and in want. Paul tells us to give thanks in everything, for this is God’s will for us in Christ Jesus (1 Thessalonians 5:18). Praise is not a feeling that waits for good news. It is a choice we make about God.
What embarrassing or difficult moment from your past could you turn into a testimony of praise, and who will you share it with this week?
Taste for Yourself
David gives his testimony: I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears (Psalm 34:4-10). Those who look to God become radiant, and their faces are not ashamed. The angel of the Lord camps around those who fear Him. Scripture tells us angels are ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation (Hebrews 1:14). Then David gives an invitation: O taste and see that the LORD is good. You cannot learn the taste of food by reading a menu. You have to eat. In the same way, God’s goodness must be experienced, not only described. Peter echoes this psalm when he urges new believers to desire the pure milk of the Word, since they have tasted that the Lord is gracious (1 Peter 2:2-3). Have you tasted for yourself?
In what area of your life have you only heard about God’s goodness, and what step of trust will you take there this week to taste it for yourself?
Near the Brokenhearted
Now David becomes a teacher, calling children to learn the fear of the Lord (Psalm 34:11-22). He gives practical lessons. Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from lies. Turn from evil, do good, and seek peace. Peter repeats this teaching for Christians facing pressure (1 Peter 3:10-12). David is honest that the righteous have many troubles. Faith does not make us immune to pain. But the Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves those with a crushed spirit. He keeps all the bones of the righteous, and not one of them is broken. John saw this fulfilled at the cross, when the soldiers did not break the legs of Jesus (John 19:36). The perfectly righteous One suffered for us, so that no one who trusts in Him will be left desolate.
Who do you know with a crushed spirit right now, and what simple act of kindness will you offer them before the week ends?
Conclusion
Psalm 34 was born in a moment of fear and shame, yet it overflows with praise. David chose to bless the Lord at all times. He invited us to taste God’s goodness for ourselves. And he reminded us that the righteous still face troubles, but the Lord stays close. Jesus, whose bones were not broken, carried our shame on the cross. Because of Him, we can come to God just as we are and find that He is good.
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