1 Of David, when he changeth his judgment before Abimelech; and he driveth him away, and he departeth.
2 I will bless Jehovah at all times: his praise [shall be] continually in my mouth.
3 My soul shall glory in Jehovah; the afflicted shall hear and be glad.
4 Exalt ye Jehovah with me, and let us extol his name together.
5 I sought Jehovah, and be answered me, and he delivered me from all my fears.
6 They looked unto him and they shone; and their faces shall not be ashamed.
7 This afflicted one called, and Jehovah heard and saved him out of all his distresses.
8 The angel of Jehovah encampeth round about those who fear him and delivereth them.
9 Taste ye and see that Jehovah [is] good; blessed [is] the man that trusteth in him.
10 Fear ye Jehovah, ye his holy ones; for there is no want to those who fear him.
11 Young lions have been in want and have suffered hunger; but those who seek Jehovah shall not lack any good thing.
12 Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of Jehovah.
13 Who [is] the man that desireth life, loving days that he may see good?
14 Keep thy tongue from evil and thy lips from speaking deceit.
15 Depart from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.
16 The eyes of Jehovah [are] upon the righteous and his ears toward their cry.
17 The face of Jehovah [is] against those that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.
18 They cried, and Jehovah heard and he delivered them from all their distresses.
19 Jehovah [is] nigh unto the broken in heart and he saveth the contrite in spirit.
20 Many [are] the troubles of the righteous [one]; but out of them all Jehovah delivereth him,
21 Keeping all his bones: not one of them hath been broken.
22 Evil shall slay the wicked, and those who hate the righteous shall incur guilt.
23 Jehovah redeemeth the soul of his servants, and all those who trust in him shall not incur guilt.
Notes on Psalm 34
“Of David, in his changing his judgment (i.e., feigning madness) before Abimelech, who drove him away, and he went.”
This again is a distinct advance on the preceding psalm, beautiful and seasonable as it is. For here it is the heart rising from the most abject circumstances, if we heed the title, to bless Jehovah at every season; as the afflicted are expected to join when they hear. It is full of encouragement founded on proved deliverance.
It may be noticed that verses 6-10 appear to be, not so much a continuation of what inspired David had been drawing from his experience, as an episode of the Spirit of Christ confirming and deepening all. From verse 11 The psalmist pursues his task, with a heart now the more inviting others to join the chorus of praise. Verse 20, we know, was literally true of the Lord, though Exodus 12 seems rather the scripture referred to in John 19.
These psalms (Psalms 35-37) are occupied with the evil, not only hostile to the righteous, but wicked in God’s sight and against His rights, as we see in the first of them.