Psalm 34

From: Short Meditations on the Psalms: Chiefly in Their Prophectic Character By: John Gifford Bellett

Psalm 34 • 2 min. read • grade level: 8

This is another utterance in spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ after His resurrection.

He praises God for this deliverance (Psa. 34:1-2¹<<A Psalm of David, when he changed his behavior before Abimelech; who drove him away, and he departed.>> I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth. ²My soul shall make her boast in the Lord: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad. (Psalm 34:1‑2)). He calls on His saints to join Him in this (Psa. 34:3-7³O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together. ⁴I sought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. ⁵They looked unto him, and were lightened: and their faces were not ashamed. ⁶This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles. ⁷The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them. (Psalm 34:3‑7)). He exhorts them to trust in God because of this; and to assure themselves, on the ground of His resurrection, that the Lord indeed is gracious. (Psa. 34:8-10⁸O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him. ⁹O fear the Lord, ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him. ¹⁰The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing. (Psalm 34:8‑10); and 1 Peter 2:3³If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious. (1 Peter 2:3).)

We know that Psalm 34:20²⁰He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken. (Psalm 34:20) was fulfilled in the person of the Lord Jesus. (See John 19:36³⁶For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken. (John 19:36).)

He then gathers the family around Him to read them as it were the lessons which, as in resurrection, He was by experience abundantly competent to teach them. He tells them how to walk through life so as to escape many of its sorrows; but that if troubles do come (as they will) even because of their uprightness, they may, as by His example, being now raised from the dead, assure themselves of final deliverance, and that no real damage will ever be sustained by them; but that rather their redeemer shall be their avenger also, destroying those who hate them.

Thus Jesus by His resurrection comforts and instructs His saints or disciples. He shares with them (as everything else) the profit of His own experience. (See Psa. 34:12-15,¹²What man is he that desireth life, and loveth many days, that he may see good? ¹³Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile. ¹⁴Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it. ¹⁵The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry. (Psalm 34:12‑15) and 1 Peter 3.)

And this is His mind in Matthew 11:29-30²⁹Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. ³⁰For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. (Matthew 11:29‑30)—“Learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls; for my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” By this telling them what He Himself had already proved, that the path of a meek and lowly heart led the soul unto much rest, making the yoke easy and the burden light. And who of us, beloved, do not prove this?

I might add, suggested by Psalm 34:6,⁶This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles. (Psalm 34:6) how eminently was the Lord Jesus, though “rich in glory” (see Phil. 4:19¹⁹But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:19)), “the poor man,” as again called in Psalm 35:10,¹⁰All my bones shall say, Lord, who is like unto thee, which deliverest the poor from him that is too strong for him, yea, the poor and the needy from him that spoileth him? (Psalm 35:10) and Psalm 41:1¹<<To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.>> Blessed is he that considereth the poor: the Lord will deliver him in time of trouble. (Psalm 41:1). We know Him thus in the Evangelists, blessed be His name!

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