Psalms 34King James Version
A psalm of David when he feigned madness before Achish. I will bless the Lord at all times. O taste and see that the Lord is good. The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them. He is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart.
An acrostic psalm of thanksgiving written from the specific experience of God's deliverance when David feigned madness before Abimelech (Achish). It opens in praise, invites others to join, then pivots to instruction: taste and see, fear the LORD, keep your tongue. The lower half turns to wisdom teaching about the righteous and wicked. Famous for 'the LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart.'
The God who saved one humiliated man playing mad to survive is the same God near to every broken heart, not occasionally but as a defining characteristic.
verse: "O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him." Taste is empirical: an invitation to personal experience, not inherited doctrine.
Superscription: 'A Psalm of David, when he changed his behaviour before Abimelech; who drove him away, and he departed.' Abimelech is likely a throne-name for Achish of Gath (1 Sam 21:10-15). David's survival was undignified. The acrostic structure makes this a carefully crafted wisdom poem despite being rooted in a specific embarrassing story.
David as the humbled, saved, and now teaching man; God as deliverer, hearer, and savior; the poor man who cried; the angel encamping around those who fear; the broken-hearted as the specific recipients of God's nearness.
Peter quotes Psalm 34:12-16 directly in 1 Peter 3:10-12 as instruction for Christian community life. John 19:36 sees verse 20 ('He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken') fulfilled in Jesus on the cross. The angel-encampment image (v7) became a standard text for guardian-angel theology.
For when you have just survived something humiliating and need language for the gratitude that comes after the worst-case scenario does not materialize. David was the poor man who cried.
1[A Psalm of David, when he changed his behaviour 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.
3O 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.
8O 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.
11Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the LORD.
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.
16The face of the LORD is against them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.
17The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles.
18The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.
19Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all.
20He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken.
21Evil shall slay the wicked: and they that hate the righteous shall be desolate.
22The LORD redeemeth the soul of his servants: and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate.