Psalm 34

Psalm 34 is a psalm of David in Book One (Psalms 1–41) of the Psalms. Its superscription reads, "A Psalm of David, when he changed his behaviour before Abimelech; who drove him away, and he departed," referring to the occasion when David feigned madness and was driven away. It follows Psalm 33, a hymn praising God as Creator. Psalm 34 gives thanks for one individual's deliverance and turns that experience into instruction.

Structure

• Verses 1–3 The psalmist resolves to bless the LORD at all times and invites the humble to join him in magnifying His name.
• Verses 4–7 He testifies that when he sought the LORD, the LORD delivered him from all his fears and troubles. He declares that the angel of the LORD encamps round about those who fear Him.
• Verses 8–10 He urges others to taste and see that the LORD is good, affirming that those who fear Him lack nothing.
• Verses 11–14 He teaches the "children" the fear of the LORD: to keep the tongue and lips from evil, to depart from evil and do good, and to pursue peace.
• Verses 15–22 The LORD hears the cry of the righteous and cuts off the remembrance of evildoers. The righteous have many afflictions, but the LORD delivers them; He is near to the brokenhearted and redeems the souls of His servants.

Key Verses

• Psalm 34:8 "O taste and see that the LORD is good." This verse expresses a faith that knows God through experience. 1 Peter 2:3 echoes the expression.
• Psalm 34:18 "The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart." This verse is often cited to comfort those who are hurting (see Psalm 34:18).
• Psalm 34:19 "Many are the afflictions of the righteous." The verse acknowledges that the righteous also suffer, while proclaiming God's deliverance.

People and Places

• David: Named as the author in the superscription.
• Abimelech: The king named in the superscription. In the account of the same event in 1 Samuel 21, the king of Gath is called Achish. Some explain this difference by taking Abimelech as a title of Philistine kings, while others attribute it to differences in tradition.
• Gath: A city of Philistia to which David fled from Saul.

Points for Reflection

• Acrostic form: In the Hebrew text, the first letter of each verse follows the order of the alphabet. However, no verse begins with waw (ו), and verse 22 is regarded as an addition outside the alphabetic sequence. This structure is not visible in translation.
• Superscription: Traditionally the psalm is read, as its superscription indicates, in connection with David's life. Some scholars hold that the superscription was added later. The text itself does not directly mention the incident at Gath.
• The angel of the LORD (verse 7): Some interpret this figure as an angel, while others, including some Church Fathers and Reformed interpreters, see it as a preincarnate appearance of Christ. The "young lions" of verse 10 are unrelated; although in Korean the words for "angel" (messenger) and "lion" sound alike, they are different words.
• Connections with the New Testament: 1 Peter 3:10–12 quotes verses 12–16 of this psalm. The words "A bone of him shall not be broken" in John 19:36 are read by some in connection with verse 20 of this psalm and by others in connection with the regulation for the Passover lamb in Exodus 12:46. Still others hold that the verse draws on both texts.
• The promise that the righteous will surely be delivered (verses 19–20) is often read not as an unconditional guarantee but as an expression of God's general governance of the world as described in wisdom literature.

In the Korean Church

The phrase "taste and see" from verse 8 is frequently used in sermon titles and testimonies. Verse 18 is known as a passage often read during pastoral visitation and services of comfort.