For all the help that the Research Guide gives, there are vast swaths of verse upon which they make nary a comment. Often these are the verses that intrigue me most, though perhaps it’s for that exact reason: nothing’s been said about them—thus they become the ‘forbidden fruit,’ the subject of curiosity that does not kill the cat.
I’m doing my own verse-by-verse project on Psalm 34,* the first line of which is ‘I will praise Jehovah at all times; his praise will be on my lips constantly.’ The circuit overseer explored, with help of that Psalm, the course of praising God, not just in good times, but also in bad.
(*This in turn triggered an exploration of all the psalms, starting with the first, some of which have already been presented.)
What to make of verses 4-6?
4: I inquired of Jehovah, and he answered me, And out of all my frights he delivered me.
5 They looked to him and became radiant, And their very faces could not possibly be ashamed.
6 This afflicted one called, and Jehovah himself heard. And out of all his distresses He saved him.
Who is the ‘they’ of verse 5? The Guide suggests it is David’s men, whom he built up as though telling encouraging tales around the campfire. (This is the Psalm composed when David was playing crazy before Achish.) But that seems not too modest of David; should he be like the bragging blowhard carrying on about how enthralling his public talks are?
More likely to me, since vs 4 and 6 tell of David relating that he put trust in Jehovah, and that trust was rewarded, is that vs 5 is David himself meditating on others (‘they’) who had put trust in God, pondering how their faith and conduct turned out, and thus nudging himself to do the same.
You want to follow the ‘pattern of the healthful words.’ But once you’ve got the pattern down, you can expound in a way consistent with them. Lots of verses are wide open and some of the ones that are not don’t give the impression of being nailed down.
***“I will praise Jehovah at all times; His praise will be on my lips constantly.” Ps 34:1
The CO used this verse to open the theme, ‘Will you praise God in good times AND bad?’
Going through this Psalm of David verse by verse:
“I will boast in Jehovah; The meek will hear and rejoice.” (34:2)
He’s a king. He doesn’t boast of armies, alliances, acumen, might. He boasts of Jehovah. Word filters down to the “meek” & those ones love it. Others, maybe not so much.
Psalm 34:3 “Magnify Jehovah along with me; Let us exalt his name together.”
It is an invitation from a king. (David) How many kings will extend such an invite? And if it is David as forerunner of Jesus, well—that works too.
***
“The angel of Jehovah is camping all around those fearing him, And he rescues them.” Psalm 53:7
Camping. I think of all the times the family was camping, or just plain dwelling. And how it made a difference who my neighbors were. (A time or two in the hood I had some neighbors who were none to pleasant.)
“Taste and see that Jehovah is good, O YOU people; Happy is the able-bodied man that takes refuge in him.” (Psalm 34:8)
The fact that it is ‘taste’ says it all. You don’t ‘prove’ it as though with science. You ‘taste’ it as though with experience. As with children & foods, some will not want to taste.
“Fear Jehovah, all you his holy ones, For those who fear him lack nothing.” 34:9
“Even strong young lions have been reduced to hunger, But those seeking Jehovah will lack nothing good.” (Psalm 34:10)
Okay. That’s reassuring, though not for the lions.
After many stand-alone couplets, we come across three that go together, the last line being quite familiar. And what of the opening question below. Does life in itself bring one pleasure?
Who among you takes pleasure in life , And would love to see many good days?
Then guard your tongue from what is bad, Your lips from speaking deception.
Turn away from what is bad and do what is good; Seek peace and pursue it. (Palm 34:12-14)
First point of counsel: Not anything we DO but what we SAY. That tongue is likened to the spark that sets the whole forest ablaze. (James 3:5)
“Come, my sons, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of Jehovah.” Psalm 34:11
It is a change of paste, setting the stage for new direction, prior verses having been ‘the testimonial,’ like: “This lowly one called, and Jehovah heard. He saved him from all his distresses,” (6) building to: “Taste and see that Jehovah is good; Happy is the man who takes refuge in him.” (8) and, “Fear Jehovah, all you his holy ones,For those who fear him lack nothing.” *9)
“Turn away from what is bad and do what is good; Seek peace and pursue it.” Psalm 34:14
I wonder if David’s nephew Joab thought his uncle was a chump? Wow-whee! what a hit man that guy was, uncontrollable even by his own boss.
The next two Ps34 verses go together & are reassuring to one focusing on the big picture:
“The eyes of Jehovah are on the righteous, And his ears listen to their cry for help. But the face of Jehovah is against those doing what is bad, To erase all memory of them from the earth.”
“They cried out, and Jehovah heard; He rescued them from all their distresses. Jehovah is close to the brokenhearted; He saves those who are crushed in spirit.” Psalm 34:17-18
These verses are like a refrain and amplification of ones earlier in the Psalm—4, 6, 7. And speaks to the theme in verse 1 of praising God at all times. And is the ‘they’ of vs 17 the same as the ‘those’ of ve 5–others David thought about that emboldened him to do the same?
“Many are the hardships of the righteous one, But Jehovah rescues him from them all.” Psalm 34:19.
Okay, glad we’ve got that straight. Don’t go thinking all your problems are from the Devil. It doesn’t work that way. You can be ‘righteous’ and still have ‘many.’
“Calamity will put the wicked one himself to death; And the very ones hating the righteous one will be held guilty. Jehovah is redeeming the soul of his servants; And none of those taking refuge in him will be held guilty.” (vs 21-22)
Such is how Psalm 34 concludes regarding the ‘wicked,’ the ‘righteous’ and the one taking refuge in God.
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