BOOK 19 OF 66 · WISDOM & POETRY · KING JAMES BIBLE

Psalms 34

Psalms book home•Chapter 34 of 150•22 verses

Chapter overviewAt a glance + deeper study

REVIEWED OVERVIEW

Psalms 34 Overview

David blesses God continually, invites others to magnify Him, recounts answered prayer, teaches the fear of the LORD, and assures that God is near the brokenhearted.

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34Chapter

22Verses

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Before you read Psalms 34

Coming from

Psalm 33 centered on praise the creator whose counsel governs nations. Psalms is an anthology rather than a continuous chronological story, so the connection here is canonical and thematic.

In this chapter

David blesses God continually, invites others to magnify Him, recounts answered prayer, teaches the fear of the LORD, and assures that God is near the brokenhearted.

Leads into

Psalm 35 turns to a persecuted servant asks god to contend with malicious enemies, continuing the Psalter’s arranged movement without requiring that the two psalms describe consecutive historical events.

Key understandingExplore deeper

Psalm 34 belongs to Book I of the Psalter (Psalms 1–41). The heading connects the psalm to David's feigned madness before Abimelech/Achish in 1 Samuel 21.

Major truths in this chapterExplore deeper

Central truth

Testimony that the LORD hears and delivers.

Thanksgiving truth

In Psalm 34, remembered deliverance should become explicit thanksgiving rather than private relief only.

Wisdom truth

In Psalm 34, godly wisdom evaluates life by the LORD’s revealed moral order rather than by appearances alone.

Connections to the rest of ScriptureExplore deeper

1 Peter 2:3

Peter echoes the call to taste that the Lord is gracious.

1 Peter 3:10-12

Peter quotes Psalm 34’s instruction about speech, doing good, and the Lord’s attention to the righteous.

Thanksgiving connection

1 Chronicles 16 joins remembered acts of God with public thanksgiving and praise. This connection helps frame Psalm 34.

What is clear, and where care is neededExplore deeper

Keep thanksgiving in context

Do not make the deliverance in Psalm 34 a guaranteed timetable for every believer’s present crisis.

Keep wisdom in context

Do not turn a wisdom contrast in Psalm 34 into a mechanical formula that guarantees immediate earthly outcomes in every case.

Read Psalms 34 watching for…

bless at all times.

taste and see.

fear LORD teaching.

broken heart.

none of bones broken.

Chapter outline2 sections

1-10David blesses the LORD and testifies that God hears and delivers those who fear him 11-22David teaches the fear of the LORD and says God is near the brokenhearted

[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.

My soul shall make her boast in the LORD: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad.

O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together.

I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.

They looked unto him, and were lightened: and their faces were not ashamed.

This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles.

The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.

O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.

O fear the LORD, ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him.

The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the LORD shall not want any good thing.

Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the LORD.

What man is he that desireth life, and loveth many days, that he may see good?

Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile.

Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.

The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry.

The face of the LORD is against them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.

The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles.

The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.

Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all.

He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken.

Evil shall slay the wicked: and they that hate the righteous shall be desolate.

The LORD redeemeth the soul of his servants: and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate.

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Psalms 34:10

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