Psalm 34
1 I will praise the Lord at all times. I will constantly speak his praises.
2 I will boast only in the Lord ; let all who are helpless take heart.
3 Come, let us tell of the Lord 's greatness; let us exalt his name together.
4 I prayed to the Lord, and he answered me. He freed me from all my fears.
5 Those who look to him for help will be radiant with joy; no shadow of
shame will darken their faces.
6 In my desperation I prayed, and the Lord listened; he saved me from all
my troubles.
7 For the angel of the Lord is a guard; he surrounds and defends all who
fear him.
8 Taste and see that the Lord is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge
in him!
9 Fear the Lord, you his godly people, for those who fear him will have all
they need.
10 Even strong young lions sometimes go hungry, but those who trust in the
Lord will lack no good thing.
11 Come, my children, and listen to me, and I will teach you to fear the Lord .
12 Does anyone want to live a life that is long and prosperous?
13 Then keep your tongue from speaking evil and your lips from telling lies!
14 Turn away from evil and do good. Search for peace, and work to
maintain it.
15 The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right; his ears are open to
their cries for help.
16 But the Lord turns his face against those who do evil; he will erase their
memory from the earth.
17 The Lord hears his people when they call to him for help. He rescues them
from all their troubles.
18 The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits
are crushed.
19 The righteous person faces many troubles, but the Lord comes to the
rescue each time.
20 For the Lord protects the bones of the righteous; not one of them is
broken!
21 Calamity will surely destroy the wicked, and those who hate the righteous
will be punished.
22 But the Lord will redeem those who serve him. No one who takes refuge in
him will be condemned.
Reflect
- According to the passage, what are you freed from when you pray to the Lord and take refuge in Him? In what ways has this been true for you?
- Who is the Lord close to? Whom does he rescue? In what ways have you felt the Lord close to you or encouraged in a challenging situation?
- Reread Psalm 34:1. In what ways can you praise the Lord in this moment? (Ex: Reflect on a time you experienced the goodness of God. Pause and remember a time when a prayer was answered or you were given strength to endure a difficulty in your life.)