Psalm 34:1-22
Q.1. What was the inspiration behind this Psalm? Why did David praise God? How great was God’s intervention? Of what protection was he conscious? How well did God look after him? – (Ps.34:1-10)
The Psalm is prefaced with the words – A Psalm of David when he feigned madness before Abimelech (Hebrew meaning: my father is king) who drove him away and he departed. It referred to the incident when David fled from king Saul to the Philistine city of Gath, to Achish, king of Gath (c.f. 1 Sam.21:10-15). In order to escape, David pretended to be insane. He thus escaped from the hand of the king. This would have been one of the lowest times in his life, but David rallied by seeking and experiencing God’s wonderful grace. He commenced by expressing his praise and confidence in the Lord and called on his companions to do the same (Ps.34:1-3). It had been a time of fear, but he testified – I sought the Lord, and He answered me, AND DELIVERED ME FROM ALL MY FEARS (Ps.34:4). He had numerous troubles, but he declared – This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him AND SAVED HIM OUT OF ALL HIS TROUBLES (Ps.34:6). Since David feared God more than he feared people, he called on His people to – 9 fear the Lord, you, His saints; For to those who fear Him there is no want. He added 10 … they who seek the Lord shall not be in want of any good thing (Ps.34:9-10). He was conscious of God’s protection, since he knew that – The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him and rescues them (Ps.34:7).
Q. On what promises can we count? On what basis? Will the righteous experience trouble and heartache? What did David prophesy about Christ? – (Ps.34:11-22 c.f. Jn.19:33-36)
Continuing with the theme of fearing God, David reminded his people how to enjoy a long and blessed life – 13 Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit. 14 Depart from evil and do good; Seek peace and pursue it (Ps.34:13-14 c.f. Ps.34:11). To those who do this – the eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous and His ears are open to their cry (Ps.34:15). Nevertheless, the righteous will experience their share of trouble and heartache – 17 The righteous cry, and the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. 18 The Lord is near to the broken-hearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. 19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all (Ps.34:17-19). However, the outcomes of these trials will ultimately benefit God’s people, and God promised that we will never be covered with shame. David also shared a Messianic insight about the suffering of Jesus – He keeps all his bones, not one of them is broken (Ps.34:20). This reveals the miraculous nature of the prophetic Word. We could easily pass over this prophecy, but it was taken up by John in his Gospel – 32 So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first man and of the other who was crucified with Him; 33 but coming to Jesus, when they saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs. 34 But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out. 35 And he who has seen has testified, and his testimony is true; and he knows that he is telling the truth, so that you also may believe. 36 For these things came to pass to fulfill the Scripture, “Not a bone of Him shall be broken.” 37 And again another Scripture says, “They shall look on Him whom they pierced.” (Jn.19:32-37). John explicitly claimed that this was a prophecy detailing the unique way in which Jesus died. David’s observation here was looking ahead to the suffering and death of Jesus at Calvary.