The Good Life Redefined (Psalm 34:12-14)
- Dan Miller
- Jul 27
- 3 min read
Updated: Jul 30
What man is there who desires life and loves many days, that he may see good? ¹³Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit. ¹⁴Turn away from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it. —Psalm 34:12-14
One might reply to the psalmist’s question in verse 12 with, “What man is there who doesn't desire a long, fruitful life? Who doesn’t want a good life rather than a bad life cut short by tragedy?” It’s true that for some, disillusionment with life can sap the enthusiasm to continue a forward journey. And yes, severe depression can lead others to the point of longing for life on earth to end. But even deep disillusionment and depression bear negative witness to this primal longing. The natural, near universal desire of the human heart is to live a long, fruitful life.
Who hasn’t heard the observation that someone is “living the good life”? In secular society that usually means some lucky person enjoys an abundance of wealth, good health, strong family and social ties, ample opportunities to pursue fulfilling leisure activities, and the like. This is “the good life” as popularly conceived. It finds scant correlation to character or moral responsibility. It’s easy to be influenced by the culture, and tempting to view the good life on these terms, fueling discontent for many, and feeding the pride of the few who “luck out.”
Having posed the rhetorical question of verse 12, David tacks in a different direction. The qualities of life he highlights in verses 13-14 are merely representative, but they indicate that the good life is hardwired to the imitation of God’s moral perfections. Godliness, he says, not good fortune, is living the good life. He gives us three categories that comprise good living: speech, action, and purpose.
Speech
The first character trait of the good life is pure speech (v. 13). Evil words and deceptive speech suffocate life. True and righteous words adorn it.
Action
Second is godly action (v. 14a). The good life is characterized by saying no to sinful behaviors while actively pursuing righteous deeds. Doing good, not attaining affluent ease is the quest of genuine life.
Purpose
Third is a commitment to secure peace between warring, or potentially warring, parties (v. 14b). Those who stir up conflict lead dark lives. Peacemakers imitate God (cf. Matthew 5:9).
This psalm’s context adds a decided hue to these verses. At the time of David’s writing, King Saul was the wealthiest, most powerful man in Israel. David was an outcast—hunted by Saul and rejected by the Philistines before whom he had recently suffered utter humiliation. Yet David realized he was living the good life. By God’s standards of speech, behavior, and peacemaking, Saul was not. A life lived in fidelity to the Lord is the good life, no matter how troubling the circumstances that may beset our daily lives.
The good life cannot be had by mere human effort. It depends ultimately on God whose grace transforms His people as they actively pursue living in conformity to Christ by the power of the Spirit. May the Lord spur us on in this pursuit, producing in us the fruit of righteousness, for His glory, and for our eternal good.
For Reflection
When you consider the three couplets—speaking purely, doing good, and making peace—which one stands out in your conscience as most needing reform in your life? Pause in prayer to confess sin, seek God’s grace, and commit yourself to renewed faithfulness to the Lord.
Contrast how Saul and David pursued or failed to pursue peacemaking in their relationship with one another from the time David killed Goliath (1 Samuel 17, 18:8-11, 25b, 29b; 19:1, 10-15) to the time Psalm 34 was written (cf. 1 Samuel 21:10-15 and 1 Samuel 24).
List several ways the pursuit of godliness has enriched your life as a follower of Christ. Pause to thank God for these evidences of his grace and blessing upon your life, despite the travails that have beset you along the way.
Dan has served Eden Baptist Church in Burnsville, MN as lead pastor since 1989. Dan earned M.Div. and Th.M. degrees from Central Baptist Theological Seminary, Minneapolis; and a Doctor of Ministry degree from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Chicago. He is married to Beth and the Lord has blessed them with three sons, a daughter, and many grandchildren.
