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The eyes of the LORD are toward the righteous and his ears toward their cry. ¹⁶The face of the LORD is against those who do evil, to cut off the memory of them from the earth. —Psalm 34:15-16 Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre tells Mr. Rochester, “We were born to strive and endure.” Similarly, one Christian contemporary song teaches “we believe in God and we all need Jesus  ’cause life is hard and it might not get easier...” They are not alone in this outlook. The Word of God is full of examples of suffering. Job, reflecting on his sudden calamity, opines, “man is born to trouble as the sparks fly upward” (Job 5:7). The apostle Paul gives full testimony to the many pains he and his fellow evangelists endured as they faithfully preached the gospel. The Ecclesiastes “preacher” spends most of his text recounting the numerous follies and turmoil of man’s existence. The book of Psalms is also filled with stories of the personal and corporate agony of God’s people. In our lives, we experience various types of fears and sorrows. Parents fear for their children and want the best for them, praying the Lord would keep them from sin and harm. The unmarried patiently seek and wait while serving God humbly, yet see their hope slowly fading in the rearview mirror, praying the Lord would not forget them. Married saints sometimes feel their marriage isn’t quite measuring up to the dreams they held before they wed. There are the jobless who, though qualified and eager, are not hired. Hard-working, intelligent employees are continually passed over for promotion as they watch the “insiders” rise higher and higher. The reality of life’s trials are all around us. Thanks be to God that we have in Psalm 34:15-16 the truth that turns what otherwise could be immobilizing, debilitating sadness into powerful hope and joy: “The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous and his ears toward their cry. The face of the Lord is against those who do evil, to cut off the memory of them from the earth.” This psalm is David’s thanksgiving and praise to God for saving him from the king of Gath at the same time he was fleeing from King Saul. It was a very low point for David. He was being pursed at home and abroad. He acted the fool in front of a king and his entire court, as well as his own men who had left all to follow him. He was on the run and uncertain of what each day would bring. His pain is evident: “I sought the Lord,” “all my fears,” “this poor man cried,” “all his troubles.” In answer to all of this despair, soaring higher still, ring God’s actions on David’s behalf: “he answered me,” “delivered me;” “the Lord heard and saved and delivered.” The intimacy of God’s presence is on display, his face, eyes, and ears are toward his people: “The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him.” Mirroring God’s posture toward them: “Those who look to him are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed.” Those who do evil—who are not repentant, faithful believers clinging to God— experience the opposite. They are cut off. After this interlude of warning, in verses 17-19 David returns to the main theme of this psalm: “When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.” When you are faced with sorrow, fear, or frustration, know that the Lord sees and hears. Follow the example Solomon set while dedicating the temple. He prayed: “[listen] to the cry and to the prayer that your servant prays before you this day, that your eyes may be open night and day toward this house…that you may listen to the prayer…And listen to the plea of your servant and of your people…and when you hear, forgive” (1 Kings 8:28b-30). Consider also Daniel, who, while exiled from home and this very temple (now destroyed), prayed to God: Now therefore, O our God, listen to the prayer of your servant and to his pleas for mercy, and for your own sake, O Lord, make your face to shine upon your sanctuary, which is desolate. O my God, incline your ear and hear. Open your eyes and see our desolations, and the city that is called by your name…  O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive. O Lord, pay attention and act. Delay not, for your own sake, O my God, because your city and your people are called by your name. (Daniel 9:17-19) The promise of Psalm 34:15-16, and the praise and prayers that it elicits, is not only for God’s people of yesterday—it remains for His people today. Even today His face is toward them, His eyes upon them, and His ears open to their cry. This is why God’s people can fervently rely on Him, pour out their hearts in praise and supplication, and trust in His care. For Reflection Parents, in what ways does the reality of God’s care for you help you in raising, nurturing, teaching, and protecting your children? How can you teach your children to “cry out to God” when they are hurt or afraid? What are some ways the Lord has been attentive to your cry, or has turned His face and eyes toward you–as an individual or as a family? Gio Lynch is a Brooklyn, NY native who serves Capitol Hill Baptist Church in Washington, D.C. as Children's Ministry Administrator. In her spare time, she enjoys hiking, camping and 18th century English country dancing.

The eyes of the LORD are toward the righteous and his ears toward their cry. ¹⁶The face of the LORD is against those who do evil, to cut off the memory of them from the earth. —Psalm 34:15-16 Two of God’s attributes are on display in these verses that have a direct impact on the lives of everyone: God’s mercy and His justice. It might not seem obvious, but both of these should be comforting to those who trust in Christ. God is attentive to the righteous when they cry out to Him in their distress (Psalm 86:5-7, 3:4, 34:17, 57:2, 50:15, 59:1-2, 120:1; Lamentations 3:55-57; Micah 7:7-9). Who are the righteous? The Bible tells us “there is none righteous” (Romans 3:10-12). Here we must understand that “the righteous” are those who, by faith, are trusting in God for salvation and sanctification. They are covered with the righteousness God provides for us in Christ Jesus (Habakkuk 2:4b). These are they who look to God, seek His face, and cry out to Him (Deuteronomy 4:29, Isaiah 55:6, Psalm 27:4, 34:15; 1 Chronicles 16:11, Psalm 77:1-2, 2 Chronicles 7:14, Zephaniah 2:3). In contrast, the wicked, those who do evil, will receive God’s justice (Psalm 60:12, Micah 3:4, Zephaniah 3:5). God turns His face away from the wicked and He will “cut off” even the memory of them. Those who trust in God will rejoice in His care for them, not only in His mercy, but also in His justice. He shows Himself as Sovereign and as Father in the way He cares for His children (Psalm 9:9-10, Psalm 121, Micah 7:18-20). He is trustworthy and just. He is our protector and vindicator. We can trust that His justice will prevail. Therefore, God’s people will be quick to thank Him for His attention to their cries (Psalm 107) and will glorify Him by leaving revenge in His hands (Romans 12:17-21, 1 Thessalonians 5:15). It is for everyone who loves God to hope in Him, calling to mind new mercies we experience every day (Lamentations 3:21-23). God is faithful to hear us and to provide what we need (Psalm 34:8-10, 17, 19). We can trust Him to deal with the hurts and injustices we face in this world (Psalm 32:4, 43, Habakkuk 3:16b-19). Seek Him, look into His Word, and know His character more. Call on Him, trust Him in all circumstances (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18). As Andrew Murray put it, “My Father sees, my Father hears, my Father knows,” and my Father cares! For Reflection What attribute of God might I need to study in God’s Word to gain a fuller picture of God? What new mercies can I thank God for today? What injustices do I see that I can cast on Him and entrust to Him (1 Peter 5:7)? Lori Myers  is a customer care specialist at Truth78. She has been using the Fighter Verses memory program since 2004. Daily practice on the Fighter Verses App  still deepens her faith and knowledge of God's Word. She is blessed to have two amazing daughters, two wonderful sons-in-law, and five adorable grandchildren.

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.

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 Doing good sometimes gets a bad rap. As Christians, we know the gospel is about bad people doing bad, being rescued by a good God doing good. We know there’s not enough good any of us can possibly do to save ourselves. And so we rightly resist any notion that doing good earns us favor with God. But sometimes we can get a bit carried away and think doing good doesn’t matter at all in the Christian life. Or worse yet, that all doing good is simply legalism waiting to happen. But is that true? Is there really no place for “doing good” in the life of Gospel-believing Christians? The Invitation to See Good King David helps us see the wisdom and value of doing good in Psalm 34:12–14. Immediately after telling us in verse 11 that he would teach us the fear of the Lord, he poses the question found in verse 12: “What man is there who desires life and loves many days, that he may see good?” Now while this looks like a question, think of it as more of an invitation. After we’ve tasted and seen that the Lord is good and have taken refuge in Him (v. 8), David promises that those of us who fear Him will lack nothing good (vv. 9–10). In verse 11 he begins his invitation to come learn the fear of the Lord. Verse 12, then, amps up his invitation. He says, “Do you want to live life the way it’s meant to be lived? Do you want to see the good I talked about in verses 8–10?” The Do Good Imperative Now he’s got us leaning forward, saying, “Yes! How do I live that life? How do I see good?” His answer: do good. Specifically, do good in three key areas. First, watch your words (v. 13). In order to see good, we should live lives marked by careful speech that is free from evil and lies. Christians are called to speak what is good and what is true. Second, actively resist the wrong and do the right (v. 13a). Notice David doesn’t just say, “Don’t do bad things.” He says turn away from evil. Move in another direction. And don’t just avoid bad, do good . Christians should be known more by what we do, than what we don’t. And third, pursue peace. We are to love peace, to seek it, to run after it. Don’t stop chasing it until you’ve caught it. If you want to see good, relentlessly pursue peace. The Ultimate “Do-Gooder” David’s wisdom to us is that if we do good in these ways, we’ll see good. Yet we know that sooner or later, all of us will fail along the way. That is why our hope isn’t in the good we do, but in the good Jesus did. He watched His words and did what was right—“He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth” (1 Peter 2:22). He pursued peace until He caught it, “making peace by the blood of his cross” (Colossians 1:20). So now we do good, not to earn salvation, but to enjoy it. We do good in order to see the good Jesus has won for us. For Reflection Are there certain scenarios where you’re tempted to say things that are untrue or not good? Is there an evil that you need to turn away from this week? How does Jesus making peace through His cross motivate you to pursue peace with others? Is there a relationship you need to seek peace in? What good do you need to start doing? What promises of seeing good can you remind yourself of this week to fuel your doing good?

Oh, fear the LORD, you his saints, for those who fear him have no lack! ¹⁰The young lions suffer want and hunger; but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing. ¹¹Come, O children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD. —Psalm 34:9-11 My reflection on this passage started at 4:00 a.m., with the ER bracelets still around my wrist. Sometimes God gives us a practicum for his Word, an opportunity not just to talk about it, but to walk through it. Oh, fear the LORD, you his saints, for those who fear him have no lack! Driving away from the park, where my family was gathered with cousins, grandparents, uncle, and aunts; where we had hoped to picnic and snap a family photo, I knew things were not okay. I thought about this verse. It did not seem good to be heading to the hospital. This wasn’t the abundant gift I would have picked. How then was it that the fear of the Lord was granting me “no lack” just then? I needed an anchor far stronger than my own emotions or present experience. Fearing God meant that I would take His sovereign, wise, kind gift and trust that this painful moment was not condemnation or wrath. It could not be, for I belong to Him. I am one of His saints, a specially chosen one, but not because of what I have done or offered. I have been chosen because of the perfect sacrifice He Himself sent. If I had no fear of God, I would judge Him and find Him wanting. I would determine that He was dealing badly with me. I would add to my pain deep layers of bitterness, anxiety, hopelessness, and, ultimately, destruction. But to have a solace, a home in God himself — this is abundance in the midst of crisis. The young lions suffer want and hunger. David is offering us here a word picture, a metaphor. Consider the life of a top predator. Is physical strength and power his key to abundance? Is life at the top of the food chain the escape hatch for life’s troubles? No, indeed. Even youth, vigor, and strength fail to deliver true abundance. But those who seek the LORD lack no good thing. This provides a great contrast. Seeking the Lord — not running from Him or cowering beneath Him or shaking my fist at Him — provided true comfort as I suffered, along with many good things. Grappling with my heart to see God’s hand in this, I remembered,  “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:8-9).  God’s Word freed me from needing to understand how  my circumstances were good. I could trust the wisdom and purpose of God. As I waited for a triage nurse to advise me, my mind ran to “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want” (Psalm 23:1). In my disturbing circumstances—and all the unknowns—I would not walk alone. A kind and personal Shepherd held and guided me. While my husband drove me to the hospital, and held my hand and prayed, my parents and sisters cared tenderly for our boys. They all were a picture of 1 Thessalonians 4:9, “Now concerning brotherly love you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another.” There on the emergency room gurney, in the pain, blood, and loss, a whole network of prayer and care upheld me and made me weep as God’s family loved us through the grief of a miscarriage. Perhaps it is in our moments of deepest pain that the true abundance of seeking, fearing, and belonging to God shines the brightest. Come, O children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord. Such is the God we long for our children to know and serve. David’s invitation to “Come, O children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord,” becomes a fitting prayer for them: Come, my little ones given me by God; come, next generation who is learning how to navigate life, listen and learn where true abundance is found. May you too find everlasting joy and abundance of life as you walk in the fear of the Lord. For Reflection How do you define “the fear of the Lord”?  In what ways does the fear of Him cause us to humble ourselves before God? How does it draw us toward God? Have you seen or experienced the Lord’s abundance in the midst of difficulty, suffering, or loss? What were some aspects of grace that were uniquely present?

Oh, fear the LORD, you his saints, for those who fear him have no lack! ¹⁰The young lions suffer want and hunger; but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing. ¹¹Come, O children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD. —Psalm 34:9-11 The fear of the Lord is good. It captures our souls for Christ, causes us to bow in adoration of Him, and ignites earnest pursuit of Him. As it works in my soul, the fear of the Lord gives me assurance that God my Father loves me. He disciplines me for my good and His glorious purposes, even though it seems unpleasant in the moment (Hebrews 12:11). The fear of the Lord wakes me up from my slumbering ways and reorients my heart to love His greatness, goodness, and salvation. I don’t want to blink and nod my way through the life God has given me. The fear of the Lord keeps me alert to opportunities to pray and share Christ with those who don't know Him (Ephesians 5:14-16). What about the suffering young lions mentioned in this passage? Why did David make them the negative example? Young lions are cast out of the pride around age of two because they're a threat to the lead male. So they're forced out to fend for themselves. A young lion, like all animals, is controlled by his instincts. He is strong, aggressive, and terrifying, but also young and lacking experience and skill in the hunt. His courage is misplaced, resulting in a clumsy pursuit of his prey. The young lion soon grows weary, gives up, and goes away hungry. Many such lions die within the first year of being on their own. The people of God are not to be like the young lions, always hungry, depending upon themselves for the necessities of life, without strength or skill, and controlled by instinct. We do not suffer want because God Himself fills us with the bread of life. He gives us living water that is a well springing up to eternal life. The fear of the Lord is more precious than gold (Psalm 19)—a weight of shining evidence that we belong to Him; a rich deposit in our hearts producing the dividends of Christlike humility and wisdom (Philippians 2:5-11; Proverbs 1:7). “Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding” (Job 28:28). God summons us to forsake the evil of self-reliance and to instead joyfully seek Him. As we do, He will reveal to us His glory, goodness, and generosity; giving to us all that is needed to pursue Him relentlessly forever. Then, we will continually bless the Lord (v. 1), find our boast in the Lord (v. 2), magnify the Lord (v. 3), be radiant (v. 5), be saved by the Lord (v. 6), know the goodness of the Lord (v. 8), take refuge in the Lord (vs. 8), fear the Lord (vs. 9), and seek the Lord (vs. 10). These marvelous benefits are now ours to enjoy (v. 11). Consider the little ones running around the church fellowship hall who have no inkling of the greatness of our God. How quickly might they become "young lions"? Can you see them instead as sons and daughters of the Most High? Will you teach them the fear of the Lord? Your Sunday School just might need a few new volunteers who will say, “Come, O children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD.” For Reflection How do you define a "good thing"? What comprises your list of good things? How does the fear of the Lord increase your knowledge and understanding of the grace of God through Jesus Christ? How might you make time to help teach "the fear of the Lord" to the next generation in your family or church?

This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him and saved him out of all his troubles. ⁷The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them. ⁸Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him! —Psalm 34:6-8 King David is the “poor man” who cried out to the Lord in this psalm. Saul wanted to kill David because the Lord had rejected him as king and put His hand of favor on David. Saul’s anger and jealousy overtook him, and in 1 Samuel 18:11, Saul made the first of many attempts on David’s life by trying to pin David to the wall with his spear. And if Saul’s murderous attempts were not trouble enough for David, he was in danger of falling into the hands of the Achish, the king of Gath as he fled from Saul (1 Samuel 21:10-15). This is the backdrop of Psalm 34. David was a man with many troubles. Though our troubles are different from David’s, don’t we want the outcome of verse 6? To be delivered from all of our troubles? A quick tally of some of my own troubles and of those who are close to me includes emergency life-threatening surgery, learning disorders, addictions, divorce, a paralyzing stroke, abuse, marital problems, legal trouble, children with physical disabilities, cancer, mental health issues, and the list could go on. It doesn't escape me that some of you reading this post would gladly trade your list for mine. Our troubles can be extremely painful and difficult, and words are insufficient to communicate the depth of our pain. Clearly we have, and we will continue to have, troubles. Our life’s experience tells us so. Psalm 34:19 states, “Many are the afflictions of the righteous…” Jesus said the same thing when He said, “In the world you will have tribulation…” (John 16:33b). But David was aware that his biggest “trouble” was not Saul, Achish, or any of the circumstances of his life. David’s biggest trouble was, “The face of the LORD is against those who do evil, to cut off the memory of them from the earth” (Psalm 34:16). That trouble is, by far, our biggest trouble, too. This is a trouble we cannot overcome, but our deliverer can. He says, “take heart; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33c). When the Lord, by His good will, transfers us from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of His Son (Colossians 1:13), He removes our biggest trouble—forever! Psalm 34:22 says, “none of those [his servants] who take refuge in him will be condemned.” This alone should cause an ocean of gratitude to the Lord, so that “…his praise shall continually be in my mouth” (Psalm 34:1). When we trust in Jesus’ work on the cross, our greatest trouble has already been solved. We have here in Psalm 34:6-8, a wonderful example of how to live our lives in the midst of daily troubles. David recognized his spiritual poverty —He wasn't poor monetarily. He had been in the king’s service, enjoying all the physical benefits of that position. He wasn't lacking in material comforts. Rather, David was poor in spirit. David humbled himself, saw himself as poor, and confessed his sin and weakness, even though he had earthly reasons to be proud. David cried to the Lord —David did not trust in his own strength, nor the strength of the mighty men around him. He knew that it was the Lord alone who was his deliverer. Even as a young shepherd, David recognized that it was the Lord who delivered him from the paw of the lion and bear (1 Samuel 17:37). And when David had the opportunity to kill Saul—and was urged to do so by his men—he did not harm him. Rather, he left his own deliverance fully in the hands of the Lord. David knew that “the angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them” (Psalm 34:7). David takes refuge in the Lord —He was far from perfect. He didn’t perfectly “taste and see” the goodness of the Lord in every moment. His sins of adultery and murder were grievous. Numbering his army, even when Joab warned him not to, was grievous. David and all Israel reaped significant consequences for his sins. But what was his response before the Lord? He humbled himself, cried out to the Lord, and took refuge in His deliverer. Dear friends, David is a wonderful example to us who aren’t perfect, and who have many troubles in this life. Let’s embrace David’s example and humble ourselves, cry out to the Lord, and take refuge in him. Oh taste and see that the LORD is good (Psalm 34:8)! For Reflection In what ways are you relying on your strength (or the strength of others) to overcome your troubles? If you haven’t humbled yourself, what would it look like to do so before the Lord? How might you be used by the Lord to help others in their troubles?

This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him and saved him out of all his troubles. ⁷The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them. ⁸Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him! —Psalm 34:6-8 Suffering can be isolating. It’s hard to imagine that anyone else in the world has felt quite the way you do. Some forms of suffering really are isolating: a rare illness, a tragic loss. Friends and family may feel far away. Even though they want to comfort you, they’re unsure how. “I can’t imagine what you’re going through!” is the soundtrack of those suffering in isolation. For those who have—or are—suffering, there is something beautiful and comforting in the words of someone who has walked the road before you. The person may not even have known the same type of suffering. But there’s something about how they carry themselves and the words they choose. There is something about the scars that says, “I am a fellow traveler, you can trust me.” All over the world today, people are suffering. A global pandemic is sweeping the globe. Millions are sick. Hundreds of thousands have died. The global economy is on its knees. Millions have lost their jobs. And even if the virus hasn’t struck your loved ones, or caused you to lose your job, we all feel the insecurity and risk in one way or another. Today, the psalmist has an invitation. Psalm 34 is based on events described in 1 Samuel 21:10-15, where David’s life was under threat. He was on the run from Saul and faced another enemy, the king of Gath. In fear David acted like a madman to avoid death. He narrowly escaped. Pause with me here for a moment. We often read the Bible differently that we do the events of our own lives. Our minds naturally skip to the end. Of course David will live and be king, of course Abram will have children, of course Pharaoh will be defeated. But we must remember that, just like us, in that moment, they did not know the end. David truly thought this could be the end of his life. He felt the insecurity and risk. Perhaps like you do today. Into the uncertainty of your life and mine, David reminds us that the Lord delivered him when he was simply a “poor man” (Psalm 34:6). “God is the great deliverer,” David reassures us. “He delivered me, he will deliver you.” David then gives this picture of God as a protecting army, encircling His people (v. 7). His people fear God. They experienced the dread of the King and Judge of the universe but also the joy that this King and Judge was their God. In verse 8, comes the joyous invitation. And it’s not just the platitudes of someone who is groping for words to reassure the isolated sufferer. It is the strong testimony of one who has suffered but also experienced God’s presence and deliverance. David invites God’s people to experience God’s goodness. Don’t just believe it. Don’t just know that God is good. Taste it! Let it wash over you. Feel how good God is. Experience it! Verse eight gives the reason why. You should taste and see God’s goodness because, when you take refuge in the God of the universe, you are blessed. When you feel alone in your suffering, hear David’s beautiful invitation. This isn't just the invitation of the future king, but of a poor man facing mortal danger: “taste and see that the Lord is good!” For Reflection Do feelings of isolation in suffering sound familiar to you? How do David’s words encourage you? Choose two or three people who are hurting and pray these verses for them.

This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him and saved him out of all his troubles. ⁷The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them. ⁸Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him! —Psalm 34:6-8 David wrote Psalm 34 while he was on the run from his violently angry and jealous father-in-law. God had promised David the kingdom, but now he was hiding out in the hill country, simply trying to stay alive. In crying out to God for deliverance, possibly while hiding out in a cave, he wrote what has always been my favorite verse in the Bible: “Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!” I suspect none of us have been unjustly accused by the king, or are running from our government. Conversely, it’s highly likely that we have all been in situations that seemed hopeless and desperate, whether due to our actions or the actions of others. We can learn from David how to respond in those situations. Even though David’s immediate future seemed to be in jeopardy, he was able not only to trust God, but also to actually praise Him. This is because he called out to God for refuge and protection in his duress. He looked to the God who had promised him that one day he’d be king. David’s confidence was in God.  It’s likely that throughout David’s youth, his parents had diligently taught him the historical accounts of God’s power and faithfulness to His people. He was familiar with God’s deliverance of Israel from Egypt. He knew well of God bringing His people into the Promised Land and giving them rest after centuries of slavery and hardship. He knew that despite circumstances and appearances, God would be always protecting, guiding, and delivering His people. David looked back to God’s faithful actions, and looked ahead to God’s iron-clad promises. This is why it was possible for David to rejoice while he was on the run from King Saul. And this is how we can rejoice in the midst of our own trials. Like David, we should strive to correct any wrongful situations we are in. But all the while, we must keep our focus on God. He is good. He alone–not a bad situation being resolved–is what will truly satisfy. Though our circumstances may not be fully remedied here on earth, God assures us that in the age to come, He will make all things right (Revelation 7:15-17). We can say with David, “God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever” (Psalm 73:26). For Reflection What promise of God is most hopeful to you, and which of His attributes is most satisfying to you? How can those promises and attributes lead you to praise God today, even if you are in a difficult situation?  Tell someone in your church family how God is helping you to praise Him in the midst of hard circumstances. Pat Dirrim  and his wife Barbara helped start Grace Fellowship church in Cumming, Georgia 20 years ago. They have worshipped there ever since, outside of the two years when they served as missionaries in Guatemala. They've been married for 29 years and have seven children, three of whom remain at home, and one grandson. Grace Fellowship has been using Truth78 curriculum  from the start and the Dirrims have introduced it to many other churches, as well as trained others how to use it.

I sought the LORD, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears. ⁵Those who look to him are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed.—Psalm 34:4-5 With a disability that makes my face look different, I’m noticed wherever I go. Even after many surgeries, my skull is misshapen, my eyes are wide set, and my nose is crooked. I remember one summer day at the playground. As usual, kids were staring and laughing at me. A group of children noticed me and started chanting “Stupid face, stupid face.” One boy even followed me around asking, “Are you a boy or a girl? What’s wrong with you? What’s wrong with your face?” The words stung. The words hurt. But deep inside, I had the same questions. Why did I look this way? I knew God created me. He created the whole world, but knowing that just made matters worse. I was ashamed of how I looked. If God was so good, why did He make me this way? Why didn’t He hear my prayers? If God was so powerful that He could heal blind Bartimaeus, why didn’t He heal me? From the time I was a baby, my parents taught me Bible verses. One of the passages we memorized was Psalm 34. David wrote, “I sought the Lord and he answered me.” If God answered David, why didn’t He answer me , I wondered. Why didn’t He heal my face? I kept asking questions. My parents and pastor told me to never ever stop looking to the Bible — no matter what happened, no matter how I felt. Although the answers didn’t come right away, that was the encouragement I needed to persevere. With God’s help, I kept repeating His words and listening to what He said. Then one day someone told me I was beautiful. I knew they didn’t mean my physical face was beautiful. They were seeing Jesus in me. God was answering my prayer for healing. He was giving me something much more than a pretty face would give me. He was transforming my heart and filling me with a joy that radiated on my face. I was seeing Psalm 34 with new eyes of faith. It says “I sought the Lord, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears.” It doesn’t say the Lord delivered me from all of my problems. It says He delivered me from the fear of my problems. It says, “those who look to him are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed.” The ESV Study Bible says ashamed  in this context means being disappointed at not finding what was hoped for. When I was hoping for a pretty face, I was disappointed. But as I learn to hope for more and more of Jesus, He answers me and my shame disappears. My face will always be different. People will always stare and wonder about me. But I know Whom to trust. Just like David, I cry out to God day after day. I don’t always understand His ways and sometimes still ask “why”? God hears me and delivers me from my fears, making me more like Him. He comes to me and comforts me and tells me I am His own. I belong to Jesus. Because I belong to Him, I am in His presence, reflecting His beauty and glory (2 Corinthians 3:18). When people look at my face, I want them to see radiance, the joy of Jesus. This radiance is for all who seek Him, for all who hope in Christ, even a girl with a different face. For Reflection Do you expect God to take away your problems and hurts when you pray? Can you see ways that God has used your hurts to reveal more of Himself? What difference has that made in your life? Krista Horning is the author of Just the Way I Am: God’s Good Design in Disability . You can watch her story of living with Apert Syndrome here .

I sought the LORD, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears. ⁵Those who look to him are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed. —Psalm 34:4-5 There are many blockbuster promises in the Bible, and today’s verse is a prime example. In Psalm 34:4-5, David models for us what we can do when we're afraid, and he shows us how God responds. David gives us a front row seat to what it's like to depend on God in our darkest hour. A Reliable Witness It is truly awful when someone near to us goes through a trial. But there's something remarkably comforting about watching someone go through a trial well . It offers us, as onlookers, hope that we would be as courageous, as comforted, and as reliant on God as that person if it ever came to be our time to experience the same sort of suffering. I remember like yesterday a time when a friend asked for prayer for a young man struck by lightning while sailing. My friend forwarded email updates from the young man’s father. I hung on every word, awed by the father’s peace and wisdom and confidence in God’s sovereignty. But with each letter and drastic medical procedure, the son slowly slipped away till finally, he died. As I read, I felt terror for this father. He was living my worst nightmare—a child dying. I felt sure that I could never handle it as well as he did. In fact, I had a hard time understanding this man’s peace. I was terrified for  him, but he was not. It was clear that God was comforting, strengthening, assuring, and delivering this father from fear. Watching what God was doing for this total stranger gave me hope. You might ask, “hope in what?” Hope that if I ever had to suffer like this father, if my faith was ever tested to this degree, that God would be so real and trustworthy that I would value Him more than my hurt and loss. I wondered if I could hold on to God and trust him like that father. His responses renewed my hope that the answer was yes. This father, like David in Psalm 34, was a reliable witness that God would be faithful in my darkest hour. From Hero to Zero It's clear from our passage that David was afraid and in trouble. In fact, we know from the backstory to this Psalm that David was running for his life from King Saul (see 1 Samuel 21:8-15). What makes his predicament so remarkable is that David had established himself as a brave warrior who was loyal to the king. He initially sealed his fame by courageously defeating the giant Goliath, armed with nothing but a slingshot. Now David was a fugitive in his enemy Goliath’s hometown of Gath, surviving only by pretending to be a crazy man, complete with drool running down his face. In an unjust turn of events, he had gone from “hero to zero.” He was in trouble. David Seeks God What did David do? He “sought the Lord” (Psalm 34:4). He didn’t turn to his friends or his own resources. He turned to God. Based on David’s other prayers for help in the Psalms, we can guess that David asked God for specific and practical help. God Answers After David prayed, something astounding happened: God answered him . Don’t miss this. The God who created all that exists, answered a mere man calling for help. And God delivered what he needed the most: peace . Every single one of David’s fears vanished. God delivered him from all of his fears. Isn’t that amazing? Notice that God didn’t fix David’s predicament. The circumstances that threatened to destroy his faith, hope, and courage were likely still there. What changed was how David was dealing  with his circumstances because of what God was doing in his heart. God delivered something else as well: joy and vindication . David testifies that those who look to God for help are so changed on the inside, that others can see it on the outside. He describes their faces as radiant  and says they're never  covered in shame. Considering David’s humiliating fall from grace, with drool running down his beard, this is quite a testimony. Despite his circumstances, David was radiant with joy and unashamed because God was on his side. In the New Testament Paul summarizes the believer’s confidence well: “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31). Don't you love the absolutes in these promises? When we look to God, He delivers us from all  our fears—those who look to him are never  ashamed. There is a reason this verse is so close to my heart. Several years ago, when two of our seven children battled pediatric cancer, I ran to this verse and hung on tight to its promises. When fears overwhelmed me, I savored what this verse revealed about God’s character. I remembered David’s testimony, and those of believers like the father I mentioned above. When the dreaded days came and I realized that our 14-year-old son Victor was dying, amidst the sorrow, I experienced a peace that I couldn’t explain. It was then that I learned for myself the bedrock truth of Psalm 34. For Reflection Is there something that seems unjust in your life right now? Seek God for help and ask Him to help you trust Him to answer. Are you afraid of something that has, or might happen? How can you speak the truths of Psalm 34 to your heart? Do you trust God to answer you? Think back to a time in your life when God answered a specific prayer. Call to mind your favorite Bible accounts of God answering prayer.

I will bless the LORD at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth. ²My soul makes its boast in the LORD; let the humble hear and be glad. ³Oh, magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together! —Psalm 34:1-3 Over the next eight weeks, we will be memorizing Psalm 34. We might think of it as a heavenly summer feast prepared for the bride of Christ. There is a seat at this table reserved for everyone who belongs to Him. Feel the radiance of His glory on your face and be unashamed. Taste and see His goodness, drink in the fragrance of His beauty, listen to the music of His creation, and join in blessing the Lord at all times. Bless the Lord If you’re like me, you may be a little unsure what, exactly, this means and what it calls you to do. Most of us know that offering a blessing to others is a way to do them good and ask God’s favor for them. But how can we, mere finite mortals, bless Yahweh the eternal God? God does not need anything from us, yet He makes Himself known to us and invites us in. With newly opened eyes, our knowledge of Him will generate a soulful response. Webster’s dictionary defines blessing as a statement of divine favor such as a benediction. In Hebrew, the word for blessing is barak . In this context, it means to kneel in adoration. How do we bless the Lord? The psalm tells us: We bless the Lord by: praising Him boasting in Him submitting to Him being glad in Him magnifying Him exalting His name with other believers The Lord is the lover of our souls and our heart’s desire. He redeems the life of His servants. Let’s not shrink back from opening our mouths and expressing what He has already created in our hearts — blessing and glad praises to Him at all times. Let’s ask for His help to worship and exalt Him together in all circumstances. Whether in our homes, in our churches, as we work, or in our neighborhoods and cities, may the Lord fill us with zeal to bless Him. For Reflection Read through Psalm 34 each day this week and take note of repetitions. What are some ways you can bless the Lord this week? Ask God to work in your soul the self-forgetting worship that blesses Him.