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Living Beyond Myself
Just Jump In!Psalm 34
April 2, 2006


Psalm 34: 1-7 (Monday)
“I will extol the LORD at all times; his praise will always be on my lips. My soul will boast in the LORD; let the afflicted hear and rejoice. Glorify the LORD with me; let us exalt his name together. I sought the LORD, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame. This poor man called, and the LORD heard him; he saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them.” (NIV)
1) As you read over this psalm take into consideration that it was written after God delivered the writer, King David, from his enemy (1 Samuel 21:10-15) Odd way of deliverance, wouldn’t you say? David was already anointed to be king over Israel, but in 1 Samuel 21, we find him and his men on the run from the present king, Saul! David, who was moved to write these words of great praise, is hiding out in the temple, eating consecrated bread given to him by the priest! The priest is scared to death because helping king Saul’s enemy (David) could be retribution or even death! To make matters worse, David soon learns that one of Saul’s servants just happens to show up at the temple on that very day and time! We find David is with no weapon and only one resource—run again! David runs straight to Achish king of Gath. Yes, you guessed it—he’s recognized and has to pretend insanity! Can you imagine! What a scene that must have been! What a day! Yet, these very circumstances lead young king David to praise His God in a way that would bless and encourage the hearts of believers for generations to come!
2) Oh, I just have to give you this portion of Psalm 34 in the KJV! Nothing reads quite like it:
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.
3) Recently I have pondered the question of just how do we bless God? It kinda boggles the mind, at least to me! I think most of us think of how we can be personally blessed. Which is a fair since, after all, God is God and we are mere humans! Can you think of some ways in which we can bless God? Share.
4) When I first became a Christian, the third and fourth stanzas of this beautiful translation of Psalm 34 were often sung in praise to our God! Way, way back 33 years ago, I was so happy just to be able to praise Him for saving me from the fires of hell! Over the years, I have learned that God’s great love and faithfulness didn’t stop at saving my soul! No, that’s where it became. God’s love and faithfulness pours over into every area in my life—even when I haven’ deserved it! That’s the kind of awesome God we serve! Yes, I certainly have had many, many opportunities to praise Him for His wonderful works in my life. Still, I sometimes forget, don’t have the time, or worse I don’t feel like it or like a blind fool, I can’t think of anything to praise Him for! So, I guess my first question to all of us would be, “What can we thank God for today?” (If all you can think of is a small blade of grass, or that it was a beautiful sunshine day, or that you had food to eat, or clothes on your back and change in your pocket—start there!)
5) Like we learned in 1 Samuel 21, it helps to remember that praise and thanksgiving have absolutely nothing to do with feelings, circumstances, finances, security, happiness, health, or prosperity—none of those things! If we are truly to continually have God’s praise on our lips, then we have to reach that point where we can praise God in any circumstance, or in any season of our lives! Have you reached that point? What circumstance(s) led you to that place? How has it changed our life?
6) What? Christians have fears? Apparently so—the good news is, God delivers us from them all! What fear(s) has God delivered you from?
7) Two types of fear are mentioned here. How do these fears differ? See Genesis 17:2-4, Exodus 3:5-6 and Exodus 19:16-24!
8) Do you realize that your countenance looks different to those living in the world (2 Corinthians 3:18?) That you actually do shine, glow, radiate? Well, you do and it will either draw people to you (sometimes you will have no idea why), or you will repulse them. It was the same with Jesus! This light comes from having Christ in you and it cannot be hidden!
9) The writer of this psalm, king David, a man God calls, “a man after my own heart,” refers to himself as “this poor man.” Why? What significance does this have in a believer’s life?
Psalm 34:8-10 (Tuesday)
“Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him. Fear the LORD, you his saints, for those who fear him lack nothing. The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.” (NIV)
1) I have to laugh because being here with my eight month old grandson, Elijah, I get the joy of watching him learn, and yes, he learns by putting everything in his mouth! How his little antics remind me of this passage! That’s exactly what we need to do with the Lord Jesus Christ! Put Him into our mouths, taste and learn if His is good! As adults, just how do we taste, experience and learn of the goodness of God?
2) How do we take refuge in the LORD? Have you ever had such an experience? Please share.
3) Do you feel like you are lacking in some or any areas of your life? If you are comfortable, please share.
4) We have many needs, many wants or desires, but truly, our deepness need is our spiritual need! Would you say that God is more than enough to meet that need in your life? Why or why not?
Psalm 34:11-14 (Wednesday)
“Come, my children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD. Whoever of you loves life and desires to see many good days, keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking lies. Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.” (NIV)
1) Ah, listen! How do we do that and what most often gets in your way of hearing?
2) If you noticed, the fear of the Lord is directly connected to obedience! Why do you think the fear of the Lord brings obedience?
3) Now, I believe most of us would consider the use of profanity as the primary way to keep our tongues from evil. This passage gives us yet another way—stop speaking lies! Can you think of other things that are evil that find their way out of the depth of our heart and straight off the tip of our tongue?
4) What is the promise give in this passage of scripture?
5) What are some ways we can seek peace in our homes, our workplaces, our neighborhoods, the world in general?
Psalm 34:15-18 (Thursday)
“The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their cry; the face of the LORD is against those who do evil, to cut off the memory of them from the earth. The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles. The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” (NIV)
1) If our God sees and hears our troubles and woes, why doesn’t He immediately respond? Or, has your experience been much different? Please share.
2) I like the way my study helps puts this: “God may allow you to go without to help you grow more dependent on Him. He may want you to learn that you need Him more than you need to achieve your immediate desires?” Have you had to wait in God’s holy silence?
3) Do you look forward to evil doers being cut off from even our memories (Amos 5:18-20?) Why or why not?
4) Many among us are brokenhearted and crushed—it is rare when someone is immune to tragedy in their lives. Have you ever experienced God’s closeness and salvation during such a time?
Psalm 34:19-22 (Friday)
“A righteous man may have many troubles, but the LORD delivers him from them all; he protects all his bones, not one of them will be broken. Evil will slay the wicked; the foes of the righteous will be condemned. The LORD redeems his servants; no one will be condemned who takes refuge in him.” (NIV)
1) So many stumble and fall away from Christ when troubles come. It is hard for some of us to realize that Jesus’ promise of salvation and eternal life does not mean that we will never again have any earthy problems. God delivers us by giving us of His Holy Spirit and His Word in which to FIGHT the onslaught that comes against us! Life or death cannot conquer us—we are safely hidden in Christ!
2) This is a prophetic portion of Psalm 34 relating to Christ. While he hung on the cross, soldiers sought to hasten Jesus’ death by breaking His legs. Glory to God, He had already given over His spirit to God so this was not necessary (John 19:32-37!)
3) Redeemed! The concept of redemption finds its root in the Old Testament law. It grew out of the Hebrew custom where an original owner brought or “redeemed” something back which had somehow fallen into the hands of another! The person who originally owned the object or person paid a “redemptive” price to gain his possession back. In New Testament times, redemption was required to secure the release of a convicted prisoner, or slave. Oh, child of God, this is a beautiful picture of each and every one of us! As slaves, you and I are in that pitiful state of bondage—chained, bound—with no resource(s) or hope of purchasing back our own freedom—we need a Redeemer! In taking our place and dying on the cross, we see our precious Lord, Jesus Christ “redeeming” us from satan’s hold and sin! Oh, beloved, we are “brought with a price!” Glory!