Psalms 34:9,10 - Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

O fear the Lord, ye his saints Reverence, serve, and trust in him: for fear is commonly put for all the parts of God's worship and service. For there is no want to them that fear him They shall so far have all good things, as to have no reason to complain of the want of any. As to the things of the other world, they shall have grace sufficient for the support of the spiritual life. and as to this life they shall have what is necessary for the support of it. For godliness hath the promise of the life that now is, and they that seek the kingdom of God and his righteousness, shall have other things, that are needful, added to them, Mat 6:33; 1 Timothy 4:8. The young lions do lack, &c. “All the ancient versions,” says Dr. Dodd, “except the Chaldee, read, great, powerful men, instead of young lions: and Houbigant renders the place, rich men are become poor and hungry; but they who seek the Lord, &c. This sense is undoubtedly good: but I see nothing to object against our own reading: for the meaning is, that if God takes care of the beasts of the field, much more will he take care of them who fear him, and much sooner suffer those to die for want of their prey, than these to perish through want of necessaries, or the failure of his protection.” Shall not want any good thing Any thing necessary and truly good for them, all circumstances considered; of which God alone is a competent judge. And, therefore, although he doth usually take special care to supply the wants of good men, and hath often done it by extraordinary ways, when ordinary have failed; yet he knows that wants and crosses are sometimes more necessary for, and will be more useful to them, than those things which they may think needful, and in such cases he manifests greater mercy to them in denying them supplies than in granting them.