Psalms 34:1. I will bless the LORD at all times:
«At dark times, and bright times when I am alone, and when I am in company; when I feel like doing it and when I do not feel like doing it: ‘I will bless the Lord at all times.'»
Psalms 34:1. His praise shall continually be in my mouth.
«I will not only feel it in my heart, but I will give expression to it with my mouth. Those who do not care for this blessed employment may leave it alone; but as for me, ‘his praise shall continually be in my mouth.'»
Psalms 34:2. My soul shall make her boast in the LORD: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad.
«I will ride the high horse when I begin to talk of the goodness of God: ‘My soul shall make her boast in the Lord;' and whereas boasters are generally very vexatious to humble-minded people, this kind of boasting shall please them: ‘the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad.'»
Psalms 34:3. O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together.
Come, my brethren and sisters, I cannot perform this happy service alone; it is too much for me all by myself. This bunch of grapes is too heavy to be carried by one. «O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together.»
Psalms 34:4. I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.
Should not the prayer-hearing God be praised? If he hears the cries of his people, should he not also hear the praises of his people? It is not one only to whom God has thus listened, but many can say with the psalmist, «I sought the Lord, and he heard me.»
Psalms 34:5-6. 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.
It is God's delight to hear the cry of poor men. Sometimes, he passes by the rich and great, and gives heed to the poor and desolate. It is our need that has the loudest cry with God; if our necessities are urgent, our prayer will be powerful.
Psalms 34:7. The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.
God's children are always attended like princes, legions of angels form their body-guard. The angel of the Lord, and companies of holy angels with him, pitch their celestial tents round about them that fear God.
Psalms 34:8. O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.
Do try him, dear friends, and prove for yourselves how good and gracious he is: «O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.»
«Oh, make but trial of his love;
Experience will decide
How blest are they, and only they,
Who in his truth confide!»
Psalms 34:9. O fear the LORD, ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him.
He will supply all their wants. You need not fear for anything else when once you fear God.
Psalms 34:10. The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger:
They are strong, and fierce, and crafty, and unscrupulous, yet still they suffer hunger:
Psalms 34:10. But they that seek the LORD; shall not want any good thing.
Though they be neither cruel, nor cunning, nor strong, «they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing.» What a promise for you to plead in prayer, dear friends! If you are in any need, do not hesitate, but by an act of faith take this gracious word, and plead it with the promise-keeping God: «Hast thou not said that, ‘they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing'? Then, Lord, do as thou hast said.»
Psalms 34:11-13. Come, ye children, hearken unto me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD. What man is he that desireth life, and loveth many days, that he may see good? Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile.
He who can manage his tongue can manage his whole body; for the tongue is the rudder of the ship, and if that be properly held, the vessel will be rightly steered. If thou wouldst escape the quicksands and the rocks, look well to thy tongue; keep it from evil, that it speak neither blasphemy against God nor slander against thy fellow men; and keep thy lips from guile, that is, from deceit, from double meanings, from saying one thing and meaning another, or making other people think that you mean another, an art all too well understood in these days. God make us plain-speaking men, who say what we mean, and mean what we say! When, by the grace of God, we are taught to do this, we have learnt a good lesson.
Psalms 34:14. Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.
If it runs away from you, run after it. Never run into or after a quarrel, but always run after peace: «Seek peace, and pursue it.»
Psalms 34:15. The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry.
The Lord is always watching them, and he is always listening that he may hear everything they say, especially when they cry unto him.
Psalms 34:16. The face of the LORD is against them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.
He will not only destroy the wicked, but he will blot out the very memory of them. They may become great and famous in their wickedness, but they shall not be kept in memory, as the righteous are. As Solomon says, «The name of the wicked shall rot.»
Psalms 34:17-18. The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles. The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.
Men do not care for broken hearts, but God does. «Give me a sound heart and a brave heart,» says man. «Give me a broken and a contrite heart,» says the Lord. If you have such a heart as that, be not afraid to draw near to your God, through Jesus Christ, for he is already nigh unto you.
Psalms 34:19. Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all.
Many who read this verse admit that the first part of it is true: «Many are the afflictions of the righteous.» Yes, but the latter clause is also true: «but the Lord delivereth him out of them all.» Do not omit either portion of the passage, for one part is as true as the other.
Psalms 34:20. He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken.
God's people shall suffer no real, lasting, vital injury. You may have flesh wounds, but as to the bones of your spirit, as it were, the solid part of it, «not one of them is broken.»
Psalms 34:21. Evil shall slay the wicked: and they that hate the righteous shall be desolate.
They shall want nothing else to make an end of them but their own sins:
«Evil shall slay the wicked.»
Psalms 34:22. The LORD redeemeth the soul of his servants: and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate.
Now we are going to read the last chapter of the Book of the prophet Hosea, the first of the minor prophets.
This exposition consisted of readings from Psalms 34:1; and Hosea 14:1.