Psalm 34 Continued…
Psalm 34:1-5 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.
“I will extol the Lord at all times;” even in times of adversity. David’s fortunes had been fading and were now at the lowest ebb. He had fled from the court of Saul after learning that Saul was determined to put him to death (1 Samuel 20:31). He had hoped to find a safe refuge with Achish, but had been disappointed. He was on the point of becoming a fugitive and an outlaw, forced to live in secret hideouts and caves. At the time, he did not have a large body of followers. It is remarkable that he composed a song of thanksgiving to God, at such a time.
The phrase, “At all times,” as it is used here means in every situation of life; in every event that occurs. The idea is that he would “Bless the Lord” both publicly and privately; in prosperity and in adversity; in safety and in danger; in joy and in sorrow. It would be a great principle of his life, indicating the deep feeling in his soul that God was always to be regarded as an object of adoration and praise. I pray we are able to say along with David, I will praise the Lord “At all times,” in every situation, under every circumstance, before, during and after trials, in bright days of happiness, and dark nights of fear.
The term “I will” indicates that he determined to follow-through with this promise; because he knows to whom the praise is due, and what is due, and for what and when. Our gratitude is to be given to Jehovah, and not to any secondary causes. The Lord has by virtue of His righteous acts a monopoly in his creatures’ praise.
“His praise will always be on my lips” (compare: Psalm 92:1, 2; Psalm 145:1, 2; Psalm 146:1, 2; Ephesians 5:20; 1 Thessalonians 5:18); not the “praise” which God might express, but that of which He is the object; which He is entitled to, and is given to Him on account of His perfect nature, and the works of His hands, and the blessings of His providence and grace. This, David says, would be on his lips: his meaning is that he would not only retain in his heart a grateful sense of the divine blessings, but he would express it with his lips.
“always” must be understood as meaning either “every day” or “many times every day,” but it must not be taken literally, since it would bring the business of life to a standstill.
“My soul will boast in the Lord” (compare to Psalm 44:8; and for the meaning of “boasting in the Lord,”), not in men, nor in any outward indulgence, nor in any works of righteousness, but in the Lord; in the Word of the Lord; in the Lord Jesus Christ; in His wisdom, strength, riches, righteousness, redemption, salvation; and in communion with him: and this is not tongue but soul boasting; and not flashy and selfish, but solid, spiritual, and whole-hearted; and with all the powers and faculties of the soul. No man should boast “in the presence of God;” not in their families, ancestry, and background; nor in their influence, power, and authority; nor in their riches, wealth, and prosperity; nor in their wisdom, learning, and prominence: for however these may be “gloried in” before men, they cannot be “gloried in” before God.
Galatians 6:14 “May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.”
That word “boast” refers to that on which a man would attach great importance to himself; that which would be the most prominent in his mind when he endeavored to call to remembrance what he could reflect on with the most pleasure. His joy would spring from the fact that there was a God; that He was such a wonderful and great God, and that he could regard Him as His God. This would be his chief honor—that on which he would value himself the most. Of all the things that we can possess in this world, the crowning distinction is, that we have a God, and that he is such a great, and wonderful, and gracious God, as he is.
David asked God to remember “the afflicted.” The Hebrew word for “afflicted,” can be translated “humble.” David seems to have referred here to “the humble,” because:
(a) They would be more likely to appreciate this than those of higher rank, or than those who had never experienced affliction.
(b)He would be uniquely qualified to impart support and consolation to them, which he had gained from his own experience.
The word “glorify” (verse 3) means literally “to make great,” and then, to make great in the view of the mind, or to regard and treat as great. The idea is that he wished each and every one, who were in circumstances similar to those which he had experienced, to have a true sense of the greatness of God, and of his claims to love and praise. Compare:
Psalm 40:17 Yet I am poor and needy; may the Lord think of me. You are my help and my deliverer; O my God, do not delay.
Psalm 69:30 I will praise God’s name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving.
Psalm 70:4 But may all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; may those who love your salvation always say, “Let God be exalted!”
Luke 1:46 And Mary said: “My soul glorifies the Lord.”
“Glorify the Lord with me”—this seems to be addressed primarily to the “humble,” those referred to in the previous verse. The psalmist invites the humble ones, who he knew would rejoice at the goodness of God to him, to join with him in ascribing greatness to the Lord. The humble could appreciate what he would say, since they could understand the nature of his feelings in view of his deliverance, which was much like theirs. He calls upon them to rejoice with him in the goodness of God. Seeing that he and they had common tragedies and trials, so might they have common joys. Given that they were united in danger and sorrow, so it was proper that they should be united in joy and in praise.
“I sought the Lord, and he answered me.” It must have been in a very confused manner that David prayed, and there must have been much of self-sufficiency in his prayer, or he would not have resorted to methods of such dubious morality as pretending to be mad and behaving as a lunatic; yet his poor limping prayer had an acceptance and brought him hope. We may seek God even when we have sinned. If sin could blockade the mercy-seat it would be all over with us, but the mercy is that there are gifts even for the rebellious, and an advocate for men who sin.
In the following verses, David goes on to give reasons why God should be praised and glorified; he himself and others had found by experience, that He was a God of hearing and answering prayer. He first mentions his own case. God had heard and answered him, and delivered him from all his fears—not only from the death he feared, but from the anxiety caused by the fear of it.
God saved him from being seized by Achish, king of Gath, and from losing his life for killing Goliath. God’s people have many things to fear, both from within and from without, because of their sin, Satan, and the world; but the Lord saves them out of the hands of all their enemies, grants them his presence, and shows them their standing as believers in the true God, which, scatters all their fears.
PRAY
Father let me not be ashamed, even when I have failed you, to call out to you, to trust in you, to seek out your help and forgiveness.