Psalm 34

English Standard Version

Taste and See That the Lord Is Good

^[a] Of David, when he ^(A)changed his behavior before ^(B)Abimelech, so that he drove him out, and he went away.

34 I will bless the Lord ^(C)at all times;
    his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
²My soul ^(D)makes its boast in the Lord;
    let the humble hear and ^(E)be glad.
³Oh, ^(F)magnify the Lord with me,
    and let us exalt his name together!

⁴I ^(G)sought the Lord, and he answered me
    and delivered me from all my fears.
⁵Those who look to him are ^(H)radiant,
    and their faces shall never be ashamed.
⁶^(I)This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him
    and ^(J)saved him out of all his troubles.
⁷^(K)The angel of the Lord ^(L)encamps
    around those who fear him, and delivers them.

⁸Oh, ^(M)taste and see that ^(N)the Lord is good!
    ^(O)Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!
⁹Oh, fear the Lord, you his saints,
    for those who fear him have no lack!
¹⁰^(P)The young lions suffer want and hunger;
    but those who ^(Q)seek the Lord lack no good thing.

¹¹^(R)Come, O children, listen to me;
    ^(S)I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
¹²^(T)What man is there who desires life
    and loves many days, that he may ^(U)see good?
¹³^(V)Keep your tongue from evil
    and your lips from ^(W)speaking deceit.
¹⁴^(X)Turn away from evil and do good;
    seek peace and ^(Y)pursue it.

¹⁵^(Z)The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous
    ^(AA)and his ears toward their cry.
¹⁶^(AB)The face of the Lord is against those who do evil,
    to ^(AC)cut off the memory of them from the earth.
¹⁷^(AD)When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears
    and delivers them out of all their troubles.
¹⁸The Lord is near to ^(AE)the brokenhearted
    and saves ^(AF)the crushed in spirit.

¹⁹^(AG)Many are the afflictions of the righteous,
    ^(AH)but the Lord delivers him out of them all.
²⁰He keeps all his bones;
    ^(AI)not one of them is broken.
²¹^(AJ)Affliction will slay the wicked,
    and those who hate the righteous will be condemned.
²²The Lord ^(AK)redeems the life of his servants;
    none of those who take refuge in him will be ^(AL)condemned.

Footnotes

Psalm 34:1 This psalm is an acrostic poem, each verse beginning with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet

Psalm 34

New International Version

Psalm 34^[a]^[b]

Of David. When he pretended to be insane^(A) before Abimelek, who drove him away, and he left.

¹I will extol the Lord at all times;^(B)
    his praise will always be on my lips.
²I will glory^(C) in the Lord;
    let the afflicted hear and rejoice.^(D)
³Glorify the Lord^(E) with me;
    let us exalt^(F) his name together.

⁴I sought the Lord,^(G) and he answered me;
    he delivered^(H) me from all my fears.
⁵Those who look to him are radiant;^(I)
    their faces are never covered with shame.^(J)
⁶This poor man called, and the Lord heard him;
    he saved him out of all his troubles.^(K)
⁷The angel of the Lord^(L) encamps around those who fear him,
    and he delivers^(M) them.

⁸Taste and see that the Lord is good;^(N)
    blessed is the one who takes refuge^(O) in him.
⁹Fear the Lord,^(P) you his holy people,
    for those who fear him lack nothing.^(Q)
¹⁰The lions may grow weak and hungry,
    but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.^(R)
¹¹Come, my children, listen^(S) to me;
    I will teach you^(T) the fear of the Lord.^(U)
¹²Whoever of you loves life^(V)
    and desires to see many good days,
¹³keep your tongue^(W) from evil
    and your lips from telling lies.^(X)
¹⁴Turn from evil and do good;^(Y)
    seek peace^(Z) and pursue it.

¹⁵The eyes of the Lord^(AA) are on the righteous,^(AB)
and his ears are attentive^(AC) to their cry;
¹⁶but the face of the Lord is against^(AD) those who do evil,^(AE)
to blot out their name^(AF) from the earth.

¹⁷The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears^(AG) them;
he delivers them from all their troubles.
¹⁸The Lord is close^(AH) to the brokenhearted^(AI)
and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

¹⁹The righteous person may have many troubles,^(AJ)
but the Lord delivers him from them all;^(AK)
²⁰he protects all his bones,
not one of them will be broken.^(AL)

²¹Evil will slay the wicked;^(AM)
the foes of the righteous will be condemned.
²²The Lord will rescue^(AN) his servants;
no one who takes refuge^(AO) in him will be condemned.

Footnotes

Psalm 34:1 This psalm is an acrostic poem, the verses of which begin with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.
Psalm 34:1 In Hebrew texts 34:1-22 is numbered 34:2-23.

English Standard Version (ESV)

New International Version (NIV)

Psalm 34

English Standard Version

Taste and See That the Lord Is Good

^[a] Of David, when he ^(A)changed his behavior before ^(B)Abimelech, so that he drove him out, and he went away.

Footnotes

Cross references

Psalm 34

New International Version

Psalm 34^[a]^[b]

Of David. When he pretended to be insane^(A) before Abimelek, who drove him away, and he left.

Footnotes

Cross references

More on the NIV

Psalm 34 English Standard Version

Taste and See That the Lord Is Good

[a] Of David, when he (A)changed his behavior before (B)Abimelech, so that he drove him out, and he went away.

Footnotes

Cross references

Psalm 34 New International Version

Psalm 34[a][b]

Of David. When he pretended to be insane(A) before Abimelek, who drove him away, and he left.

Footnotes

Cross references

More on the NIV

Psalm 34

English Standard Version

^[a] Of David, when he ^(A)changed his behavior before ^(B)Abimelech, so that he drove him out, and he went away.

Psalm 34

New International Version

Psalm 34^[a]^[b]

Of David. When he pretended to be insane^(A) before Abimelek, who drove him away, and he left.