Psalm 34

The Lord Delivers the Righteous

Concerning David, when he pretended to be insane in the presence of Abimelech,(A) who drove him out, and he departed.

I will bless the Lord at all times;
his praise will always be on my lips.(B)
I will boast in the Lord;(C)
the humble will hear and be glad.(D)
Proclaim the Lord’s greatness with me;(E)
let us exalt his name together.(F)

I sought the Lord, and he answered me
and rescued me from all my fears.(G)
Those who look to him are[a] radiant with joy;(H)
their faces will never be ashamed.(I)
This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him
and saved him from all his troubles.(J)
The angel of the Lord encamps
around those who fear him, and rescues them.(K)

Taste and see that the Lord is good.(L)
How happy is the person who takes refuge in him!(M)
You who are his holy ones, fear the Lord,
for those who fear him lack nothing.(N)
10 Young lions[b] lack food and go hungry,(O)
but those who seek the Lord
will not lack any good thing.(P)

11 Come, children, listen to me;
I will teach you the fear of the Lord.(Q)
12 Who is someone who desires life,
loving a long life to enjoy what is good?(R)
13 Keep your tongue from evil
and your lips from deceitful speech.(S)
14 Turn away from evil and do what is good;(T)
seek peace and pursue it.(U)

15 The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,
and his ears are open to their cry for help.(V)
16 The face of the Lord is set
against those who do what is evil,(W)
to remove[c] all memory of them from the earth.(X)
17 The righteous[d] cry out, and the Lord hears,
and rescues them from all their troubles.(Y)
18 The Lord is near the brokenhearted;
he saves those crushed in spirit.(Z)

19 One who is righteous has many adversities,
but the Lord rescues him from them all.(AA)
20 He protects all his bones;
not one of them is broken.(AB)
21 Evil brings death to the wicked,
and those who hate the righteous will be punished.(AC)
22 The Lord redeems the life of his servants,
and all who take refuge in him will not be punished.(AD)

Footnotes

  1. 34:5 Some Hb mss, LXX, Aq, Syr, Jer read Look to him and be
  2. 34:10 LXX, Syr, Vg read The rich
  3. 34:16 Or cut off
  4. 34:17 Lit They

The Servant Brings Salvation

49 Coasts and islands,[a] listen to me;
distant peoples, pay attention.
The Lord called(A) me before I was born.
He named me while I was in my mother’s womb.(B)
He made my words like a sharp sword;(C)
he hid me in the shadow of his hand.(D)
He made me like a sharpened arrow;
he hid me in his quiver.
He said to me, “You are my servant,(E)
Israel, in whom I will be glorified.”
But I myself said: I have labored in vain,
I have spent my strength for nothing and futility;
yet my vindication is with the Lord,
and my reward is with my God.
And now, says the Lord,
who formed me from the womb to be his servant,
to bring Jacob back to him
so that Israel might be gathered to him;
for I am honored in the sight of the Lord,
and my God is my strength—
he says,
“It is not enough for you to be my servant
raising up the tribes of Jacob
and restoring the protected ones of Israel.
I will also make you a light for the nations,(F)
to be my salvation to the ends of the earth.”(G)

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Footnotes

  1. 49:1 Or Islands

The Faithful Manager

A person should think of us in this way: as servants(A) of Christ and managers(B) of the mysteries of God.(C) In this regard, it is required that managers be found faithful.(D) It is of little(E) importance to me that I should be judged(F) by you or by any human court.[a] In fact, I don’t even judge myself. For I am not conscious of anything against myself, but I am not justified(G) by this. It is the Lord who judges me. So don’t judge(H) anything prematurely, before the Lord comes,(I) who will both bring to light what is hidden in darkness and reveal the intentions of the hearts. And then praise will come to each one from God.(J)

The Apostles’ Example of Humility

Now, brothers and sisters,(K) I have applied these things to myself and Apollos(L) for your benefit, so that you may learn from us the meaning of the saying: “Nothing beyond what is written.” The purpose is that none of you will be arrogant, favoring one person over another. For who makes you so superior? What do you have that you didn’t receive? If, in fact, you did receive it, why do you boast as if you hadn’t received it? You are already full! You are already rich! You have begun to reign as kings without us—and I wish you did reign, so that we could also reign with you! For I think God has displayed us, the apostles, in last place, like men condemned to die: We have become a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to people. 10 We are fools for Christ, but you are wise in Christ!(M) We are weak, but you are strong! You are distinguished, but we are dishonored! 11 Up to the present hour we are both hungry and thirsty; we are poorly clothed, roughly treated, homeless; 12 we labor, working(N) with our own hands.(O) When we are reviled, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; 13 when we are slandered, we respond graciously. Even now, we are like the scum of the earth, like everyone’s garbage.(P)

Paul’s Fatherly Care

14 I’m not writing this to shame you, but to warn you as my dear children.(Q) 15 For you may have countless instructors in Christ, but you don’t have many fathers. For I became your father(R) in Christ Jesus through the gospel. 16 Therefore I urge you to imitate me.

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Footnotes

  1. 4:3 Lit a human day

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