Psalm 34

Sometimes it is just good to take some time and simply praise the Lord and meditate on all that He has done and will do for us and around us. Take a moment out of the day and simply Glorify our Lord.

This morning I slept a bit later than normal and woke in a bit thicker fog. But as I fumbled about with my first cup of coffee and a prayer and web surfing the fog began to lift. I checked out the blog and thought… “Man I would like to grow this blog… I looked at the number of people following and I am happy with it, but this desire to reach more kind of preoccupied my thoughts.

But as I thought about this I was reminded that all things happen in God’s time. All concerns I might have are wasted. My Hope rests in the Lord. After all

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.
9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:8-9 (ESV)

I turned from those thoughts this morning to His Word. K-Love’s Encouraging Word was the first thing I looked at. It was Psalm 34:17

17 When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears
and delivers them out of all their troubles.

I went to that passage in my ESV Bible and read all of Psalm 34 and that moment in God’s Word realigned my thinking. The title is “Taste and See that the Lord is Good”. My concerns shifted from what I might do to what God will do. I looked back to Isaiah for just a moment before closing the page to continue writing this morning and I saw this verse and it further anchored me in His Word.

6 “Seek the Lord while he may be found;
call upon him while he is near; Isaiah 55:6 (ESV)

Verses 1-4

What power there is in His Word. It put me in the mood of prayerful consideration of the day, and It set my mind on simply praising God! I looked back at Psalm 34 and read the first 4 verses.

1 I will bless the Lord at all times;
his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
2 My soul makes its boast in the Lord;
let the humble hear and be glad.
3 Oh, magnify the Lord with me,
and let us exalt his name together!
4 I sought the Lord, and he answered me
and delivered me from all my fears.

As I read this passage over and over my tensions eased and my realization of God’s power and glory just lit me up… Verse 2 just struck a chord… ” 2 My soul makes its boast in the Lord; let the humble hear and be glad.” What joy there is in my God; no other deserves our praise.

Verses 5-9

I read the next few verses and I was reminded of how blessed I am and how secure I am in the Lord.

5 Those who look to him are radiant,
and their faces shall never be ashamed.
6 This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him
and saved him out of all his troubles.
7 The angel of the Lord encamps
around those who fear him, and delivers them.
8 Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good!
Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!
9 Oh, fear the Lord, you his saints,
for those who fear him have no lack!

Verse 5 is my desire… My hope is that the light of the Lord shines in me. My hope and desire are to never hold back but to shine for my Heavenly Father. I am blessed beyond measure.

Verses 10-15

The next few verses reminded me of His provision and the joy that comes in the fear of the Lord.

10 The young lions suffer want and hunger;
but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.
11 Come, O children, listen to me;
I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
12 What man is there who desires life
and loves many days, that he may see good?
13 Keep your tongue from evil
and your lips from speaking deceit.
14 Turn away from evil and do good;
seek peace and pursue it.
15 The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous
and his ears toward their cry.

What comfort there is in knowing that he watches over all that believe and sees our needs and hears our prayers.

Verses 16-22

The last few verses continue to affirm that our God is faithful and true to those who love Him…

16 The face of the Lord is against those who do evil,
to cut off the memory of them from the earth.
17 When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears
and delivers them out of all their troubles.
18 The Lord is near to the brokenhearted
and saves the crushed in spirit.
19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous,
but the Lord delivers him out of them all.
20 He keeps all his bones;
not one of them is broken.
21 Affliction will slay the wicked,
and those who hate the righteous will be condemned.
22 The Lord redeems the life of his servants;
none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned

Close

What an awesome God we serve. How worthy He is of our praise and worship. His promises are true and His love is evident in all that we do.

This morning’s cloud cleared with the slightest focus in my attention. I went from my selfish desires to praising God by simply turning to His Word. My thankfulness cannot be expressed in human terms. It is a joy that cannot be described but only experienced. I pray that today all might find joy and comfort in God’s glorious Word!