Psalms 34 – Bible with Free Grace study notes

1I will bless Yahweh at all times. His praise will always be in my mouth.

2My soul shall boast in Yahweh. The humble shall hear of it, and be glad.

3Oh magnify Yahweh with me. Let us exalt his name together.

4I sought Yahweh, and he answered me, and delivered me from all my fears.

5They looked to him, and were radiant. Their faces shall never be covered with shame.

6This poor man cried, and Yahweh heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles.

7Yahweh’s angel encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them.

8Oh taste and see that Yahweh is good. Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.

Free Grace note

Taste and see: an invitation to receive, not a command to perform.

Oh taste and see that Yahweh is good. Tasting is not laboring. You do not earn a meal by admiring it from across the room; you come and receive. This whole psalm is populated by receivers: a poor man who cried and was heard (verse 6), the afflicted made radiant (verse 5), the broken hearted drawn near (verse 18). God consistently moves toward the empty, not the self sufficient. Peter picks up this verse in 1 Peter 2:3 to describe those who have tasted that the Lord is kind. Some fear that God's goodness is reserved for the impressive. The psalm says the opposite; the young lions lack and go hungry, but those who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing (verse 10). The door is open to the needy. Come and taste. You cannot buy the meal, and you were never asked to.

9Oh fear Yahweh, you his saints, for there is no lack with those who fear him.

10The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger, but those who seek Yahweh shall not lack any good thing.

11Come, you children, listen to me. I will teach you the fear of Yahweh.

12Who is someone who desires life, and loves many days, that he may see good?

13Keep your tongue from evil, and your lips from speaking lies.

14Depart from evil, and do good. seek peace, and pursue it.

15Yahweh’s eyes are toward the righteous. His ears listen to their cry.

16Yahweh’s face is against those who do evil, to cut off their memory from the earth.

17The righteous cry, and Yahweh hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles.

18Yahweh is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves those who have a crushed spirit.

19Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but Yahweh delivers him out of them all.

20He protects all of his bones. Not one of them is broken.

21Evil shall kill the wicked. Those who hate the righteous shall be condemned.

22Yahweh redeems the soul of his servants. None of those who take refuge in him shall be condemned.

Free Grace note

None of those who take refuge in him shall be condemned: unconditional language for the trusting.

The psalm closes with a verdict: Yahweh redeems the soul of his servants. None of those who take refuge in him shall be condemned. Weigh that word none. Not most, not those who also perform well, but none. The condition is refuge, that is, trust, not a track record of achievement. The New Testament says it in the same breath: there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1). A common objection asks, surely my sins could still condemn me? But the redeemed soul has its condemnation removed at the source; the debt was paid, not merely postponed. Redeems means bought back and owned, not rented on trial. If you have taken refuge in Him, this verse is describing your settled standing. The blessing is tied to trust, and the promise is absolute.

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