Read
(Written by David when he pretended to be crazy in front of Abimelech, so that Abimelech would send him away, and David could leave.)
Honor the Lord
1 I will always praise the Lord.
2With all my heart,
I will praise the Lord.
Let all who are helpless,
listen and be glad.
3Honor the Lord with me!
Celebrate his great name.
4I asked the Lord for help,
and he saved me
from all my fears.
5Keep your eyes on the Lord!
You will shine like the sun
and never blush with shame.
6I was a nobody, but I prayed,
and the Lord saved me
from all my troubles.
7If you honor the Lord,
his angel will protect you.
8 Discover for yourself
that the Lord is kind.
Come to him for protection,
and you will be glad.
9Honor the Lord!
You are his special people.
No one who honors the Lord
will ever be in need.
10Young lions may go hungry
or even starve,
but if you trust the Lord,
you will never miss out
on anything good.
11Come, my children, listen
as I teach you
to respect the Lord.
12 Do you want to live
and enjoy a long life?
13Then don't say cruel things
and don't tell lies.
14Do good instead of evil
and try to live at peace.
15If you obey the Lord,
he will watch over you
and answer your prayers.
16But God despises evil people,
and he will wipe them all
from the earth,
till they are forgotten.
17When his people pray for help,
he listens and rescues them
from their troubles.
18The Lord is there to rescue
all
who are discouraged
and have given up hope.
19The Lord's people
may suffer a lot,
but he will always
bring them safely through.
20 Not one of their bones
will ever be broken.
21Wicked people are killed
by their own evil deeds,
and if you hate God's people
you will be punished.
22The Lord saves the lives
of his servants.
Run to him for protection,
and you won't be punished.
Reflect
Psalm 34 is an acrostic poem in its original Hebrew language; the first word of each stanza begins with a different letter of the Hebrew alphabet.
While the Psalm may read more like prose in English, it can be helpful to remember that it is indeed poetry, and to read it like carefully crafted poetry is meant to be read: slowly, reflectively, savouring each new thought.
The poem opens with the psalmist proclaiming that he will always praise the LORD. Then he invites others to join with him. But his invitation to join in honouring God is specifically directed at “all who are helpless.”
Have you ever felt helpless? Been in the midst of a situation that desperately needed changing, but that was completely beyond your ability to change? Maybe it was a relationship that went wrong, or an unexpected medical diagnosis that was delivered to you or to a loved one. Perhaps it involved watching an adult child make wrong choices, seeing your financial security evaporate, or caring for an elderly parent who you knew would never get better.
“Listen and be glad,” says the psalmist, testifying to his own experience. “I asked the LORD for help, and he saved me from all my fears.” I find it interesting that he doesn’t say God saved him from going through the trials or unpleasant circumstances. God saved him from his fears. Sometimes the worry and fear that accompany life’s difficulties can be as bad or worse than the trials themselves.
Verse 8 invites us to try putting our faith in God, to discover for ourselves that he is kind.
This psalm declares that if we try him, God will prove faithful. He may not remove our suffering. But he will draw close to us in the midst of it.
Respond
God most high, you created me in love. Help me to run to you when trouble strikes, to seek your protection when life overwhelms. Then I will be strengthened by your presence and equipped to face the challenges that come my way. For I ask it in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Patricia Paddey
Patricia Paddey has worked with Canada’s mainstream media in positions at the CBC, CTV and The CNW Group. Since 1998, she has managed a thriving freelance business, creating print, broadcast and online content for Christian media and non-profit organizations. An award-winning writer, she has been published in a wide array of Canadian publications. With an undergraduate degree in Radio and Television Arts, she is pursuing an Master of Theological Studies part-time, and works as Director of Communications for Wycliffe College at the University of Toronto.