34:1 Written by David, when he pretended to be insane before Abimelech, causing the king to send him away. ² 

I will praise ³  the Lord at all times;

my mouth will continually praise him. ⁴ 

34:2 I will boast ⁵  in the Lord;

let the oppressed hear and rejoice! ⁶ 

34:3 Magnify the Lord with me!

Let’s praise ⁷  his name together!

34:4 I sought the Lord’s help ⁸  and he answered me;

he delivered me from all my fears.

34:5 Those who look to him for help are happy;

their faces are not ashamed. ⁹ 

34:6 This oppressed man cried out and the Lord heard;

he saved him ¹⁰  from all his troubles.

34:7 The Lord’s angel camps around

the Lord’s ¹¹  loyal followers ¹²  and delivers them. ¹³ 

34:8 Taste ¹⁴  and see that the Lord is good!

How blessed ¹⁵  is the one ¹⁶  who takes shelter in him! ¹⁷ 

34:9 Remain loyal to ¹⁸  the Lord, you chosen people of his, ¹⁹ 

for his loyal followers ²⁰  lack nothing!

34:10 Even young lions sometimes lack food and are hungry,

but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.

34:11 Come children! Listen to me!

I will teach you what it means to fear the Lord. ²¹ 

34:12 Do you want to really live? ²² 

Would you love to live a long, happy life? ²³ 

34:13 Then make sure you don’t speak evil words ²⁴ 

or use deceptive speech! ²⁵ 

34:14 Turn away from evil and do what is right! ²⁶ 

Strive for peace and promote it! ²⁷ 

34:15 The Lord pays attention to the godly

and hears their cry for help. ²⁸ 

34:16 But the Lord opposes evildoers

and wipes out all memory of them from the earth. ²⁹ 

34:17 The godly ³⁰  cry out and the Lord hears;

he saves them from all their troubles. ³¹ 

34:18 The Lord is near the brokenhearted;

he delivers ³²  those who are discouraged. ³³ 

34:19 The godly ³⁴  face many dangers, ³⁵ 

but the Lord saves ³⁶  them ³⁷  from each one of them.

34:20 He protects ³⁸  all his bones; ³⁹ 

not one of them is broken. ⁴⁰ 

34:21 Evil people self-destruct; ⁴¹ 

those who hate the godly are punished. ⁴² 

34:22 The Lord rescues his servants; ⁴³ 

all who take shelter in him escape punishment. ⁴⁴