Logos Bible Study

Psalm 34:2–9

The NET BibleOther versions

English

Arabic

Czech

French

German

Hebrew

Hungarian

Italian

Korean

Latin

Portuguese

Russian

Simplified Chinese

Spanish

Traditional Chinese

34:2I will boast3 in the Lord;

let the oppressed hear and rejoice!4

34:3Magnify the Lord with me!

Let’s praise5 his name together!

34:4I sought the Lord’s help6 and he answered me;

he delivered me from all my fears.

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

their faces are not ashamed.7

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

he saved him8 from all his troubles.

34:7The Lord’s angel camps around

the Lord’s9 loyal followers10 and delivers them.11

34:8Taste12 and see that the Lord is good!

How blessed13 is the one14 who takes shelter in him!15

34:9Remain loyal to16 the Lord, you chosen people of his,17

for his loyal followers18 lack nothing!

Read in Logos
Psalm 34:3: Oh, magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together!

Footnotes

  1. 3 Heb “my soul will boast”; or better, “let my soul boast.” Following the cohortative form in v. 1, it is likely that the prefixed verbal form here is jussive.
  2. 4 The two prefixed verbal forms in this verse are best taken as jussives, for the psalmist is calling his audience to worship (see v. 3).
  3. 5 Or “exalt.”
  4. 6 Heb “I sought the Lord.”
  5. 7 Heb “they look to him and are radiant and their faces are not ashamed.” The third person plural subject (“they”) is unidentified; there is no antecedent in the Hebrew text. For this reason some prefer to take the perfect verbal forms in the first line as imperatives, “look to him and be radiant” (cf. , ). Some medieval Hebrew and other ancient witnesses (Aquila, the , and Jerome) support an imperatival reading for the first verb. In the second line some (with support from the and ) change “their faces” to “your faces,” which allows one to retain more easily the jussive force of the verb (suggested by the preceding אַל [’al]): “do not let your faces be ashamed.” It is probable that the verbal construction in the second line is rhetorical, expressing the conviction that the action in view cannot or should not happen. See §109.e.
  6. 8 The pronoun refers back to “this oppressed man,” namely, the psalmist.
  7. 9 Heb “his”; the referent (the Lord) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  8. 10 Heb “those who fear him.”
  9. 11 The prefixed verb with vav (ו) consecutive here carries the same generalizing force as the active participle in the first line. See §111.u.
  10. 12 This verb is normally used of tasting or savoring food. The metaphor here appears to compare the Lord to a tasty meal.
  11. 13 The Hebrew noun is an abstract plural. The word often refers metonymically to the happiness that God-given security and prosperity produce (see Pss 1:1, 3; 2:12; 41:1; 65:4; 84:12; 89:15; 106:3; 112:1; 127:5; 128:1; 144:15).
  12. 14 Heb “man.” The principle of the psalm is certainly applicable to all people, regardless of their gender or age. To facilitate modern application, we translate the gender and age specific “man” with the more neutral “one.”
  13. 15 “Taking shelter” in the Lord is an idiom for seeking his protection. Seeking his protection presupposes and even demonstrates the subject’s loyalty to the Lord. In the psalms those who “take shelter” in the Lord are contrasted with the wicked and equated with those who love, fear, and serve the Lord (Pss 2:12; 5:11–12; 31:17–20; 34:21–22).
  14. 16 Heb “fear.”
  15. 17 Heb “O holy ones of his.”
  16. 18 Heb “those who fear him.”

The NET Bible First Edition, Copyright 1996-2005 by Biblical Studies Press

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

My soul makes its boast in the Lord;

let the humble hear and be glad.

Oh, magnify the Lord with me,

and let us exalt his name together!

I sought the Lord, and he answered me

and delivered me from all my fears.

Those who look to him are radiant,

and their faces shall never be ashamed.

This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him

and saved him out of all his troubles.

The angel of the Lord encamps

around those who fear him, and delivers them.

Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good!

Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!

Oh, fear the Lord, you his saints,

for those who fear him have no lack!

Copyright 2001 Crossway Bibles

NIVNew International Version (2011)

I will glory in the Lord;

let the afflicted hear and rejoice.

Glorify the Lord with me;

let us exalt his name together.

I sought the Lord, and he answered me;

he delivered me from all my fears.

Those who look to him are radiant;

their faces are never covered with shame.

This poor man called, and the Lord heard him;

he saved him out of all his troubles.

The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him,

and he delivers them.

Taste and see that the Lord is good;

blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.

Fear the Lord, you his holy people,

for those who fear him lack nothing.

Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 Biblica, Inc.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

I will boast in the Lord;

the humble will hear and be glad.

Proclaim the Lord’s greatness with me;

let us exalt his name together.

I sought the Lord, and he answered me

and rescued me from all my fears.

Those who look to him are radiant with joy;

their faces will never be ashamed.

This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him

and saved him from all his troubles.

The angel of the Lord encamps

around those who fear him, and rescues them.

Taste and see that the Lord is good.

How happy is the person who takes refuge in him!

You who are his holy ones, fear the Lord,

for those who fear him lack nothing.

Copyright 2017 Holman Bible Publishers

NLTNew Living Translation

I will boast only in the Lord;

let all who are helpless take heart.

Come, let us tell of the Lord’s greatness;

let us exalt his name together.

I prayed to the Lord, and he answered me.

He freed me from all my fears.

Those who look to him for help will be radiant with joy;

no shadow of shame will darken their faces.

In my desperation I prayed, and the Lord listened;

he saved me from all my troubles.

For the angel of the Lord is a guard;

he surrounds and defends all who fear him.

Taste and see that the Lord is good.

Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him!

Fear the Lord, you his godly people,

for those who fear him will have all they need.

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers. All rights reserved.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

My soul makes its boast in Yahweh;

let the humble hear and be glad.

Magnify Yahweh with me,

and let us exalt his name together.

I sought Yahweh and he answered me,

and from all my terrors he delivered me.

They looked to him and were radiant,

and their faces shall not be ashamed.

This poor man called and Yahweh heard,

and saved him from all his troubles.

The angel of Yahweh encamps

around those who fear him,

and he rescues them.

Taste and see that Yahweh is good;

blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.

Fear Yahweh, you his saints,

for there is no lack for those who fear him.

Copyright 2012 Lexham Press

KJV 1900King James Version

My soul shall make her boast in the Lord:

The humble shall hear thereof, and be glad.

O magnify the Lord with me,

And let us exalt his name together.

I sought the Lord, and he heard me,

And delivered me from all my fears.

They looked unto him, and were lightened:

And their faces were not ashamed.

This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him,

And saved him out of all his troubles.

The angel of the Lord encampeth

Round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.

O taste and see that the Lord is good:

Blessed is the man that trusteth in him.

O fear the Lord, ye his saints:

For there is no want to them that fear him.

Public Domain