A Psalm of Assurance

There is nothing more reassuring than a good hug!

Psalms 34 reminds me that spending time with the Lord is precious. It begins by encouraging us to “bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth.” (Verse 1 – ESV) To achieve such a state where this is true for you, the feeling must come from the core of your heart. You’ll find yourself singing blessings to the Lord spontaneously, naturally, lovingly, and sincerely – ALL the time.

Then, when we pray, our prayer will be like a song of praise to our Heavenly Father, one motivated by our communion with His Holy Spirit. Then, we can say, “I prayed to the Lord, and he answered me; he freed me from all my fears.” (Verse 4 – GNT) Fear is a product of doubt. And doubt creeps in when we don’t know the one to whom we pray. In the ESV, the phrase used instead of “I prayed” is “I sought.” If we are in the habit of blessing the Lord and having His praise be continually in our mouths, we know where to find Him.

The Psalmist encourages us to experience God using our senses, “taste and see that the Lord is good!” (Verse 8 – ESV) Recognize that “the eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous and his ears toward their cry.” (Verse 15 – ESV) God is a God who goes to the very core of our being. He sees us. He hears us. “When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles.” (Verse 17 – ESV)

Just because we try our best to “bless” and “praise” our Lord continually, we are not protected from suffering. “Good people suffer many troubles, but the Lord saves them from them all.” (Verse 19 – GNT)

Do you feel saved? Seek out the God who can and will save you!

Psalms 34 (ESV)

A Psalm of Reassurance

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.
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!
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.
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.

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