Our Psalm reading for the next three weeks, taken from the Lectionary of the Book of Common Prayer, will be portions of perhaps my most favorite Psalm, Psalm 34. Today we will look at the first eight verses of this special psalm.
The background of this psalm is rather interesting. As we know, David, the author of this psalm, spent many years during his early adulthood fleeing for his life from King Saul. At one time he went into the land of the Philistines, a major enemy of the people of Israel, and stayed with King Abimelech in Gath (I Samuel 21:10-15). (Abimelech was also referred to as Achish in the Bible.) Shortly after arriving there, though, many of Achish’s advisors and counselors warned him about David, reminding him that David had recently been Israel’s army general, fighting against them. When David overheard that talk, he knew he was in danger, so he feigned madness, and Achish quickly sent him from the country. Though he was back where Saul could hunt him down, David knew the Lord had protected his life from the Philistines again.
Knowing that God had protected his life numerous times, the latest being from King Achish and his court, when he was defenseless and an easy prey for them while living in the royal palace, David was quick to give his praise and thanks to the Lord (vs. 1-3). He knew, though, that it wasn’t just in certain times that we should praise and thank the Lord. We don’t need to wait until we have been delivered from some danger, we don’t have to wait for Sunday or Thanksgiving Day, to praise Him. We should praise God at all times (vs. 1). Sometimes we may not feel like praising God, but feelings don’t have to always fill praise. Like David, Daniel, and others in the Bible, we should schedule praise breaks throughout the day (Psalm 119:164). An attitude of adoring trust in the Lord will make an amazing difference in your life.
We know that David had several enemies who wished him harm or worse, including Saul, the Philistines, and other enemy nations, but ultimately his worst enemy was Satan, who wanted to bring him, and every child of God down. Satan will do everything he can to dishearten us and keep our focus on negative things instead of God. David knew this, which is why he made it a special point to take the time to praise and magnify the Lord no matter what was happening.
God is all-wise and loving. When fear starts to overwhelm us, we need to stop and remember that He is our God, and that He will always hold us up if we turn to Him. When we believe that God is good, we can learn to release our fears. When we are afraid, it is good to remember the occasions in the past when God has heard and answered our prayers, and delivered us from our fears.
Sometimes the Lord works things in special ways so that the harm that was coming our way somehow bypasses us, and we are safe. God had worked the circumstances so that David overheard or knew about the things that King Achish’s counselors were saying about him, and was thus able to devise a plan to escape. Sometimes the Lord sends an angel to surround and protect us from harm (vs. 7). David could attest to a number of these occurrences. Who knows how often we have been protected or delivered from harm by an angel assigned to guard us? Or how often the Lord worked events or occurrences to protect us?
As these opening verses of Psalm 34 can attest, even during the trials of life, we can testify to God’s goodness and faithfulness. Next week we will look further into this beloved psalm.
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