Monday, March 05, 2007

Psalm 34-quickly becoming one of my favorite Psalms

Psalm 34

Of David.

1 [a] I will extol the LORD at all times;
his praise will always be on my lips.
2 My soul will boast in the LORD;
let the afflicted hear and rejoice.

3 Glorify the LORD with me;
let us exalt his name together.

4 I sought the LORD, and he answered me;
he delivered me from all my fears.

5 Those who look to him are radiant;
their faces are never covered with shame.

6 This poor man called, and the LORD heard him;
he saved him out of all his troubles.

7 The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him,
and he delivers them.

8 Taste and see that the LORD is good;
blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.

9 Fear the LORD, you his saints,
for those who fear him lack nothing.

10 The lions may grow weak and hungry,
but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.

11 Come, my children, listen to me;
I will teach you the fear of the LORD.

12 Whoever of you loves life
and desires to see many good days,

13 keep your tongue from evil
and your lips from speaking lies.

14 Turn from evil and do good;
seek peace and pursue it.

15 The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous
and his ears are attentive to 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 The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them;
he delivers them from all their troubles.

18 The LORD is close to the brokenhearted
and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

19 A righteous man may have many troubles,
but the LORD delivers him from them all;

20 he protects all his bones,
not one of them will be broken.

21 Evil will slay the wicked;
the foes of the righteous will be condemned.

22 The LORD redeems his servants;
no one will be condemned who takes refuge in him.

I just love this verse for so many reasons! The beginning talks about praising the Lord continually with every word that comes out of your mouth all the time!!! I strive to do that, and I love in verse 3 how it says 'let us extol His name together..' I love that it implies brothers and sisters in Christ praising His name together, being unified by praising the God that we share a love for. I love how it continues to repeat throughout the chapter things like in verse 4 (I sought the LORD, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears.) and things like verses 6 and 7. The Lord delivers us from our fears and our troubles. He doesn't just take them out a little bit at a time and tease us He delivers US from them. His angels protect us against them. I love in verse 8, "taste and see that the Lord is good." I lovE That!! It's like glorifying Gos by using our senses and then praising Him for them and seeing how great He is through them! It continually repeats that the Lord will help the righteous and the hurting ones who cry out to Him, He will comfort them and help them. He will 'keep our bones from being broken' (verse 20). And the ending is just amazing, it's totally the icing on the cake, verse 22 "The LORD redeems his servants; no one will be condemned who takes refuge in him." His servants....? Yeah, that's us! He will redeem us! We will not be condemned because we take refuge in Him...and that is THE BEST PLACE to take refuge isn't it? Heck yeah it is!!

God bless ya'll.

2 comments:

Amanda Shea said...

You inspire me beautiful!!

katie.marie said...

you already read it! Yay!! I JUST now posted it =D i love you to the moon and across the stars and through the galaxy with the center shaped like a cross!!!