Of David. When he pretended to be insane before Abimelech, who drove him away, and he left.
1 Samuel 21 describes David's flight from Saul and the episode with the priest Abimelech and later Achish, king of Gath. (It is before Achish, not Abimelech, that David fakes insanity. One commentary -- Reformation Study Bible, online -- suggests that Abimelech was a title and so might have applied to Achish?)
Psalm 56 may have been written as a prelude to this psalm.
Psalm 34: 1-3, Always on my lips
I will extol the LORD at all times;
his praise will always be on my lips.
My soul will boast in the LORD;
let the afflicted hear and rejoice.
Glorify the LORD with me;
let us exalt his name together.
This psalm is an "acrostic"; each of the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet (with the exception of the sixth letter, waw) is used to begin a verse. Verse one begin with aleph, verse two with beth, verse three with gimel, and so on, through the first 21 verses. (I've not read an explanation as to why the sixth Hebrew letter is left out.)
"Let us exalt his name together", a call for communal praise and worship. David's personal praise expands into communal worship.
Psalm 34: 4-7, Poor man delivered
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.
There are several Old Testament stories in the background here. In Exodus 34: 29-34, Moses had a "radiant face" when he descended from Mt. Sinai. The concept of a "messenger" of the Lord guiding the people of God goes back to Genesis 24, when Abraham tells his servant that a messenger of God will guide him to a wife for Isaac.
Psalm 34: 8-10, Taste!
Taste and see that the LORD is good;
blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.
Fear the LORD, you his saints,
for those who fear him lack nothing.
The lions may grow weak and hungry,
but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.
"Taste and see," is a strong invitation to experience God. In this passage we have a series of parallel concepts of the form, "I ask and God answers".
Psalm 34: 11-14, Seek truth and peace
Come, my children, listen to me;
I will teach you the fear of the LORD.
Whoever of you loves life and desires to see many good days,
keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking lies.
Turn from evil and do good;
seek peace and pursue it.
Seeking God includes a certain level of "fear", a search for peace and righteousness, a turning from evil. This passage has form similar to Proverbs or other Old Testament wisdom literature, beginning with a phrase like "Listen and I will teach you..." followed by couplets of instruction.
Psalm 34: 15-18, Cry out -- He hears!
The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous
and his ears are attentive to their cry;
the face of the LORD is against those who do evil,
to cut off the memory of them from the earth.
The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them;
he delivers them from all their troubles.
The LORD is close to the brokenhearted
and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
"The LORD is close to the brokenhearted..." and "saves those who are crushed in spirit." David certainly knew despair and heartbreak, but claims that God is nearby in all of the circumstances.
Psalm 34: 19-22, Delivers from all
A righteous man may have many troubles,
but the LORD delivers him from them all;
he protects all his bones,
not one of them will be broken.
Evil will slay the wicked;
the foes of the righteous will be condemned.
The LORD redeems his servants;
no one will be condemned who takes refuge in him.
Ah, but in contrast to verse 19, there are many examples where God does not deliver believers from every trouble. Verse 19 is a certain poetic hyperbole: imagine a parent saying that to a child. It is almost true.... But there is still pain, suffering and troubles -- as the book of Job makes clear.
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