Psalm 34 Story behind the Psalm
Overview
Background situation
Expanded paraphrase
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- Close but Clear (CBC) translation
- Assumptions which provide the most salient background information, presuppositions, entailments, and inferences
v. 1
(This song was written) By David. (He wrote it as he reflected on the time) When he (fled to the Philistine city of Gath)(and was recognized as the famous warrior of Judah who had slain Goliath of Gath)(and was arrested by the servants of Abimelek)(the king of Gath.)(David was afraid for his life, and)(in an attempt to escape, he) pretended to be insane before Abimelek, and Abimelek (falling for the trick) (and not wishing to have insane people around him) drove him (=David) out (of his presence), and he (=David) went (safely away from Gath and hid in the cave of Adullam) (where many afflicted people joined him). (David said to them)
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v. 2
(YHWH has rescued me!) (So, in response to what YHWH has done for me) I will bless YHWH at all times. (YHWH has earned my constant admiration and appreciation, and so) His praise will continually be (spoken and sung) in my mouth.
v. 3
My soul boasts (not in myself, but) in YHWH (because I did not save myself. Rather, YHWH is the one who rescued me). May the afflicted hear (about what YHWH did for me) and be glad (because, if YHWH can rescue me, an afflicted person, then he can rescue other afflicted people, too)!
v. 4
Extol YHWH with me (, all you afflicted people,) (because YHWH is great), and let us exalt his name together!
v. 5
(I myself was afflicted.) (I was afraid for my life, and I did not know what to do.) (But then) I sought YHWH (to see what I should do) and he answered me (and gave me the idea and the ability to pretend to be insane before Abimelek) (and he made the attempt successful, so that Abimelek drove me out) and (thus) he (=YHWH) rescued me from all my terrors.
v. 6
(When you are in a similar situation, afflicted like I was,) Gaze at him (=YHWH) (with confident expectation) and (you will) glow (with joy), (because he will answer your prayer) (and you will not be disappointed,) and do not (seek help from elsewhere) (and so) let your faces be ashamed!
v. 7
This (—I am referring to myself—) is a poor (and afflicted) man who called out (to YHWH for help) and YHWH heard (him) and saved him from all his troubles. (If YHWH saved me, then he can save you too, if you call out to him amidst your troubles.)
v. 8
(Whenever YHWH's people are surrounded by enemies) YHWH’s angel encamps all around those who fear him (to guard them on every side) and (when the enemies try to attack) he delivers them (=those who fear YHWH) (so that they are safe from all harm).
v. 9
(YHWH delivers his people,) (because YHWH is good.) (Call out to him for deliverance, and so) Taste and see (for yourself) that YHWH is good! Happy is the man who seeks refuge in him.
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v. 10
Fear YHWH, you holy ones of his (who belong to him and are devoted to his service)! For those who fear him have no lack. (Therefore, if you fear YHWH, he will provide for you, and you will not lack.)
v. 11
(Even) Young lions (who, being fierce hunters) (are the least likely of all creatures to go hungry) have suffered want and been hungry, but those who seek YHWH (and do not, like lions, rely on their own power to meet their needs) will not lack any good.
v. 12
Come, (you who are my students) (and so are like my) children! Listen to me! I will teach you the fear of YHWH.
v. 13
Who (among you) is the person who desires life, who wants to live a long time, who loves to see good? (Surely, each of you desires a long life full of good) (for this is widely regarded as a tremendous blessing.)
v. 14
(If you are such a person, then here's what you must do:) Keep your tongue from (speaking) evil and your lips from speaking deceit!
v. 15
Turn away from evil and do good! Seek peace and pursue it! (This is what it means, practically, to fear YHWH,) (and those who fear YHWH will live long and happy lives,) (because YHWH protects and provides for those who fear him.)
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v. 16
YHWH’s eyes are directed towards the righteous (so that he sees them in their distress), and his ears are attentive to their cries for help (so that he hears them when they cry out to him).
v. 17
(By contrast,) YHWH’s face is against those who do evil, so as to remove the memory of them from the earth (so that those who do evil will never be remembered).
v. 18
(Here is something that I have seen in the past, and it is typical of what happens again and again:) (When the righteous experienced trouble) They called for help, and YHWH heard (them), and he delivered them from all their troubles.
v. 19
(YHWH delivers the righteous, who are afflicted, because) YHWH is near to the broken-hearted (and thus he is able to hear them when they call out for help) and he saves the crushed in spirit.
v. 20
The hardships of the righteous are many, but YHWH rescues him from all of them.
v. 21
He (=YHWH) protects all his (=the righteous person's) bones. Not one of them has broken.
v. 22
(By contrast,) (YHWH does not rescue the wicked from hardship.) (Instead,) Hardship (afflicts) (and then eventually) finishes off a wicked person, and (in this way) those who hate a righteous person bear their guilt.
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v. 23
(Whereas the wicked become guilty of sin, experience hardship as a result of their sin, and then eventually die from their hardships,) YHWH (forgives, and thereby) redeems his servants’ lives (from sin, hardship, and death) (so that they no longer belong to sin, hardship, and death but now belong to him as his servants) and (so) no one who seeks refuge in him will ever bear guilt.
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