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Psalms 34: Taste and See

Delivered from his fears, David invites the humble to magnify the Lord with him and to discover by experience that Yahweh is good.

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Psalms 34 (WEB)

1 I will bless Yahweh at all times. His praise will always be in my mouth.

2 My soul shall boast in Yahweh. The humble shall hear of it, and be glad.

3 Oh magnify Yahweh with me. Let us exalt his name together.

4 I sought Yahweh, and he answered me, and delivered me from all my fears.

5 They looked to him, and were radiant. Their faces shall never be covered with shame.

6 This poor man cried, and Yahweh heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles.

7 Yahweh’s angel encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them.

8 Oh taste and see that Yahweh is good. Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.

9 Oh fear Yahweh, you his saints, for there is no lack with those who fear him.

10 The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger, but those who seek Yahweh shall not lack any good thing.

11 Come, you children, listen to me. I will teach you the fear of Yahweh.

12 Who is someone who desires life, and loves many days, that he may see good?

13 Keep your tongue from evil, and your lips from speaking lies.

14 Depart from evil, and do good. seek peace, and pursue it.

15 Yahweh’s eyes are toward the righteous. His ears listen to their cry.

16 Yahweh’s face is against those who do evil, to cut off their memory from the earth.

17 The righteous cry, and Yahweh hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles.

18 Yahweh is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves those who have a crushed spirit.

19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but Yahweh delivers him out of them all.

20 He protects all of his bones. Not one of them is broken.

21 Evil shall kill the wicked. Those who hate the righteous shall be condemned.

22 Yahweh redeems the soul of his servants. None of those who take refuge in him shall be condemned.

Summary

This is an acrostic psalm of thanksgiving and wisdom, born from a time when David escaped grave danger. He resolves to bless Yahweh at all times, with praise always in his mouth, and calls the humble to hear and be glad. He testifies that he sought the Lord and was answered, delivered from all his fears, and that this poor man cried and was saved out of all his troubles. From his own rescue flows the famous invitation: taste and see that Yahweh is good, for blessed is the one who takes refuge in him. The second half turns to teaching, as David sits the listener down like a child to learn the fear of the Lord: keep your tongue from evil, depart from evil and do good, and seek peace and pursue it. He assures them that Yahweh's eyes are toward the righteous and his ears open to their cry, and that he is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. Though the afflictions of the righteous are many, the Lord delivers them from all and keeps their bones, none of which is broken. That last promise points beyond David to Jesus, of whom John says not a bone was broken at the cross, the truly good One in whom we are invited to find refuge.

Voices

  • David — The delivered worshiper who blesses God at all times and teaches the humble the fear of the Lord.
  • Yahweh (the LORD) — The good God who answers seekers, hears the poor, draws near to the brokenhearted, and keeps the bones of the righteous.
  • The humble and the brokenhearted — Those invited to taste God's goodness, hear his teaching, and find him near in their crushed spirit.
  • Jesus the Righteous One — The truly good One whose bones were not broken, fulfilling the psalm's promise of God's protection.

Key Verse

Psalm 34:8 (WEB)

Oh taste and see that Yahweh is good. Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.

Lessons Learned

  • Praise can become a settled habit, blessing God "at all times," not only when things go well.
  • God's goodness is something to be experienced personally, not merely discussed.
  • The Lord draws especially near to the brokenhearted and the crushed in spirit.
  • The righteous are not spared all affliction, but the Lord delivers them out of every one.
  • Praise is meant to be constant. "I will bless Yahweh at all times. His praise will always be in my mouth" (Psalm 34:1, WEB). Thanksgiving is not reserved for good days; it is a way of life.
  • Faith is meant to be tasted. "Oh taste and see that Yahweh is good" (Psalm 34:8, WEB). God invites us not to debate his goodness from a distance but to experience it by taking refuge in him.
  • God is closest in our brokenness. "Yahweh is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves those who have a crushed spirit" (Psalm 34:18, WEB). Sorrow is not distance from God; it is often where he draws nearest.
  • Affliction is real, but not final. "Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but Yahweh delivers him out of them all" (Psalm 34:19, WEB). The promise is not no trouble, but rescue through it.
  • The Lord keeps his own completely. "He protects all of his bones. Not one of them is broken" (Psalm 34:20, WEB)—words John applies to Christ at the cross, the refuge in whom none are condemned.
  1. What does it look like to bless the Lord "at all times," even in hard seasons?
  2. Why does David invite us to "taste and see" rather than simply believe God is good?
  3. What practical instruction does David give about the tongue and about peace in verses 13-14?
  4. How does the promise that God is near the brokenhearted (verse 18) comfort you?
  5. Where do you need to move from knowing about God's goodness to tasting it firsthand?
  1. Blessing God at all times means praise becomes a steady posture rather than a reaction to circumstances (34:1). David wrote this after real danger, so his "at all times" includes hard times. We cultivate it by remembering past deliverances even while present troubles linger.
  2. "Taste" makes faith experiential and personal (34:8). You can describe honey to someone, but only tasting convinces them. God invites us to step out in trust and discover his goodness for ourselves, especially by taking refuge in him.
  3. Keep the tongue from evil and lips from lies, depart from evil and do good, and seek peace and pursue it (34:13-14). The fear of the Lord shows up in ordinary speech and active peacemaking, not just in private feeling.
  4. It tells the suffering that brokenness is not abandonment (34:18). When we feel most crushed, God is described as nearest, not farthest. This reframes pain as a place of his presence rather than proof of his absence.
  5. This is a personal-application question. Encourage members to identify one step of trust—prayer, obedience, taking refuge in a promise—that would let them experience God rather than only affirm him. As leader, share gently and keep expectations grace-filled, not performance-driven.

Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible (WEB), the King James Version (KJV), and the American Standard Version (ASV), all of which are in the public domain.