Psalms 34

1 By David; when he pretended to be insane before Abimelech, who drove him away, and he departed. I will bless Yahweh at all times. His praise will always be in my mouth.

I will always thank Yahweh; I will constantly praise him [MTY].

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

I will boast about what Yahweh [has done]. All those who are oppressed/discouraged should hear me and rejoice.

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

Join with me in telling others that Yahweh is great! You and I should together proclaim how glorious he is!

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

I prayed to Yahweh, and he (answered my prayer/did what I asked him to do); he rescued me from [all those who caused me] to be afraid.

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

Those who trust [IDM] that he [will help them] will be joyful; (they will never be disappointed/he will always do for them the things that he promises) [LIT].

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

I was miserable/helpless, but I called out to Yahweh, and he heard me. He rescued me from all my troubles.

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

An angel from Yahweh guards those who revere him, and the angel rescues them.

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

Find out for yourself, and you will experience that Yahweh is good to you! He is very pleased with those who ask him to protect them.

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

All you who belong to him, revere him! Those who do that will always have the things that they need [LIT].

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

Lions [are usually] very strong, [but sometimes] even young lions are hungry and become weak, but those who trust in Yahweh will (have everything/not lack any good thing) [LIT] [that they need].

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

You (who are my students/whom I teach), come and listen to me, and I will teach you how to revere Yahweh.

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

If [RHQ] any of you wants to enjoy life and have a good long life,

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

do not say anything that is evil! Do not tell lies!

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

Turn away from doing evil, and do what is good! Always try hard to enable people to live peacefully [with each other.]

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

Yahweh [MTY] carefully watches over those who [act] righteously; he always responds [MTY] to them when they call [to him for help].

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

But Yahweh [SYN] (is opposed to/turns away from) those who do what is evil. [And after they die], people will forget them completely.

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

Yahweh hears righteous people when they call out to him; he rescues them from all their troubles.

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

Yahweh is always ready to help those who are discouraged; he rescues those who have nothing good to hope for.

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

Righteous people may have many troubles, but Yahweh rescues them from all those troubles.

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

Yahweh protects them from being harmed; [when their enemies attack them], they will not break any bones of those righteous people.

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

Wicked people will be killed by their own evil deeds (OR, by [people doing to them] the same evil things [that the wicked do to others]) [PRS], and Yahweh will punish those who oppose righteous people.

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

Yahweh will save those who serve him. He will (not condemn/forgive) [LIT] those who trust in him.