Psalms 34

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

A psalm of David; when he pretended to be insane before Abimelech, who drove him out. I will praise Yahweh at all times, his praise will always be in my mouth.

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

I will praise Yahweh! May the oppressed hear and rejoice.

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

Praise Yahweh with me, let us lift up his name together.

4 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.

I sought Yahweh and he answered me, and he gave me victory over all my fears.

5 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].

Those who look to him are radiant, and their faces are not ashamed.

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

This oppressed man cried and Yahweh heard him and saved him from all his troubles.

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

The angel of Yahweh camps around those who fear him and rescues them.

8 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.

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

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

Fear Yahweh, you his holy people. There is no lack for those who fear him.

10 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].

The young lions sometimes lack food and suffer hunger, but those who seek Yahweh will not lack anything good.

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

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

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

What man is there who desires life and loves many days, that he may see good?

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

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

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

Turn away from evil and do good. Seek peace and go after it.

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

The eyes of Yahweh are on the righteous and his ears are directed toward their cry.

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

The face of Yahweh is against those who do evil, to cut off the memory of them from the earth.

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

The righteous cry out and Yahweh hears and he rescues them from all their troubles.

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

Yahweh is close to the brokenhearted, and he saves those who are crushed in spirit.

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

Many are the troubles of the righteous, but Yahweh delivers them out of them all.

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

He keeps all his bones, not one of them will be broken.

21 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.

Evil will kill the wicked. Those who hate the righteous will be condemned.

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

Yahweh rescues the lives of his servants. None of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.