Psalm 34
A Psalm of David, when he changed his behavior before A-bim’-e-lech; who drove him away,
and he departed.
Pt. 2

8 O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.

It is obvious that David was (and is) speaking to the regenerate, to those who have actually repented of their sins and trusted completely in the Lord as their Only Hope of Salvation. God is not available in this way to
the wicked, to the rebel, to the ungodly of this world, regardless of what some might think and affirm. But He is near to those who call on Him from a heart of True Faith, though sometimes they forget to seek Him.

David is calling on those who believe to live their trust, to actually place themselves in His hands in times of trouble. Here is Great Blessing affirmed by one who had lived it many times but especially in his deliverance from the Philistines when he was completely vulnerable.

9 O fear the LORD, ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him. 10 The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the LORD shall not want any good thing.

We should not read ‘no want’ to mean that all of our ‘wants’ will be supplied in this life or that there will never be a time when we lack those physical things we need. Even those times will be rare for the great majority of saints through the Lovingkindness of Our God, but the thrust of scripture is always to affirm that those things we truly need: Spiritual Provision, Communion with God and an audience with Him in times of trouble, will always be ours. Again, remember his urging, “taste and see.”

Even the young lions, a picture of those well capable of providing for themselves, sometimes fall short in their ability to procure food. In a spiritual analogy and contrast, those who seek the Lord, be they ever
so weak and failing, will not lack what they truly need. And, we must add again, the track record for most will be that they ever have enough of this world’s goods for themselves and to share.

11 Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the LORD.

It is as if he is saying, “Gather round, especially you young ones, I want to show you how one deals with God so as to know this blessing.”

12 What man is he that desireth life, and loveth many days, that he may see good?

“Do you want to live a profitable life and have many days to enjoy in the right way?” And who does not, that is of those who have any wisdom at all?

13 Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile. 14 Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.

“Repent of your sins. Turn away from all wickedness. Rid yourself by God’s help of all forms of deceit.” This writer adds here an amplification of this last advice – Learn Soul Integrity, what it is to be totally honest with your self and with God concerning everything but especially your secret sins.

“Depart from (all) evil.” We must remember what the man wrote in the First Psalm.
Ps 1
1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.

He who would know a life blessed by God must make a complete and total break with wickedness of every kind, especially the company of and close contact with “the ungodly.”

“Do good, seek peace and pursue it (really both of them)” This is a brief summation of what the Lord Jesus developed in detail in the Sermon on the Mount.

In these two very brief verses David captured the essence of “Repent and Believe.”

— May 26, 2020