Psalm 34
A Psalm of David, when he changed his behaviour before Abimelech;
who drove him away, and he departed.


Tunes PCC uses:   WiltshireKilmarnock,  Arnold,
St. MatthewSt. PaulOld 44th,
St. AsaphJackson 

 

1

God will I bless all times; his praise

 

 

my mouth shall still express.

2

My soul shall boast in God: the meek

 

 

shall hear with joyfulness.

3

Extol the Lord with me, let us

 

 

exalt his name together.

4

I sought the Lord, he heard, and did

 

 

me from all fears deliver.

 

5

They look’d to him, and lighten’d were:

 

 

not shamed were their faces.

6

This poor man cry’d, God heard, and sav’d

 

 

him from all his distresses.

7

The angel of the Lord encamps,

 

 

and round encompasseth

 

All those about that do him fear,

 

 

and them delivereth.

 

8

O taste and see that God is good:

 

 

who trusts in him is bless’d.

9

Fear God his saints: none that him fear

 

 

shall be with want oppress’d.

10

The lions young may hungry be,

 

 

and they may lack their food:

 

But they that truly seek the Lord

 

 

shall not lack any good.

 

11

O children, hither do ye come,

 

 

and unto me give ear;

 

I shall you teach to understand

 

 

how ye the Lord should fear.

12

What man is he that life desires,

 

 

to see good would live long?

13

Thy lips refrain from speaking guile,

 

 

and from ill words thy tongue.

 

14

Depart from ill, do good, seek peace,

 

 

pursue it earnestly.

15

God’s eyes are on the just; his ears

 

 

are open to their cry.

16

The face of God is set against

 

 

those that do wickedly,

 

That he may quite out from the earth

 

 

cut off their memory.

 

17

The righteous cry unto the Lord,

 

 

he unto them gives ear;

 

And they out of their troubles all

 

 

by him deliver’d are.

18

The Lord is ever nigh to them

 

 

that be of broken sp’rit;

 

To them he safety doth afford

 

 

that are in heart contrite.

 

19

The troubles that afflict the just

 

 

in number many be;

 

But yet at length out of them all

 

 

the Lord doth set him free.

20

He carefully his bones doth keep,

 

 

whatever can befall;

 

That not so much as one of them

 

 

can broken be at all.

 

21

Ill shall the wicked slay; laid waste

 

 

shall be who hate the just.

22

The Lord redeems his servants’ souls;

 

 

none perish that him trust.



Return to the Psalter