Psalm of Thanksgiving for Happiness in Trusting God

"I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth..I sought the Lord, and He heard me, And delivered me from all my fears. They looked to Him and were radiant, And their faces were not ashamed. The poor man cried out, and the Lord heard him, And saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the Lord encamps all around those who fear Him, And delivers them…The Lord redeems the soul of His servants, And none of those who trust in Him shall be condemned." Psalm 34:1, 4-7, 22NKJV) [Read Psalm 34]

In this Psalm of Thanksgiving it was hard to pinpoint key verses. In reading the entire Psalm, the reader is caught up in the psalmist’s expression of happiness in trusting God. The introductory note gives some problem: “A psalm of David when he pretended madness before Abimelech, who drove him away, and he departed.” This recorded references in King David’s life is found in I Samuel 21:10-15. It refers to the time when David had to flee for his life in order to escape King Saul’s plot to kill him He was in Gath (a Philistine stronghold), domain of King Achish. That king’s advisors told the king that David was the one the people praised with this song: “Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands.” Those in that pagan kingdom recognized the special place David held. It was there, to save his life, David feigned madness by writing on the fence and foaming at the mouth. Depending on the translation, you will see the name of this king as Abimelech, Ahimelech or Achish. By this introductory note being attached to the psalm, we can know that the incident was worthy of being remembered. The whole psalm revolves around praising and thanking God for his protection and deliverance, in whatever straights we find ourselves. The change from first person I in most of the psalm to “They” in verse 5, “They looked unto Him and were radiant, And their faces were not ashamed” should not pose a problem in interpretation. David had invited, “Oh, magnify the Lord with me, And let us exalt His name together” (v. 3). Those who do so are changed in countenance. Their faces are “lightened” (KJV) and they are unashamed of their radiant faces.

A dedicated missionary friend of mine wrote just this year that she is praying she will “be radiant for God”—reveal Him in her countenance and her life (And she does!). Were that we all could show forth the Spirit of Christ in our faces, be radiant for Him! Verse 7 affirms that the angel of the Lord “encamps all around those who fear Him, And delivers them.” Angels are messengers of God who do His bidding. The belief of a guardian angel is commonly held and stems from this and other scriptures. Both in character and in their activity among men, angels reveal God and act on His behalf. The strong message of this psalm: God cares for His own; trust in Him!

c Ethelene Dyer Jones; Saturday, November 20, 2010