Psalm 34

The Lord our Deliverer and Delight

"It’s been a while since I’ve seen everyone, and time is limited, so we’re going to play a quick round of the classic game: Put a Finger Down."

"This will help me get a quick pulse on how life’s treating y’all—no judgment, just vibes. Ready?"

Put a finger down… 👉 If you you’ve changed jobs, started a new school, or made a big move in the last three years. 👉 If you’ve added a new family member—through birth, marriage, adoption, or a pet that thinks they’re human. 👉 If you've made a bad decision and immediately followed it up with, “Lord, I need You…” 👉 If you've traveled for vacation where the destination that were more than 4 hours away.

Bonus round…

👉 Put a finger down if you've ever been the second king of Israel as you were running from the first king of Israel who is trying to kill you because you know jealousy, then you pretended to be insane, drooled in your beard, and scribbled on a wall just to have the King of Gath say This Guy is a madman, and leave you alone.

Okay, maybe that one’s just David.

This is where we find David this morning. AS our subscript points us to 1 Samuel 21 which describes the scene and the heart of David in this moment. David is on the run from Saul. If you remember, Saul was the first king of Israel—tall, handsome, and from the tribe of Benjamin. He was the people’s choice, the kind of leader they thought would bring strength and security. But Saul’s heart wasn’t for the Lord. Over time, through disobedience and pride, Saul made it clear that he could not be trusted with the kingship. So God raised up another—a humble shepherd boy named David, the youngest of Jesse’s sons.

Now, David has grown. He’s known across Israel as a mighty warrior and leader. But Saul is consumed with jealousy and fear. He sees David not just as a threat—but as a target. So Saul begins to hunt him down.

In his desperation, David flees to a surprising place: Gath. If that name sounds familiar, it should. Gath was a Philistine city—the hometown of Goliath, the very giant David had defeated and beheaded on the battlefield years earlier. Imagine the tension: David walks into enemy territory carrying the reputation of a giant-slayer, hoping to disappear into the background.

David, the famed giant‑slayer, resorts to the only cover he can think of—acting insane. He scratches marks on the city gates and lets drool run down his beard until King Achish decides, “I’ve got enough madmen; get this one out of here!” The ruse buys David a narrow escape, and he slips away to hide in the cave of Adullam.

It’s there, in the echoing darkness of that cave—heart still racing, clothes still stained—that David reaches for his harp. Instead of composing a lament, he bursts into praise. Psalm 34 is the song he writes in that very moment: a testimony that even in fear, flight, and humiliation, “the LORD is good.”

In this Psalm, we see that even amid life’s troubles, the Lord delivers, satisfies, sustains, sees, and redeems His own. Because of all this, He is worthy of our praise.

Psalm 34 calls us to reflect deeply on the goodness of the Lord—and the natural response to that reflection is to praise Him continually.

Praise the Lord at All Times (1-3)

David’s desire is to praise the Lord. But consider the context of his praise: trial and affliction. David has been chosen by God to be the next king of Israel, but rather than walking a smooth path to the throne, he’s running for his life. He’s been anointed, yes—but he’s also hunted. He’s hiding, displaced, and misunderstood.

And yet—David blesses Yahweh continually. He boasts in the Lord and calls on others—especially the humble, those who are hurting—to rejoice with him. Even in persecution and affliction, David’s response is not bitterness or despair. It’s praise. And he invites others to do the same.

So let me ask you: how does life look to you right now? Are you distressed? Are you weary from the weight of this world? Has the brokenness of life left you feeling beat down, bruised, or even forgotten?

David’s words remind us that for the Christian, true worship is not seasonal—it’s continual. Not because life is always easy, but because God is always good.

True worship flows from a soul that delights in the Lord. It isn’t shaped by our circumstances, but by the unchanging character of God. Worship doesn’t rise because life is easy—it rises because God is worthy.

As we move through this Psalm, we’ll see that David doesn’t praise God because his life is perfect. He praises because he knows who God is.

The Lord is a deliverer. He satisfies the hungry soul. He hears the cry of the weak. He is good, just, and merciful. He is opposed to evil, yet full of grace for the broken. He redeems even the worst of sinners.

This is the God David praises.

Maybe for you this morning, praising the Lord feels hard—not because of suffering, but because of apathy. It’s not that God hasn’t been good—it’s that your heart has been elsewhere.

Instead of reflecting on who God is… Instead of lingering in His Word… Instead of seeking communion with Him… —you’ve been pulled in a hundred different directions.

Maybe the car needs work. Maybe the plants need tending. Maybe it’s busyness, or distractions, or even good things—things that deserve attention, but not your worship.

And because of that, your praise has become dull. Mechanical. Half-hearted.

But David invites us back. Back to reflection. Back to joy. Back to praise that flows not from circumstances, but from seeing and savoring the goodness of the Lord.

But here’s the beauty of God’s grace: even when our praise is weak, He is still strong to deliver. Even when we’ve drifted, He draws near.

In verses 4–7, David shifts from a call to praise to a personal testimony:

"I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears."

David isn’t speaking as someone who always got it right. He’s speaking as someone who was desperate, distressed, and in real danger. And in that place—fearful, humiliated, and surrounded—he sought the Lord... and the Lord showed up.

This next section reminds us that God doesn’t wait for us to have perfect praise before He delivers. He responds to the cries of the fearful. He encamps around those who trust in Him. He saves those who call out.

So let’s look at what it means that the Lord delivers the distressed

The Lord Delivers the Distressed (4-7)

David doesn’t just call us to praise the Lord—he gives us his own experience as proof.

He isn’t just disliked by the king—he’s being actively pursued by Saul, a man determined to kill him. For David, it feels like death is constantly knocking at the door.

In desperation, David flees from one danger to another. He escapes Saul only to end up in the Philistine city of Gath—the hometown of Goliath, the very giant he once killed. To survive there, he has to pretend to be insane just to feel remotely safe.

And even in the middle of all that chaos, others begin to gather around him—men who are distressed, indebted, and burdened by life (1 Sam. 22:2). Now David isn’t just hiding for his own life—he’s also surrounded by people who are looking to him for leadership and hope.

So what does David do in his distress? He doesn’t try to fix everything. He doesn’t strategize his way out. He doesn’t retreat into self-pity.

He seeks the Lord. Not with a casual word—but with humble, desperate prayer.

And notice what he says: “I sought the Lord,” not just “I called on the Lord.” There’s intentionality in that. Seeking means pursuing—turning your heart, your attention, and your will toward God. It’s more than a cry for help—it’s a deliberate act of trust.

David even addresses those who look to God are radiant, Taking us back to the exodus account where the Lord took the people out of Egypt and brought them through the wilderness. Then when moses had the Lord appear before him his face shown as radiant.

Further, Isaiah picks up this same thought, as Isaiah is prophesying about the coming of the Lord and the nations coming to know God, When God’s people see the Lord they then will be radiant and their hear shall thrill and exult. Isaiah gives this word the description of a mothers face lighting up at the sight of her children. One who has longed and has lost but now has been found.

In other words, Those who seek the lord in their destress will see the delight of the Lord and his glory and be transformed in the midst of what they are going through.

Seeking the Lord brings deliverance from all fear. But notice—God doesn’t rescue David with fireworks and fanfare. There’s no sudden reversal or miraculous escape. Instead, the Lord draws near in the midst of the trial.

David approaches the Lord with humility—he seeks, he calls, he cries out. And the Lord, in His goodness, doesn’t ignore him. He carries David through the trial.

Verse 7 says, “The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them.” That word encamps paints a picture of protection, presence, and provision. God surrounds those who come to Him in reverent trust.

This is God’s providential care: Not always plucking us out of suffering, but sustaining us through it— with His presence guarding us on every side.

God delivers the humble who seek him.

The Lord changes the

Maybe today, you’re in distress, and you’ve cried out to the Lord—but the trial hasn’t lifted. You’re still waiting. Still hurting. Still hoping for a way out.

Maybe the weight you’re carrying is the result of your own sin—and now, darkness feels like it’s closing in.

If that’s you, don’t turn inward. Don’t run. Seek the Lord—humbly, honestly, and expectantly.

He may not remove the trial immediately, but He will preserve you through it. And in that valley, He will give you grace in your time of need.

As you look to him, he is transforming you to reflect himself in and through you.

When we seek the Lord in distress, we find that He doesn’t just deliver us from fear—He satisfies us with Himself.

David doesn’t stop at being rescued—he invites us deeper. He says in verse 8:

“Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him.”

This isn’t about survival anymore—this is about communion. David is inviting us to experience the goodness of God firsthand—to know His provision, His presence, and His peace in the deepest parts of our soul.

When life leaves you empty, wounded, or searching, the answer isn’t just relief—it’s relationship with the Living God.

Let’s look now at verses 8–14 and see how the Lord satisfies the hungry soul.

The Lord Satisfies the hungry soul (8-14)

We’ve all been there before—trying something new. Maybe it’s a new restaurant, or some bold new item on the Wendy’s menu. You order it with curiosity, take that first bite, and if it’s good—you keep going back. You tell other people. You savor it. Why? Because it satisfied something in you.

That’s the kind of imagery David is tapping into here—but he’s pointing us to something far deeper. This isn’t about food—it’s about experience. David isn’t inviting us to know about God; he’s inviting us to experience the goodness of God for ourselves.

To “taste and see” means to come to the Lord with trust, to receive what He gives, and to find that He truly satisfies the soul. In other words—don’t just take David’s word for it. Come to the table yourself.

In a world full of empty promises and temporary pleasures, God alone satisfies the hungry soul.

Our souls are hungry. We were created to know God, enjoy God, and glorify God. That’s the design. But sin has separated us from Him—and our hunger has become distorted.

Instead of craving what truly satisfies, we keep tasting the things of this world—things that promise pleasure but only leave us empty. In our depravity, we’ve developed an appetite for death. Our spiritual taste buds are all out of order—we long for what hurts us and reject what heals us.

Let me give you a simple example: Back in February, I started a new diet. At first, I craved all the stuff I’d grown used to—Swiss Rolls, Oreos, Zaxby’s chicken… you name it. My body was wired for sugar and junk, because that’s what I’d been feeding it.

But after a couple months of eating whole, clean foods—those cravings started to fade. Something changed. I didn’t want the junk anymore. And here’s the funny part: after breaking my diet for a few days on a cruise, I looked at Courtney and said, “These endless ice cream cones aren’t satisfying anymore… I need a salad.”

That’s exactly what happens to the soul when it starts tasting the goodness of God. The more we feast on His Word, His presence, and His grace—the less appealing the world’s empty promises become. The sugar rush of sin can’t compare to the deep, lasting joy of knowing Him.

David says, “Taste and see that the Lord is good.” If you’ve been feeding your soul on lesser things, this is your invitation: Come and be satisfied.

When we are satisfied in the Lord, we truly see Him as good.

We are not like the young lions in verse 10 that want and hungers, falling into their own primial desires. but we who are satisfied in the Lord lack no good thing.

Not just good in theory. Not just good when life is easy. But good in the deepest, most personal sense—because He is the One who has redeemed us from our sins, rescued us from the pit of death, and atoned for us through His own sacrifice.

He is good. And when we find our refuge in Him, He doesn’t stand far off. He draws near. He wraps His arms around us in our distress.

This isn’t an empty promise—it’s the assurance of God’s covenant care for His people. Paul echoes this in Romans 8:28:

“And we know that for those who love God, all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose.”

But what is that good? It’s not always comfort, success, or ease. True good is found in communion with God Himself. It’s being near to the One who satisfies the soul.

Its a right living in the fear and awe of the Lord.

And here’s the beauty of communion with God: When we draw near to Him, we don’t stay the same. As we taste His goodness and find satisfaction in Him, our hearts begin to change. We start to desire what He desires. We begin to seek His goodness in our daily lives. And slowly but surely, by His Spirit, we start to reflect His character.

Communion with God always leads to transformation.

The good that we are enjoying in God, goes into the good that we do out of response. We become more like the One we’re close to.

This is why David, in verses 12–14, doesn’t just talk about satisfaction—he starts talking about obedience:

“Whoever desires life… keep your tongue from evil… turn away from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.”

Because when your soul is truly satisfied in the Lord, your life begins to look different. Not because you’re trying to earn His love— but because you’ve already received it.

This is exactly what Peter picks up on in 1 Peter 2:1–3:

“So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.”

In other words, when you've tasted the goodness of God, you’ll stop feeding on the junk that once consumed you. You’ll hunger for what’s pure. You’ll crave what helps you grow. And by His grace—you will grow.

As we begin to hunger for the pure spiritual nourishment of God, and our lives start to change, we can take comfort in this truth: The Lord does not forsake His own.

David reminds us in verses 15–18 that God’s eyes are always on the righteous, His ears attentive to their cries. Even in the darkest moments, when our hearts are broken and our spirits crushed, the Lord draws near. He is close to the hurting, the humble, and the faithful.

The Lord Sees and Redeems the Broken (15-22)

This is one of my favorite reminders from Psalm 34: As we live in this broken world, pain and suffering are inevitable.

But for David, the reflection of that brokenness is met with the nearness of the Lord. When the righteous cry out for help, the Lord hears, the Lord is near, and the Lord saves.

His eyes see what his people are going through, his ears are always ready to hear his cries, he face is ready to bring wrath and punish evil. He is ready and active to show mercy and grace.

Let’s pause for a moment and focus back on David’s context as he writes these verses.

In verses 15, 17, 19, and 21, David repeatedly mentions “the righteous.”

“The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous,”

“The Lord’s ears are attentive to their cry,”

“The Lord delivers the righteous from their afflictions,”

“The righteous will be redeemed.”

Notice that the word righteous here is used as a singular adjective. David is not just speaking generally—he is talking about individual people who live in right standing with God, even amid trial.

The righteous people of God are not righteous by their own merit. To be righteous means to be in right standing before God—completely clean, without a single stain of sin. But that’s our problem: we all fall short.

If we must be completely free of sin to be counted as righteous, then by nature, we don’t belong in verses 15–20. Instead, we belong in verse 21:

“Affliction will slay the wicked, and those who hate the righteous will be condemned.”

This presents a massive dilemma in Psalm 34. If we’re not righteous…

we cannot be delivered,

we cannot praise the Lord,

we cannot seek Him,

He will not draw near,

we cannot taste His goodness,

and we cannot live as we were created to live.

So how then do sinners like us taste and see that the Lord is good?

Look again at verses 19–20:

“Many are the afflictions of the righteous one, but the Lord delivers him out of them all. He keeps all his bones; not one of them is broken.”

Who is that truly righteous one? Jesus Christ—fully God and fully man. He is the only one who ever truly lived in perfect righteousness. He obeyed every command of God, without fail—where we, and even David, fell short.

At the cross, Jesus bore the full weight of our afflictions, the full penalty of our wickedness. He drank the cup of God’s wrath in full. He was slain—not for His sin, but for ours. He became the condemned one in our place.

We are the wicked ones. We are the ones who deserve to be crushed. We are the ones who deserve wrath and judgment. But Jesus—out of the goodness, mercy, and love of God—took our place.

Make no mistake: Jesus bore the penalty for all your sins and mine. He died, and the Lord delivered Him—He was raised on the third day, victorious over sin, death, and the grave.

Psalm 34:20 says, “He keeps all his bones; not one of them is broken.” John picks this up in his Gospel (John 19:36), showing that even in His death, Jesus fulfilled this very Psalm.

And now, Jesus redeems the life of His servants (v. 22). Through faith in Him, you and I can receive the salvation secured by His finished work on the cross.

Whatever you’re going through—whatever pain, trial, or distress—it does not compare to the eternal wrath of God for sin. But here is the good news: Jesus came in your place, so that you who were condemned can now take refuge in Christ’s righteousness. You are no longer seen as guilty, but declared righteous, not because of your works, but because of Christ’s finished work.

That’s the goodness of God. That’s the gospel at the heart of Psalm 34. So come—taste and see that the Lord is good.

Come by faith and taste the goodness of God. If your heart is broken over your sin—seek Him. Call out to Him. He is near to the brokenhearted. He saves those who are crushed in spirit.

The Lord is mighty to save. There is no sin too great, no burden too heavy, no past too dark. Christ has made the way. The Righteous One suffered, died, and rose again—so that you can be made righteous in Him.

So come. Come with your weariness. Come with your wounds. Come with your sin.

And find refuge in the goodness of God.

David has taken us full circle. He first called us to Praise the Lord and blessing of him at all time in all situations. Then this Psalm ends with a promise Psalm 34:22 “The Lord redeems the life of his servants; none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.”

Along the way, we’ve seen this truth rise again and again:

The Lord delivers those who seek Him.

The Lord satisfies the soul that hungers for Him.

The Lord draws near to the brokenhearted.

And the Lord redeems His own—not because they are perfect, but because He is good.

But all of this points us to something greater than David’s own life—it points us to Jesus, the Righteous One who was afflicted for us, crushed for our sins, and raised for our redemption.

So here’s the question for you today:

Have you tasted and seen that the Lord is good? Have you taken refuge in Christ? Is your life marked by the praise that flows from deliverance?

If you have tasted and seen that the Lord is good, then you know—you know—that you have a Savior who loves you, cares for you, and draws near to you in the midst of affliction and pain.

He is with you in the trial. And no matter what you are going through, you can praise Him.

So brothers and sisters, let’s do what David did: Let us continually bless the Lord. Let His praise always be on our lips— because He is good.