Try for Yourself and Find Out How Good God is!

Introduction - A close call

King David had several close calls in his life. One time, when King Saul wanted to kill him David fled Israel to a nearby area called Gath, controlled by Achish, one of Israel’s enemies. Here’s what happened.

1 Samuel 21:10–15 NIV

10 That day David fled from Saul and went to Achish king of Gath. 11 But the servants of Achish said to him, “Isn’t this David, the king of the land? Isn’t he the one they sing about in their dances: “ ‘Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands’?” 12 David took these words to heart and was very much afraid of Achish king of Gath. 13 So he pretended to be insane in their presence; and while he was in their hands he acted like a madman, making marks on the doors of the gate and letting saliva run down his beard. 14 Achish said to his servants, “Look at the man! He is insane! Why bring him to me? 15 Am I so short of madmen that you have to bring this fellow here to carry on like this in front of me? Must this man come into my house?”

David wrote the passage of scripture we’re going to look at today after this close call.

There are two main sections of this psalm. The first half of the Psalm alternates between personal testimony and repeated calls to join in the praise with the author and to be stimulated to have fresh faith in God.

1. Rejoice with me! Psalm 34:1-10

A. I have a reason to rejoice Psalm 34:1-3

Psalm 34:1–3 NIV

1 I will extol the Lord at all times; his praise will always be on my lips. 2 I will glory in the Lord; let the afflicted hear and rejoice. 3 Glorify the Lord with me; let us exalt his name together.

vv. 1-3 “I have reason to rejoice, join me.”

v. 2 the afflicted have no human help. Such are encouraged to hear words of praise.

Exhortation: Who are you listening to? What are you listening to?

v. 3 Glorify means magnify. Do you magnify God in your speech? In your concerns? In your fears? In your explanations? We magnify God by exalting, that is proclaiming the truth about Him to others.

B. My experience can be yours Psalm 34:4-7

Psalm 34:4–7 NIV

4 I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears. 5 Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame. 6 This poor man called, and the Lord heard him; he saved him out of all his troubles. 7 The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them.

vv. 4-5 “This was my experience and it and it can be yours.”

v. 4 I sought, and He answered. God only answers when we ask.

fears – God delivers us from the dread we feel. These are from external threats.

Application: Are your fears internal or external?

v.5 the change God brings about, radiance versus shame. It is both delight visible in one’s appearance and the inner transformation.

Look – to focus upon, place oneself in dependence upon

v. 6 troubles – God delivers us from the events that cause us dread, troubles. David’s troubles were that his life was in danger from an enemy king so he feigned insanity.

v. 7 God’s presence is with us, in fact, with us. The Angel of the LORD, the Lord Jesus, Himself, encamps, has set up a camp around us to guard, protect, keep safe.

This reminds me of the story of Elisha and his servant from 2 Kings. Do you remember this story?

2 Kings 6:15–17 NIV

15 When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. “Oh no, my lord! What shall we do?” the servant asked. 16 “Don’t be afraid,” the prophet answered. “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” 17 And Elisha prayed, “Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see.” Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.

The Bible doesn’t tell us that Elisha also saw the angels of God. He knew they were there by faith.

The Angel of the LORD is Jesus, camped out right by you and me.

C. My challenge to you Psalm 34:8-10

Psalm 34:8–10 NIV

8 Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him. 9 Fear the Lord, you his holy people, for those who fear him lack nothing. 10 The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.

v.8 Taste and see. Try for yourself and find out. Look and learn. This involves faith, choice, participation.

Take refuge v. 8

Fear the Lord v. 9 – lack nothing

Seek the Lord v. 10 – lack no good thing

v. 10 Lions are the strongest of animals, yet they suffer hunger and need, too!

Don’t be surprised by needs, wants, lacking.

Expect the Lord (v. 4) to meet the need.

What do you think? Do you want to have what David had? Do you want to feel like he felt and experience the Lord as he did? The second half of the Psalm is instruction in how to do that. He has already told us to see the Lord, now he tells us what we need to learn to experience God.

2. Learn from me! Psalm 34:11-22

A. The Goal Psalm 34:11-12

Psalm 34:11–12 NIV

11 Come, my children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord. 12 Whoever of you loves life and desires to see many good days,

i. Learn the fear of the Lord Psalm 34:11

v. 11 Children in the sense of students of one who has learned and is teaching us.

ii. Learn how to live a long, good life Psalm 34:12

v. 12 Rhetorical questions. You desire life, don’t you? You desire long life, don’t you? You desire good life, don’t you?

B. The Prescription Psalm 34:13-14

Psalm 34:13–14 NIV

13 keep your tongue from evil and your lips from telling lies. 14 Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.

The good you enjoy v. 12 is tied to the good you do v. 14. Have you ever heard the phrase, “Goodness is its own reward”? It actually comes from Proverbs

Proverbs 11:17 NIV

17 Those who are kind benefit themselves, but the cruel bring ruin on themselves.

When you do good for others, you bring benefit to yourself. But that isn’t all, there is a greater reward.

i. Watch your tongue Psalm 34:13

A moment ago we said we want a long, good life, right? Here is the first step in that direction. Watch your tongue! Avoid malicious talk, complaining, gossiping, speaking negatively and of course lies.

ii. Watch your actions Psalm 34:14

And also watch what we do. Verse 14 Cease doing evil and do good; strive for peace. “The word peace here is not merely the cessation of hostility between people; It is the presence of the conditions that make for prosperity, health, happiness, and the common welfare.”

Pursue it, with all your heart, diligently.

APPLICATION: It takes effort.

C. The Result Psalm 34:15-22

i. For the righteous Psalm 34:15, 17-20, 22

Psalm 34:15 NIV

15 The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are attentive to their cry;

Psalm 34:17–20 NIV

17 The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles. 18 The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. 19 The righteous person may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all; 20 he protects all his bones, not one of them will be broken.

Psalm 34:22 NIV

22 The Lord will rescue his servants; no one who takes refuge in him will be condemned.

He sees and hears the righteous Psalm 34:15

He delivers the righteous from all troubles Psalm 34:17

He is close to the brokenhearted, those crushed in spirit, without hope Psalm 34:18

It may be that these are those who turn to Him, but it is just as possible that this refers to the discouraged, those who have lost hope. You may feel alone, but you are not.

The Lord saves those who are crushed in spirit, those who seem to have nothing to look forward to. v. 18

He delivers the righteous Psalm 34:19

v. 19 The righteous may have and in fact does have troubles (troubles, difficulties, bad things, suffering, misfortunes) yet the Lord will deliver them from all. The ultimate deliverance is death and it is true that some won’t experience relief from their troubles until then, but it will come to pass.

Don’t think that relief from troubles only means in this world. We will always have trouble in the world. We go from one trouble to another. We go from one deliverance to another. Jesus said

John 16:33 NIV

33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Illustration: I have faced many troubles in the world, but God has delivered me from them. There are no troubles from years gone by that continue to trouble me. I have new troubles!

This promise is not that you won’t have troubles, but that if you turn to the Lord, you won’t be defeated or destroyed by them.

v. 20 The Lord will protect with great care and not let those who trust in Him be hurt in the least. This promise had a literal fulfillment in Jesus.

John 19:36

He protects so that His own aren’t hurt in the least Psalm 34:20

He rescues his servants. Psalm 34:22

ii. For the wicked Psalm 34:16, 21

Psalm 34:16 NIV

16 but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil, to blot out their name from the earth.

Psalm 34:21 NIV

21 Evil will slay the wicked; the foes of the righteous will be condemned.

He is against the wicked and will destroy them Psalm 34:16

He will use evil to destroy the wicked Psalm 34:21 (a)

God looks upon the wicked, too, but with disfavor, to blot them out.

The question isn’t whether God sees or hears us, it is His attitude toward us. The determinant there is our behavior, righteousness or evil.

D. The Final Contrast Psalm 34:21-22

i. The foes of the righteous, the wicked will be condemned. Psalm 34:21 (b)

Psalm 34:21 NIV

21 Evil will slay the wicked; the foes of the righteous will be condemned.

Verse 21 Evil will slay the wicked means that it is the evil doers’ own actions that will bring about his destruction.

They will also be condemned, brought to ruin, pay the penalty for their actions.

Psalm 34:22 NIV

22 The Lord will rescue his servants; no one who takes refuge in him will be condemned.

Verse 22 Rather than the lead to destruction, the deeds of the righteous, here called servants, lead to their rescue.

The Lord continually saves them.

The ultimate contrast is that none who trust in the LORD will be condemned.