By Dawud; when he pretended to be insane before Abimelech, who drove him away, and he departed.
1I will bless YAHWEH at all times.
His praise will always be in my mouth.
2My soul shall boast in YAHWEH.
The humble shall hear of it, and be glad.
3Oh magnify YAHWEH with me.
Let us exalt his Name together.
4I sought YAHWEH, and he answered me,
And delivered me from all my fears.
5They looked to him, and were radiant.
Their faces shall never be covered with shame.
6This poor man cried, and YAHWEH heard him,
And saved him out of all his troubles.
7The angel of YAHWEH encamps around those who fear him,
And delivers them.
8Oh taste and see that YAHWEH is gracious.1
Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.
9Oh fear YAHWEH, you his saints,
For there is no lack with those who fear him.
10The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger,
But those who seek YAHWEH shall not lack any good thing.
11Come, you children, listen to me.
I will teach you the fear of YAHWEH.
12Whoever loves life,
And desires to see good days,
13Keep your tongue from evil,
And your lips from speaking lies.
14Turn away from evil, and do good.
Seek peace, and pursue it.
15YAHWEH’s eyes are on the righteous.
His ears listen to their prayer.
16YAHWEH’s face is against those who do evil,2
To cut off the memory of them from the earth.
17The righteous cry, and YAHWEH hears,
And delivers them out of all their troubles.
18YAHWEH is near to those who have a broken heart,
And saves those who have a crushed spirit.
19Many are the afflictions of the righteous,
But YAHWEH delivers him out of them all.
20He protects all of his bones.
Not one of them is broken.3
21Evil shall kill the wicked.
Those who hate the righteous shall be condemned.
22YAHWEH redeems the soul of his servants.
None of those who take refuge in him shall be condemned.
- 34:8 See the Injil, 1 Peter 2:2-3, which says, “as newborn babes, long for the pure milk of the Word, that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the LORD is gracious.” ↩︎
- 34:12-16 Quoted in the Injil, 1 Peter 3:8-12, which says, “Finally, be all like-minded, compassionate, loving as brothers, tenderhearted, courteous, not rendering evil for evil, or reviling for reviling; but instead blessing; knowing that to this you were called, that you may inherit a blessing. For, ‘Whoever loves life, And desires to see good days, Must keep his tongue from evil, And his lips from speaking lies. Let him turn away from evil, and do good. Let him seek peace, and pursue it. The LORD’s eyes are on the righteous, His ears listen to their prayer; the LORD’s face is against those who do evil.'” ↩︎
- 34:20 Cited in the Injil, John 19:32-36, which says, “Therefore the soldiers came, and broke the legs of the first, and of the other who was crucified with him; but when they came to ‘ISA, and saw that he was already dead, they didn’t break his legs. However one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out. He who has seen has testified, and his testimony is true. He knows that he tells the truth, that you may believe. For these things happened, that Al-Kitab might be fulfilled where it says, ‘Not one of his bones will be broken.'” ↩︎