Psalm 34 :: English Standard Version (ESV)

Taste and See That the Lord Is Good

Psa 34:1 [fn] Of David, when he changed his behavior before Abimelech, so that he drove him out, and he went away.
I will bless the LORD at all times;
his praise shall continually be in my mouth.

Psa 34:2

Psa 34:2My soul makes its boast in the LORD;
let the humble hear and be glad.

Psa 34:3

Psa 34:3Oh, magnify the LORD with me,
and let us exalt his name together!

Psa 34:4

Psa 34:4I sought the LORD, and he answered me
and delivered me from all my fears.

Psa 34:5

Psa 34:5Those who look to him are radiant,
and their faces shall never be ashamed.

Psa 34:6

Psa 34:6This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him
and saved him out of all his troubles.

Psa 34:7

Psa 34:7The angel of the LORD encamps
around those who fear him, and delivers them.

Psa 34:8

Psa 34:8Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good!
Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!

Psa 34:9

Psa 34:9Oh, fear the LORD, you his saints,
for those who fear him have no lack!

Psa 34:10

Psa 34:10The young lions suffer want and hunger;
but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.

Psa 34:11

Psa 34:11Come, O children, listen to me;
I will teach you the fear of the LORD.

Psa 34:12

Psa 34:12What man is there who desires life
and loves many days, that he may see good?

Psa 34:13

Psa 34:13Keep your tongue from evil
and your lips from speaking deceit.

Psa 34:14

Psa 34:14Turn away from evil and do good;
seek peace and pursue it.

Psa 34:15

Psa 34:15The eyes of the LORD are toward the righteous
and his ears toward their cry.

Psa 34:16

Psa 34:16The face of the LORD is against those who do evil,
to cut off the memory of them from the earth.

Psa 34:17

Psa 34:17When the righteous cry for help, the LORD hears
and delivers them out of all their troubles.

Psa 34:18

Psa 34:18The LORD is near to the brokenhearted
and saves the crushed in spirit.

Psa 34:19

Psa 34:19Many are the afflictions of the righteous,
but the LORD delivers him out of them all.

Psa 34:20

Psa 34:20He keeps all his bones;
not one of them is broken.

Psa 34:21

Psa 34:21Affliction will slay the wicked,
and those who hate the righteous will be condemned.

Psa 34:22

Psa 34:22The LORD redeems the life of his servants;
none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.

See the ESV Preface (Especially for Parenthesis, Brackets, & Asterisks).

ESV Footnotes

(34:1)

This psalm is an acrostic poem, each verse beginning with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version copyright © 2001, 2007, 2011, 2016 by Crossway Books and Bibles, a Publishing Ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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For more information on this translation, see the ESV Preface.