Psalms 34

1 I will always thank Yahweh; I will constantly praise him [MTY].

Of David, when he pretended to be insane before Abimelech, so that the king drove him away. I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise will always be on my lips.

2 I will boast about what Yahweh [has done]. All those who are oppressed/discouraged should hear me and rejoice.

My soul boasts in the LORD; let the oppressed hear and rejoice.

3 Join with me in telling others that Yahweh is great! You and I should together proclaim how glorious he is!

Magnify the LORD with me; let us exalt His name together.

4 I prayed to Yahweh, and he (answered my prayer/did what I asked him to do); he rescued me from [all those who caused me] to be afraid.

I sought the LORD, and He answered me; He delivered me from all my fears.

5 Those who trust [IDM] that he [will help them] will be joyful; (they will never be disappointed/he will always do for them the things that he promises) [LIT].

Those who look to Him are radiant with joy; their faces shall never be ashamed.

6 I was miserable/helpless, but I called out to Yahweh, and he heard me. He rescued me from all my troubles.

This poor man called out, and the LORD heard him; He saved him from all his troubles.

7 An angel from Yahweh guards those who revere him, and the angel rescues them.

The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear Him, and he delivers them.

8 Find out for yourself, and you will experience that Yahweh is good to you! He is very pleased with those who ask him to protect them.

Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!

9 All you who belong to him, revere him! Those who do that will always have the things that they need [LIT].

Fear the LORD, you His saints, for those who fear Him lack nothing.

10 Lions [are usually] very strong, [but sometimes] even young lions are hungry and become weak, but those who trust in Yahweh will (have everything/not lack any good thing) [LIT] [that they need].

Young lions go lacking and hungry, but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.

11 You (who are my students/whom I teach), come and listen to me, and I will teach you how to revere Yahweh.

Come, children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD.

12 If [RHQ] any of you wants to enjoy life and have a good long life,

Who is the man who delights in life, who desires to see good days?

13 do not say anything that is evil! Do not tell lies!

Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from deceitful speech.

14 Turn away from doing evil, and do what is good! Always try hard to enable people to live peacefully [with each other.]

Turn away from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.

15 Yahweh [MTY] carefully watches over those who [act] righteously; he always responds [MTY] to them when they call [to him for help].

The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, and His ears are inclined to their cry.

16 But Yahweh [SYN] (is opposed to/turns away from) those who do what is evil. [And after they die], people will forget them completely.

But the face of the LORD is against those who do evil, to wipe out all memory of them from the earth.

17 Yahweh hears righteous people when they call out to him; he rescues them from all their troubles.

The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears; He delivers them from all their troubles.

18 Yahweh is always ready to help those who are discouraged; he rescues those who have nothing good to hope for.

The LORD is near to the brokenhearted; He saves the contrite in spirit.

19 Righteous people may have many troubles, but Yahweh rescues them from all those troubles.

Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him from them all.

20 Yahweh protects them from being harmed; [when their enemies attack them], they will not break any bones of those righteous people.

He protects all his bones; not one of them will be broken.

21 Wicked people will be killed by their own evil deeds (OR, by [people doing to them] the same evil things [that the wicked do to others]) [PRS], and Yahweh will punish those who oppose righteous people.

Evil will slay the wicked, and the haters of the righteous will be condemned.

22 Yahweh will save those who serve him. He will (not condemn/forgive) [LIT] those who trust in him.

The LORD redeems His servants, and none who take refuge in Him will be condemned.