Psalms 34

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

To David, when he changed his appearance in the sight of Abimelech, and so he dismissed him, and he went away. I will bless the Lord at all times. His praise will be ever in my mouth.

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

In the Lord, my soul will be praised. May the meek listen 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, and let us extol his name in itself.

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 heeded me, and he carried me away from all my tribulations.

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].

Approach him and be enlightened, and your faces will not be confounded.

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

This poor one cried out, and the Lord heeded him, and he saved him from all his tribulations.

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

The Angel of the Lord will encamp around those who fear him, and he will rescue 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 sweet. Blessed is the man who hopes 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, all you his saints. For there is no destitution for those who fear him.

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].

The rich have been needy and hungry, but those who seek the Lord will not be deprived of any 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 forward, sons. 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,

Which is the man who wills life, who chooses to see good days?

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

Prohibit your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit.

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. Inquire about 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 just, and his ears are with their prayers.

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 countenance of the Lord is upon those who do evil, to perish the remembrance of them from the earth.

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

The just cried out, and the Lord heard them, and he freed them from all their tribulations.

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 those who are troubled in heart, and he will save the humble in spirit.

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

Many are the afflictions of the just, but from them all the Lord will free them.

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

The Lord preserves all of their bones, not one of them shall 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.

The death of a sinner is very harmful, and those who hate the just will fare badly.

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

The Lord will redeem the souls of his servants, and none of those who hope in him will fare badly.