Psalms 34

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

[A Psalm] of David, when he changed his countenance before Abimelech; and he let him go, and he departed. I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall be continually in my mouth.

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

My soul shall boast herself in the Lord: let the meek 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 you the Lord with me, and 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 diligently, and he listened to me, and delivered me from all my sojournings.

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].

Draw near to him, and be enlightened: and your faces shall not [by any means] 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 cried, and the Lord listened to him, and delivered him out of all his afflictions.

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

The angel of the Lord will encamp round about them that fear him, and will deliver 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 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 lack to them that 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 become poor and hungry: but they that seek the Lord diligently shall not lack any good thing. (Pause)

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

Come, you children, hear 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,

What man is there that desires life, loving 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 speaking guile.

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 over the righteous, and his ears [are open] to their prayer:

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 them that do evil, to destroy their memorial from the earth. The righteous cried, and the Lord listened to them,

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

and delivered them out of all their afflictions.

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 them that are of a contrite heart; and will save the lowly 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 out of them all Lord will deliver them.

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

He keeps all 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 sinners is evil: and they that hate righteousness will go wrong.

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 that hope in him shall go wrong.