Psalms 34

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

Of David, when he feigned madness in the presence of Abimelech, who drove him away, and he left. I will bless the Lord at all times, in my mouth will his praise be forever.

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

In the Lord will my heart make her boast, the humble will hear and be glad.

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

O magnify the Lord with me and let us extol 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, in answer, he saved me from all my terrors.

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].

Look to him and you will be radiant, with faces unashamed.

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

Here is one who was crushed, but cried and was heard by the Lord, and brought safe out of every trouble.

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

The Lord’s angel encamps about those who fear him, and rescues 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.

O taste and see that the Lord is good, happy those who take 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, all his people, for they 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].

Even young lions may be poor and hungry, but those who seek the Lord will not lack 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, 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,

Which of you is desirous of life, loves many and happy days?

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

Then guard 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.]

Depart 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 towards the righteous, his ears are towards their cry for help.

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.

The Lord sets his face against those who do evil, to root their memory out of the earth.

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

When righteous cry, they are heard by the Lord, and he saves them from all their distresses.

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 broken-hearted, he helps those whose spirit is crushed.

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

Many misfortunes befall the righteous, but the Lord delivers them out of 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 guards all their bones, none are 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.

Misfortune will slay the ungodly; those who hate the righteous are doomed.

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

The Lord ransoms the life of his servants, and none will be doomed who takes refuge in him.