Psalm 34:1-10 - Looking to God our deliverer

The superscript of this Psalm reveals that it was David who had written this Psalm and also provides us with the background to the composition of this song. The entire story can be found in 1 Samuel 21 telling us how David was delivered from the hand of king Achish by pretending to be mad. 1 Samuel 22:1-2 tell us he escaped to the Cave of Adullam to seek refuge, and was later joined by his brothers and his father and family. There he was joined by others who were in distress, in debt or discontented – his motley crew. It was here in the Cave of Adullam that he probably had composed and written this Psalm. We see from this song the common habit David had. Despite all the difficult encounters he had in life, he would always find time to give thanks to God and praise Him for granting him the deliverance.

It is so easy to be bogged down by our troubles in life and be vexed by them. This always happens when we keep looking at the problem instead of looking to the Lord. The key to victory and deliverance is learning to look away from those besetting causes and start focusing on the Lord. In the first 10 verses of this Psalm, we will see the important lesson of looking to God instead of focusing on the problem of life.

Verses 1-3 record his pledge to praise the Lord continually at all times. He was determined to boast in and of the Lord. He was assured that those who were humble and heard of his boast, would also be glad and join him in rejoicing before the Lord. So he invited them to join him in exalting, magnifying and extolling the magnificent Lord.

David tells us that he petitioned the Lord and cried to the Lord when he was troubled and in fear. He refused to let his trouble take him down. Instead he bee-lined straight for God whom he knew was the only one who could take him out of his deep trouble. This should also be our first option when we are besieged with troubles. What he did inspired those with him to join him. Like him, they too focused on the Lord and look away from their troubles. When they did that their countenance lit up and they were delivered from their fear and troubles. They were then surrounded by host of angels that encamped around them in readiness to rescue them.      

David then wisely counselled all who put their trust in God. The words in verses 8-10 encouraged all to come and personally experience the goodness of God. It is one thing to hear about God’s goodness, but to taste would be quite another. A personal experience of God’s goodness would certainly be more pleasant and wonderful. In fact, there’s nothing quite like partaking of the goodness of God and taste it for oneself. He abundantly meets all the needs of those who come to Him. Even a young lion, well provided for by its mother, would also suffer hunger and want. But God’s people who trust Him will never be in lack. God would see to their needs.

The things we experience in life can only rattle us when we place undue attention on them. When we keep on focusing on them, we won’t be able to see the solution. But when we look away from them and seek the Lord, we find the solution to them comes naturally from the hand of God. It’s true that when we seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, everything we need in life will be added unto us.