“The Song of Divine Justice—Psalm 34” (Part Two)

This week, we are beginning a consideration of the justice of God in a world that is unjust. Our first glimpse of that justice is seen in Psalm 34, the first of three songs that form a trilogy of studies on this theme. On Monday we began to introduce Psalm 34, and saw that it was written in response to this near-death episode that David describes these amazing truths. And, his description takes the form of testimonials—the first two of which we see today (by the way, Derek Kidner’s excellent commentary on the Psalms was a great help in these studies).

I. Testimony of Praise (vv.1-3)

God’s deliverance of David prompts an immediate response of praise, using the form of public testimony is designed to encourage others to praise as well! Remember, the purpose of praise is NOT to make God’s people feel good, but to acknowledge as a community of faith the greatness of our God. See how effusive David is with his praise…

To “bless the Lord at all times” (v.1) draws us back to the very essence of Romans 8:28 and 1 Thess. 5:18—and that is particularly significant as David reflects back on his escape from danger at Gath.

See the response of the humble heart to God’s victory. What the humble will NOT do in himself, he will do in the Lord. David will “boast,” “magnify” and “exalt His name.”

It is a severe joy that is not content to magnify the Lord, but calls on the congregation to magnify the Lord with him in the midst of his joy—and share in it! He reflects on the time of near-tragedy, and is stirred to glorious praise!

II. Testimony of Deliverance (vv.4-10)

If the message of vv.1-3 is, “I have reason to praise, join me,” the message here is “This was my experience and it could be yours!” It is very possible that these are the reflections of David in his later life because of the facts of the story as we have them. Notice two very different perspectives on this…

In vv.4-7, David gives the Lord credit for his deliverance, seems more to show David’s craftiness (feigned insanity) at work. The fact is that “life can only be understood backwards. Unfortunately, it must be lived forwards.” Perhaps David, later in his life, reflected on the event and realized that it was God’s hand that delivered him—though at the time he was pretty pleased with himself.

Some say, however, that we are being urged to do all that we can, and then trust God for the outcome. We are reminded that sanctification is a work of God in which the believer cooperates. It is important to keep the necessary tension between what God does and what He calls us to do. It is a call to refuse the cynical emptiness of fatalism, and be involved in what God is doing in His world.

Whatever the case, David describes his experience in understandably vivid terms…

• “Fears” (v.4)- not the same word as reverential fear (vv.7,9), but is more akin to the word “terrors” (cp. 31:13). Remember that David has already reminded us of our release from fear (Psalm 23:4), and we have been reminded often of our hopeful deliverance from all fear in 2 Tim.1:7.
• “Radiant” (v.5)- found also in Isaiah 60:5, it speaks of a mother’s face lighting up when she sees her children- long given up as lost. The radiance of countenance speaks of the transformation of a person through joy and glory (like the veiled Moses or the true believer in 2 Cor.3:18). The fears of life melt away in the radiance of His presence!
• “Poor wretch” (v.6)- why? Because it was not David’s clowning but God’s power that saved him from his distress.
• “Angel of the Lord” (v.7)- this is an OT term for a Christophany (Gen. 16:7,9; Josh. 5:15).
• “My experience can be yours- trust God!” (v.8)- we are called to do more than merely sample His goodness- we are to drink deeply of His grace in all the circumstances and events of life. At no time is it more difficult to relish the Lord’s goodness than in times of severe difficulty, but at no time is it more important! David calls us to taste of the Lord’s goodness, and trust in Him because of it (cp. 1 Peter 2:3)!
• “Young lions” (v.10)- strong, capable, self-sufficient, yet sometimes, they too go hungry. David’s challenge? Don’t depend on self, depend on God!

As David reflects on God’s deliverance, these are the profound lessons he has learned. Now comes the law of retribution, as David applies this general principle to his experience in a very general way. We’ll see it tomorrow as we close out our look at Psalm 34…