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Psalms 34

After struggling in the new normal for over 20 months, most would think that life is going to be back to normal in 2022.  But because of the sudden surge of Omicron variant, we seem to be back to square one and have lost the certainty we once had. Facing all the disappointments in 2011 and the unknowns in 2022, where do we turn to and find hope and courage to face the new year?  In light of all the unfavorable situations in life, where do we turn to and find the strength to cultivate the well-being of our soul?

Psalms as the Handbook for Cultivating the Soul

  • The Psalms trained the Israelites to know God’s name, His character, and His work.
  • It shaped them into a people of faith, who reflected His image and glory.
  • David, as one of the psalmists, was an expert in soul cultivation.
  • David went through power struggles, family issues, and marriage problems in life
  • In spite of all the crises, David continued to thrive in life. 

Story Behind the Song (34:1-3)

  • In the beginning Psalms 34, David praised God and took pride in God.
  • He also invited others to join him, to magnify God and exalt His name together.
  • There was a story behind why David was praising God continually.
  • In 1 Samuel 19, David was running from Saul, who vowed to kill him out of jealousy.
  • David ran to Gath and tried to seek refuge.
  • After his identity was being recognized, he tried to get out by pretending to be insane.
  • The king of Gath really thought that he was a madman, and David was kicked out.

Recalling what the Lord has done (34:4-7)

  • In the midst of all the chaotic moments, how did David keep himself sane?
  • Instead of just complaining, David recalled what the Lord has done in his life.
  • God delivered him from all his fears, heard his cry, and saved him out of all the troubles. 

Taste and See the Goodness of God (34:8-10)

  • From v.8-10, we learned about why God answered and delivered David.
  • It is because of the goodness of God.
  • It implies that there is no evil in Him and He stands against evil.
  • Because of His goodness, God delivers His people from the hands of the evil ones.   

Setting apart from evil (34:11-14)

  • In response to what the Lord has done, David set himself apart from evil.
  • He kept his tongue from evil. He turned away from evil and sided with God.
  • He chose to do good and did not compromise with the evil people.

How do we keep ourselves sane in the midst of all the chaos?

  • We choose to remember His goodness
  • We choose to side with God and do good