Psalm 34:1-3

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 34:1

I will Bless the Lord at all times ; i.e. even in times of adversity. If the statement in the title may be relied upon, David's fortunes were now at the lowest ebb. He had fled from the court of Saul on finding that Saul was determined to put him to death ( 1 Samuel 20:31 ). He had hoped to find a safe refuge with Achish, but had been disappointed. He was on the point of becoming a fugitive and an outlaw, a dweller in dens and caves of the earth ( 1 Samuel 22:1 ). He had as yet no body... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 34:1

A duty, a privilege, a purpose. "I will bless," etc. A Christian man, burdened and oppressed with many troubles, was seeking relief in prayer. But even prayer was difficult, Suddenly these words came into his mind, "I will bless the Lord at all times. " "At all times?" he thought; "then now. " He began to think of his reasons for blessing God, and as the scale in which he weighed God's mercies grew heavy, the scale in which he weighed his trials grew light by comparison. His sorrowful... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 34:1-10

Links of grace. I. In this hymn we have first of all PRAISE . Praise is not an impulse, or an outburst of enthusiasm soon to die out, but it is the expression of the heart and the exercise of the life. It is good to have stated times for praise, but when the soul is in true fellowship with God it will find "continual" reason for praising him. "Praise" is for "all times," because God fills "all times." Thanksgiving has respect to special times, and to what God has done for us, but... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 34:1-10

Deliverance and gratitude. Occasion of the psalm uncertain. Celebrates some great deliverance which awakens praise and inspires him to teach others trust add the secret of a prosperous life. I. A GREAT DELIVERANCE CELEBRATED . ( Psalms 34:4-6 .) Salvation. 1 . He was in great trouble and danger. ( Psalms 34:4-6 .) That the nature of the danger is not explained. Sin and sorrow our greatest trouble. 2 . He earnestly sought deliverance. ( Psalms 34:4-6 .)... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 34:1-22

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 34:1-22

Life's experiences turned to manifold uses. £ There is no sufficient reason for severing this psalm from the detail of history to which its title refers; and it is much to be wished that its writer had uniformly turned his own experience to a use as wise as that which he here urges upon others. £ But David's pen might be golden, though sometimes his spirit was leaden; and we may study with great advantage the ideal of life which he sets before us, learning from his experience how we... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 34:2

My soul shall make her boast in the Lord (comp. Psalms 44:8 ; and for the meaning of "boasting in the Lord," see Jeremiah 9:24 , "Let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord which executeth loving-kindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth" ). The humble shall hear thereof, and be glad . They will anticipate joy for themselves when they hear of my rejoicing. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 34:3

O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his Name together . Not content with praising God in his own person, the psalmist calls on Israel generally to praise the Lord with him. He then proceeds to assign reasons why God should be praised ( Psalms 34:4-10 ). read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Psalms 34:1

I will bless the Lord - I will praise him; I will be thankful for his mercies, and will always express my sense of his goodness.At all times - In every situation of life; in every event that occurs. The idea is, that he would do it publicly and privately; in prosperity and in adversity; in safety and in danger; in joy and in sorrow. It would be a great principle of his life, expressive of the deep feeling of his soul, that God was always to be regarded as an object of adoration and praise.His... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Psalms 34:2

My soul shall make her boast in the Lord - I myself will rejoice and exult in him. The word “boast” here refers to that on which a man would value himself; that which would be most prominent in his mind when he endeavored to call to remembrance what he could reflect on with most pleasure. The psalmist here says that when He did this, it would not be wealth or strength to which he would refer; it would not be his rank or position in society; it would not be what he had done, nor what he had... read more

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