Psalm 34:1–22

¹Of David, when he pretended to be insane before Abimelech,^a so that the king drove him away.^b

I will bless the LORD at all times;

His praise will always be on my lips.

²My soul boasts in the LORD;

let the oppressed hear and rejoice.

³Magnify the LORD with me;

let us exalt His name together.

⁴I sought the LORD, and He answered me;

He delivered me from all my fears.

⁵Those who look to Him are radiant with joy;

their faces shall never be ashamed.

⁶This poor man called out, and the LORD heard him;

He saved him from all his troubles.

⁷The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear Him,

and he delivers them.

⁸Taste and see that the LORD is good;

blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!

⁹Fear the LORD, you His saints,

for those who fear Him lack nothing.

¹⁰Young lions go lacking and hungry,

but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.

¹¹Come, children, listen to me;

I will teach you the fear of the LORD.

¹²Who is the man who delights in life,

who desires to see good days?

¹³Keep your tongue from evil

and your lips from deceitful speech.

¹⁴Turn away from evil and do good;

seek peace and pursue it.

¹⁵The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous,

and His ears are inclined to their cry.^c

¹⁶But the face of the LORD is against those who do evil,^d

to wipe out all memory of them from the earth.

¹⁷The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears;

He delivers them from all their troubles.

¹⁸The LORD is near to the brokenhearted;

He saves the contrite in spirit.

¹⁹Many are the afflictions of the righteous,

but the LORD delivers him from them all.

²⁰He protects all his bones;

not one of them will be broken.^e

²¹Evil will slay the wicked,

and the haters of the righteous will be condemned.

²²The LORD redeems His servants,

and none who take refuge in Him will be condemned.