Psalms

Psalm 34:1–8

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!

Footnotes

a 34:1 Abimelech is another name for Achish; see 1 Samuel 21–29 and 1 Kings 2:39|1KI 2:39.
b 34:1 This psalm is an acrostic poem, each verse beginning with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.

Read all of Psalm 34

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Psalm 34:1

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Of David	לְדָוִ֗ד	lə·ḏā·wiḏ	Preposition-l; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H1732 David
when he pretended	בְּשַׁנּוֹת֣וֹ	bə·šan·nō·w·ṯōw	Preposition-b; Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct; third person masculine singular	H8138 change
to be insane	טַ֭עְמוֹ	ṭa‘·mōw	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H2940 taste, judgement
before	לִפְנֵ֣י	lip̄·nê	Preposition-l; Noun - common plural construct	H6440 face, before
Abimelech	אֲבִימֶ֑לֶךְ	’ă·ḇî·me·leḵ	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H40 Abimelek
so that	וַֽ֝יְגָרֲשֵׁ֗הוּ	way·ḡā·ră·šê·hū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular; third person masculine singular	H1644 drive out, cast out
away	וַיֵּלַֽךְ׃	way·yê·laḵ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H1980 go, come, walk
I will bless	אֲבָרֲכָ֣ה	’ă·ḇā·ră·ḵāh	Verb - Piel - Imperfect Cohortative - first person common singular	H1288 kneel, bless
the LORD	יְהוָ֣ה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
at all	בְּכָל־	bə·ḵāl	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
times	עֵ֑ת	‘êṯ	Noun - common singular	H6256 time
His praise	תְּֽהִלָּת֥וֹ	tə·hil·lā·ṯōw	Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H8416 praise, song of praise
will always	תָּ֝מִ֗יד	tā·mîḏ	Adverb	H8548 continuity
be on my lips	בְּפִֽי׃	bə·p̄î	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct; first person common singular	H6310 mouth

Psalm 34:2

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
My soul	נַפְשִׁ֑י	nap̄·šî	Noun - feminine singular construct; first person common singular	H5315 soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, appetite, emotion, and passion
boasts	תִּתְהַלֵּ֣ל	tiṯ·hal·lêl	Verb - Hitpael - Imperfect - third person feminine singular	H1984 shine
in the LORD	בַּ֭יהוָה	Yah·weh	Preposition-b; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
let the oppressed	עֲנָוִ֣ים	‘ă·nā·wîm	Adjective - masculine plural	H6035 poor, afflicted, humble, meek
hear	יִשְׁמְע֖וּ	yiš·mə·‘ū	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural	H8085 hear
and rejoice	וְיִשְׂמָֽחוּ׃	wə·yiś·mā·ḥū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H8055 rejoice, be glad

Psalm 34:3

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Magnify	גַּדְּל֣וּ	gad·də·lū	Verb - Piel - Imperative - masculine plural	H1431 grow up, become great
the LORD	לַיהוָ֣ה	Yah·weh	Preposition-l; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
with me	אִתִּ֑י	’it·tî	Preposition; first person common singular	H854 with
let us exalt	וּנְרוֹמְמָ֖ה	ū·nə·rō·wm·māh	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative - first person common plural	H7311 be high, exalted, rise
His name	שְׁמ֣וֹ	šə·mōw	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H8034 name
together	יַחְדָּֽו׃	yaḥ·dāw	Adverb	H3162 unitedness

Psalm 34:4

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
I sought	דָּרַ֣שְׁתִּי	dā·raš·tî	Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular	H1875 resort to, seek
the LORD	יְהוָ֣ה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
and He answered me	וְעָנָ֑נִי	wə·‘ā·nā·nî	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular; first person common singular	H6030 answer, respond
He delivered me	הִצִּילָֽנִי׃	hiṣ·ṣî·lā·nî	Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singular; first person common singular	H5337 strip, plunder
from all	וּמִכָּל־	ū·mik·kāl-	Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m; Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
my fears	מְ֝גוּרוֹתַ֗י	mə·ḡū·rō·w·ṯay	Noun - feminine plural construct; first person common singular	H4034 fear, terror

Psalm 34:5

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Those who look	הִבִּ֣יטוּ	hib·bî·ṭū	Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person common plural	H5027 look
to Him	אֵלָ֣יו	’ê·lāw	Preposition; third person masculine singular	H413 motion to
are radiant with joy	וְנָהָ֑רוּ	wə·nā·hā·rū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural	H5102 flow, stream
their faces	וּ֝פְנֵיהֶ֗ם	ū·p̄ə·nê·hem	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine plural construct; third person masculine plural	H6440 face, before
shall never	אַל־	’al-	Adverb	H408 prohibition, do not . . ., let not . . .
be ashamed	יֶחְפָּֽרוּ׃	yeḥ·pā·rū	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural	H2659 be abashed, ashamed

Psalm 34:6

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
This	זֶ֤ה	zeh	Pronoun - masculine singular	H2088 this, that
poor	עָנִ֣י	‘ā·nî	Adjective - masculine singular	H6041 poor, afflicted, humble, meek
man called out	קָ֭רָא	qā·rā	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H7121 call, proclaim, read
and the LORD	וַיהוָ֣ה	Yah·weh	Conjunctive waw; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
heard him	שָׁמֵ֑עַ	šā·mê·a‘	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H8085 hear
He saved him	הוֹשִׁיעֽוֹ׃	hō·wō·šî·‘ōw	Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singular; third person masculine singular	H3467 deliver
from all	וּמִכָּל־	ū·mik·kāl-	Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m; Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
his troubles	צָ֝רוֹתָ֗יו	ṣā·rō·w·ṯāw	Noun - feminine plural construct; third person masculine singular	H6869 id.

Psalm 34:7

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
The angel	מַלְאַךְ־	mal·’aḵ-	Noun - masculine singular construct	H4397 messenger
of the LORD	יְהוָ֓ה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
encamps	חֹנֶ֤ה	ḥō·neh	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular	H2583 decline, bend down, encamp
around	סָ֘בִ֤יב	sā·ḇîḇ	Adverb	H5439 circuit, round about
those who fear Him	לִֽירֵאָ֗יו	lî·rê·’āw	Preposition-l; Adjective - masculine plural construct; third person masculine singular	H3373 fear
and he delivers them	וַֽיְחַלְּצֵֽם׃	way·ḥal·lə·ṣêm	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular; third person masculine plural	H2502 draw off or out, withdraw

Psalm 34:8

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Taste	טַעֲמ֣וּ	ṭa·‘ă·mū	Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural	H2938 taste, perceive
and see	וּ֭רְאוּ	ū·rə·’ū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural	H7200 see
that	כִּי־	kî-	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
the LORD	יְהוָ֑ה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
is good	ט֣וֹב	ṭō·wḇ	Adjective - masculine singular	H2896 pleasant, agreeable, good
blessed	אַֽשְׁרֵ֥י	’aš·rê	Interjection	H835 happiness, blessedness
is the man	הַ֝גֶּ֗בֶר	hag·ge·ḇer	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H1397 man
who takes refuge	יֶחֱסֶה־	ye·ḥĕ·seh-	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H2620 seek refuge
in Him	בּֽוֹ׃	bōw	Preposition; third person masculine singular