Psalm 34 - Taste and See.

Psalm 34 - What it means to me.

"I sought the Lord, and he answered me;

he delivered me from all my fears.

Those who look to him are radiant;

their faces are never covered with shame.

This poor man called, and the Lord heard him;

he saved him out of all his troubles.

The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him,

and he delivers them."  Verses 4-7

Many times God has delivered me from my fears. Actually, without God's help I am filled with fear. I fear the future - what will happen to my family? Will anyone die? Will their marriage last? Will he get off drugs?

People have different problems - mine is fear. Thank God he understands and gives me strength and peace.

"Taste and see that the Lord is good;

blessed is the one who takes refuge in him." Verse 8

I have always loved this verse. It says, "Give God a chance and see what happens."

"The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them;

he delivers them from all their troubles.

18The Lord is close to the brokenhearted

and saves those who are crushed in spirit." Verses 17,18

Is your heart broken? God is near you and will help you. Is your spirit crushed? He will lift you up. 

The Brokenhearted.

"The righteous cried, and the Lord heard and delivered them out of all their troubles. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. Many are the troubles of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him from them all."

Psalm 34:17-19

The word 'heartbroken' in the Hebrew means 'broken to shivers or splinters'. Something that is broken into pieces that small is irreparable in this world. Not so with God. He can repair a broken heart. He is especially close to those who are hurting.


Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Many are the afflictions of the righteous - This is not intended to affirm that the afflictions of the righteous are more numerous or more severe than the afflictions of other men, but that they are subjected to much suffering, and to many trials. Religion does not exempt them from suffering, but it sustains them in it; it does not deliver them from all trials in this life, but it supports them in their trials, which it teaches them to consider as a preparation for the life to come. There are, indeed, sorrows which are special to the righteous, or which come upon them in virtue of their religion, as the trials of persecution; but there are sorrows, also, that are special to the wicked - such as are the effects of intemperance, dishonesty, crime. The latter are more numerous by far than the former; so that it is still true that the wicked suffer more than the righteous in this life.

http://bible.cc/psalms/34-19.htm