Psalms 34

2. Christ gives us a taste of the word; ministers may set the food of the word before you, and carve it out to you, but it is only Christ causes you to taste it (1 Peter 2:3): If so be you have tasted, the Lord is gracious. Psalm 34:8: Taste and see that the Lord is good. It is…

Take heed to your tongue; have a care that you offend not with your tongue. (Psalm 34:14) Keep your tongue from evil. A sin we are very prone to, to lash out with our tongues.

David tasted the Word sweeter than the honey and the honeycomb (Psalm 19:10). There is that in Scripture that may breed delight: it shows us the way to riches (Deuteronomy 28:5; Proverbs 3:16), to long life (Psalm 34:12), to a kingdom (Hebrews 12:28). Well then may we count thos…

4. The angels are a watchful guard, not like Saul's guard, asleep when their Lord was in danger; (1 Samuel 26:12). The angels are a vigilant guard, they watch over God's children to defend them; (Psalm 34:7). The angel of the Lord encamps round about them that fear him.

God by his providential care shields off dangers from his people, he sets a lifeguard of angels about them (Psalm 19:11). God's Providence keeps the very bones of the saints (Psalm 34:10). It bottles their tears (Psalm 56:8).

Caution. Not that our abstaining from, or forbearing the external acts of sin is sufficient to entitle us to salvation; but when we pray, Deliver us from Evil, there is more implied in it — namely, that we make a progress in holiness. Being divorced from sin is not enough, unles…

If you obey the voice of the Lord your God, all these blessings shall come upon you, and overtake you: blessed in the City, and in the field: in the fruit of your body, and of your ground and cattle. Psalm 34:10; They that seek the Lord, shall lack nothing that is good. For, God…

And, if he can this do, he may assure himself, that he shall as certainly escape these fearful terrors of conscience, and the torments of hell, as Elijah and Elisha did the edge of the sword: for, let a man put his whole trust in God, and whatsoever his troubles be, God will del…

5. A righteous man has more excellent food. Carnalists feed only on earthly provision, he feeds on heavenly; he tastes how sweet the Lord is (Psalm 34:8). He feeds on God's love, this is the hidden manna; he eats Christ's flesh, which not only begets life (John 6:33), but preven…

Even the darkness of hell itself would be comparatively no darkness at all, were there but a promise to enlighten it. Now God has left many sweet promises for the faith of his poor people to feed on in this condition, such as these: Psalm 34:9-10: 'O fear the Lord, you his saint…

8. When yet you do not make the progress you would, your shortcoming would be lamented and complained of to God, laying open to and before Him the heart, who can change it; and you would have it for a piece of your weight and burden that your heart does not so come up to and abi…

So low a man as Job (Job 7:20) was, What shall I say to you, O preserver of man? David looks back to his prayers (Psalm 34:6), and when he is overwhelmed (Psalm 61:2): From the ends of the earth will I cry to you, when my heart is overwhelmed. To Elias this is the key that opens…

Song of Solomon 2:3. I sat down under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit was sweet in my mouth. Psalm 34:8. O taste and see that the Lord is good. Christ is a curious banquet; the wine, the milk, the honey, and the fatted calf killed, are all but shadows to Christ's ex…

For we are commanded to confess this to God, as may be gathered from Revelation 3:17, 1 John 1:9, Proverbs 28:13, Psalm 32:5. We are expressly commanded in the day of trouble and of our temptation to pray and seek help from God under our temptations (Psalm 50:15; Matthew 6:13; 1…

Now this very estate is the estate of every child of God; and so far as he has the Son, so far does he express this estate in his whole conversation. (For an estate of humiliation) great and many are the afflictions of the righteous (Psalm 34:18-19); there is their debasement in…

In praying we put forth the groans of the Spirit, in the answer, God gives the joys of the Spirit. (Psalm 34:5) "They looked to him and were lightened, and their faces were not ashamed." 2. That we should pray so as that the heart may be raised and lifted up to God, and in some…

And by his faithful promise (Hebrews 13:5): He has said I will never leave you, nor forsake you. And he will give us every good thing while we fear him (Psalm 34:9-10). O fear the Lord you his saints: For there is no want to them that fear him.

Stephen's mind was filled with such an incredible solace in the sense of God's love, that he showed no troubledness, but a mind so unconcerned and freed from all fear and sorrow, as if he had been among the angels of God in full glory, and not among his enemies who sought his bl…

But whether every one has an angel-guardian, is a curious question. Sometimes one Angel serves many persons (Psalm 34:7), The angel of the Lord encamps round about them that fear him, and delivers them. And sometimes many Angels are about one person (2 Kings 6:17), And behold, t…

He did so to Christ, he does so to the people of Christ. Partly for the defense and comfort of the godly (Psalm 34:7): The Angel of the Lord encamps round about them that fear him, and delivers them (Hebrews 1:14). Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister to…

4. Communicate your experiences: and thereby commend this duty to others: Thus David, "Come," he says, "and I will declare what he has done for my soul" (Psalm 66:16). "This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him" (Psalm 34:6) — do as I have done, and you shall fare as I have fa…

He'll neither stop your mouth nor stop his [reconstructed: ear]; he bids you open your mouth wide (Psalm 81:10). And he tells you, His ear is open to your cry (Psalm 34:15). That cannot ask such great things as he can and will give.

Jacob said to Pharaoh, his days were few and evil. Many are the afflictions of the righteous (Psalm 34:20). Christ says, Take up your cross every day (Luke 9:23): and thereby he signifies, that every new day that comes over our heads, we must look for a new cross.

For whatever they do, shall prosper (Psalm 1:3). And peace with the creatures; as first with the good Angels (Colossians 1:20), who are ministering spirits, sent forth to minister, for their sakes that shall be heirs of salvation (Hebrews 1:14), pitching their tents about them (…

The interpretation given to this passage by some commentators, as if God assigned to each believer his own angel, does not rest on solid grounds. For the words of Christ do not mean that a single angel is continually occupied with this or the other person; "the words do not bear…

Curse not, revile not, but do good and speak well, indeed, although others rail on you, and speak all manner of evil against you, and patiently suffer when injury and wrong is offered to you. And now he brings a place out of Psalm 34, where the prophet David says thus: For if an…

Blessed are they that mourn; for they shall be comforted. Psalm 34. 18. The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken Heart, and saveth such as be of a contrite Spirit.

God has abundantly manifested in his Word, that This is what he has a peculiar Respect to in his Saints, and that nothing is acceptable to him without it. Psalm 34:18. The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken Heart, and saveth such as be of a contrite Spirit. Psalm 51:17.…

(3.) Have you not plainly discerned the hand of God, in the returns and accomplishments of your prayers? Nothing can be more evident than this, to men of observation, Psalm 34. 4, 5, 6. I sought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. They looked unto him…

See your selves over-topt by the least of all your mercies, Genesis 32:10 I am not worthy of the least, said Jacob. (4.) Eye the Condescension of God, to your requests for those mercies, Psalm 34:6 This is the sweetest bit in any enjoyment, in which a man can sensibly relish the…

I the rather put these Providences together in this place, because I find the Scripture does so, Psalm 107:41 He setteth the poor on high from affliction, and makes him families like a flock. You know the Promises God has made to his People, Psalm 34:10 The young Lions shall lac…

1. For the subject of this book, we may consider it, either as principal, or as collateral. The main and principal subject of this book is contained, (and I may give it you) in one verse of Psalm 34. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of all.

Believers have a notable security and defense, Christ's bed and his guard, if he be sure, they are sure, one watch watches both him and her. The same power of God (Isaiah 27:2), the twenty thousand of Angels, which are his Chariots (Psalm 68:17), are for the believer's protectio…

2. That there is nothing beside him, that one can confidently boast of; for, this her boasting is so appropriate to him, as it is implied, to be utterly unsuitable that men should boast of any other thing, Let him that glories, glory in the Lord, that is, in him, and in no other…

And therefore we find that the Apostle puts a value upon this Fifth Commandment on this very reason, that it is the first with promise (Ephesians 6:2-3). And Saint Peter at large transcribes that passage of Psalm 34: What man is he that desires to live, and loves many days? let…

8. The large returns God has given to violent prayer. This dove sent to heaven, has often brought an olive leaf in its mouth (Psalm 34:6). This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him.

Yea, he not only makes a hedge, but a wall about them, and that of fire (Zechariah 2:5). He sets a guard of angels to encamp round about them that fear him (Psalm 34:7), and will not trust them with a single guard of angels neither, though their power be great, and love to the s…

The way to Canaan is through the wilderness, even after a sore and tedious bondage; yea, and when God brought his people into Canaan, he brought them into the worst part of Canaan first, into the southern part, which was the most dry and barren part of the land. The way to Zion…

Nor are we to expect freedom from those Troubles, until harboured in Heaven, see 2 Thessalonians 1:7. O what large Catalogues of Experiences do the Saints carry to Heaven with them, of their various Exercises, Dangers, Trials, and marvellous Preservations and Deliverances out of…

Blessed.] He blesses us really, benefaciendo benedicit, we bless him by acknowledging his goodness. And this we ought to do at all times (Psalm 34:1): I will bless the Lord at all times, his praise shall continually be in my mouth. All this is far below him, and his mercies.

In those days his goodness shall manifest itself more than before, the beams of his love shall break forth more abundantly in the days of the Gospel, and shall bear more direct and hotter on the hearts of men, and then they shall fear him more, because they shall love him more.…

I have shown you the ruggedness of your way, that you stumble not at it, taking it to be a smooth plain one, but withal where this is spoken of, it is usually allayed with the mention of those comforts, that accompany these sufferings, or that glory that follows them. The doctri…

And 3. Of the inference from both. 1. Gracious] Or of a bountiful kind disposition, the word (Psalm 34), from where this is taken, is Tob, which signifies good. The Septuagint there renders it by the word used here by our Apostle, both the words signify a benignity, and kindness…

2. Secret slander and detraction. The former is unjust and cruel, but it is somewhat the less dangerous because open, 'tis a fight in plain field; but truly no piece of a Christian's warfare to encounter it in the same kind, the sons of peace are not for those tongue-combats, th…

Now as the ungodly world naturally moves to this profusion, with a strong and swift motion runs to it, so it runs together to it, and that makes the current both the stronger and swifter, as a number of brooks, falling into one main channel make a mighty stream; and every man na…

This is included in this prayer, that we may at length come to that state, where is no sorrow, no sin, no assault and temptation from Satan, that we may be kept from all wickedness. (Psalm 34:19) Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivers him out of them al…

If we were but sensible of our own weakness and emptiness, and manifold necessities, we would admire that God should think of us, such forlorn and wretched creatures; or that our baseness and poverty does not make us contemptible to God. (Psalm 34:6) This poor man cried, and the…

If God shut mens Prayers out of Heaven, it is a sad Prognostick that he will shut their Persons out of Heaven. See the Priviledge of the Godly: they have Gods Ear, the Lord listened and heard, Psalm 34:15. His Ears are open to their cry: it would be counted a great happiness to…

But David had resisted many trials, and far from God putting an end to them, on the contrary, new ones were always springing up from others. And indeed David does not forget this in Psalm 34, which we discussed before, when he says: Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but…

With such thoughts David could have been agitated — namely, that things had gone badly for him because he had so quickly obeyed the prophet's words, and that God seemed to have dragged him to the slaughter. Nevertheless, as appears from Psalm 34, which we said in the previous se…