U L1 1-10. Praise. (א-כ) L2 11-22. Instruction. (כ-פ)
L1 M c 1,2. The oppressed. "I" and "they".
d 3. Invitation. "O magnify". "You."
N 4. Acknowledgment. "I".
M c 5-7. The oppressed. "I" and "they".
d 8-10. Invitation. ["O taste...see...fear"]. "You".
(Cp. 1 Sam. 21:10-22:1. Abimelech is an appellative for the kings of Gath. This Abimelech was named Achish. This is an Acrostic Psalm. It is divided into 2 parts, 11 letters to the 1st and 11 in the 2nd.)
Psalm 34)
1 (א) I will bless the LORD at all times:
His praise shall continually be in my mouth.
2 (ב) I myself shall make her boast in the LORD:
The patient (or oppressed) shall hear thereof, and be glad.
3 (ג) O magnify the LORD with me,
And let us exalt His name together.
4 (ד) I sought the LORD, and He answered me,
And rescued me from all my fears.
5 (ה) They looked expectantly to Him, (To the end Yahaveh keeps us in salutary suspense. That's why they were radiant. To look within is to be miserable [see Ps. 77]. To look around is to be distracted [see Ps. 73])
(ו) And were lightened:
And their faces were not ashamed.
6 (ז) This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him,
And saved him out of all his distresses.
7 (ח) The angel of the LORD (here in mercy in Ps. 35:5 judgment. Cp. Acts 12: delivering Peter [vv.7-11], and smiting Herod [v.23]) encamps (Heb. hāmāh. Hence the name "Mahanaim" = two camps in Jacob's vision, afterward to be noted in David's history [2 Sam. 17:24,27; 19:32]) round about them that revere Him,
And delivers them.
8 (ט) O taste and see that the LORD is good:(Referred to in 1 Pet. 2:5.)
How happy is the strong man (trusting not in his own strength, but in Yahaveh) that flees for refuge to Him.
9 (י) O revere the LORD, you His separated ones:
For there is no want to them that revere Him.
10 (כ) The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger:
But they that seek the LORD shall not want any good thing.
L2 e1 11-15. The righteous.
f1 16. The evil-doers.
e2 17-20. The righteous.
f2 21. The evil-doers.
e3 22. The righteous.
11 (ל) Come, you sons, hearken to me:
I will teach you the reverence of the LORD.
12 (מ) What man is he that desires life, (Put for all that makes life worth living.)
And loves many days, that he may see good?
13 (נ) Keep your tongue from evil,
And your lips from speaking guile.
14 (ס) Depart from evil, and do good;
Seek peace, and pursue it.
15 (ע) The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous,
And His ears are open to their cry.
16 (פ) The face of the LORD is against them that do evil, (Quoted in 1 Pet. 3:10-12)
To cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.
17 (צ) The righteous have cried, and the LORD has heard,
And has delivered them out of all their troubles.
18 (ץ) The LORD is near to them that are of a broken heart;
And saves such as be of a contrite spirit.
19 (ר) Many are the afflictions of a righteous one:
But the LORD delivers him out of them all.
20 (ש) He keeps all his bones: (True of the members of Christ's body. See 35:10. Eph. 5:30. Hence John 19:21-33. Ex. 12:46. Heartbroken [69:20], but not "bones".)
Not one of them is broken.
21 (ת) Evil shall slay a lawless one:
And they that hate the righteous shall be held guilty.
22 (פ) The LORD delivers (by power. See Ex. 13:13; and cp. Ex. 6:6) the soul of His servants:
And none of them that trust in Him shall be held guilty.