“I will praise the Lord at all times. I will constantly speak his praises. I will boast only in the Lord; let all who are helpless take heart. Come, let us tell of the Lord’s greatness; let us exalt his name together. I prayed to the Lord, and he answered me. He freed me from all my fears. Those who look to him for help will be radiant with joy; no shadow of shame will darken their faces. In my desperation I prayed, and the Lord listened; he saved me from all my troubles. For the angel of the Lord is a guard; he surrounds and defends all who fear him. Taste and see that the Lord is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him! Fear the Lord, you his godly people, for those who fear him will have all they need. Even strong young lions sometimes go hungry, but those who trust in the Lord will lack no good thing. Come, my children, and listen to me, and I will teach you to fear the Lord. Does anyone want to live a life that is long and prosperous? Then keep your tongue from speaking evil and your lips from telling lies! Turn away from evil and do good. Search for peace, and work to maintain it. The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right; his ears are open to their cries for help. But the Lord turns his face against those who do evil; he will erase their memory from the earth. The Lord hears his people when they call to him for help. He rescues them from all their troubles. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed. The righteous person faces many troubles, but the Lord comes to the rescue each time. For the Lord protects the bones of the righteous; not one of them is broken! Calamity will surely destroy the wicked, and those who hate the righteous will be punished. But the Lord will redeem those who serve him. No one who takes refuge in him will be condemned.”
Psalms 34:1-22 NLT
David lived a tumultuous life. Though he was a skilled warrior, this did not keep him from gaining enemies. Being hunted and falsely accused is part of his normal narrative. This happened on a large scale and also an intimate one. His life was filled with intrigue. Much of it was not a consequence of his behavior but a reaction to God’s purpose for him. He was a man of constant sorrow. Yet, he speaks clearly about his prosperity in this passage. Therefore, it ought to be noted that the blessings of following God are not what many would consider blessings. They are not a quality of circumstance rather than a circumstance in itself. Here David gives sound advice. Despite circumstance, praise God and live in his hope. This worldview, combined with a real God, ends in justice and prosperity. It ends in emotional freedom to navigate the difficulties of life. It ends in assuredness to live in uncertain and desperate times. The key is acknowledgment of who God is before seeing the outcome of who he is. This is by nature an act of faith as much as an act of thanks. This thankful faith is a cure for a hard life. And it’s one that makes that hard life bearable in a way that seems victorious rather than tenuous.
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