THRU THE BIBLE EXPOSITION

Psalms: God's Nurture Of The Inner Man In The Life Of Faith

XXXIV. God's Help For Male Heads Of Households Facing Overwhelming Workplace Crises

(Psalm 34:1-22)

I. Introduction

A. God directs male heads of households to make a living for their families as part of their testimony, 1 Tim 5:8.

B. However, such men can face humanly overwhelming crises in the workplace, needing God's help, and Psalm 34:1-22 offers insight on this matter with lessons applicable for us today (as follows):

II. God's Help For Male Heads Of Households Facing Overwhelming Workplace Crises, Psalm 34:1-22.

A. Verse one in the Hebrew text comprises the introductory remarks in the English Bible (Kittel, Bib. Heb., p. 1002), so we stay with the numbering system in the English Bible for clarification with this lesson.

B. We thus translate Psalm 34:1-22 as follows:

1. "I will bless Jahweh at all times; his praise will continually be on my lips," Psalm 34:1.

2. "My life principle will boast in Jahweh; let the afflicted hear and rejoice," Psalm 34:2.

3. "Glorify Jahweh with me; let us exalt His Name together," Psalm 34:3.

4. "I sought Jahweh and He answered me; He delivered me from all of my fears," Psalm 34:4.

5. "Those who look unto Him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame," Psalm 34:5.

6. "This afflicted man cried, and Jahweh heard [him]; He saved him from all his narrow straits (sarah, Ibid.; B. D. B., A Heb.-Eng. Lex. of the O. T., p. 865 )," Psalm 34:6.

7. "The Angel of the Lord encamps (hanah, Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 333) all around (sabab, Ibid., p. 685-686) those who fear Him, and He withdraws, delivers (halas, Ibid., p. 322) them," Psalm 34:7.

8. "Taste and see that Jahweh is good; blessed is the adult male (geber, Ibid., p. 149-150; man perceived as strong versus the non-combatants he defends) who seeks refuge (hasah, Ibid., p. 340) in Him," Psa. 34:8.

9. "Fear Jahweh, you His holy ones, for there is no lack for those who fear Him," Psalm 34:9.

10. "The lions may grow weak and be hungry, but those who seek Jahweh will not lack (haser, Ibid., p. 341) any good thing," Psalm 34:10.

11. "Come, my sons, hearken unto me; I will teach you the fear of Jahweh:" (Psalm 34:11)

12. "Whoever of you desires life and loves to see wholesome days," Psalm 34:12.

13. "Keep your tongue from evil, and your lips from speaking lies," Psalm 34:13.

14. "Turn from evil and perform what is wholesome; seek peace and pursue it," Psalm 34:14.

15. "The eyes of Jahweh are on the righteous, and His ears (are attentive) to their cry," Psalm 34:15.

16. "The face of Jahweh is against those who do evil, to cut off the memory of them from the earth," Ps. 34:16.

17. "The righteous cry out and Jahweh (emph. pos.) hears them; He snatches them away (nasal, Ibid., Kittel, p. 1003; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 664-665) out of all their narrow straits (sarah again, cf. v. 6)," Psalm 34:17.

18. "Jahweh is near to those of a heart that is broken in pieces (shabar, Ibid., p. 990-991), and to those of a crushed, contrite (daka', Ibid., p. 194) spirit He saves," Psalm 34:18.

19. "Many are the calamities of a righteous man, but out of them all Jahweh snatches (nasal again, cf. v. 17) him away," Psalm 34:19.

20. "He preserves (shamar, Ibid., p. 1036-1037) all of his bones; not one of them is broken," Psalm 34:20.

21. "Evil will slay the wicked, and the foes of the righteous will be condemned;" Psalm 34:21.

22. "Jahweh redeems the life principle of His servants, and not one will be condemned who seeks refuge (hasah again, cf. v. 8) in Him," Psalm 34:22.

C. Key observations about this psalm help us to understand its application for today:

1. David was a warrior in occupation, so God's rescue of him from narrow straits in that realm makes the psalm most applicable to male adult heads of households (geber, cf. v. 8) who face great workplace crises.

2. Thus, the psalm teaches that men need God's help in the workplace as their job can present them with superhuman trials they must overcome to earn a living for their dependents; they must walk uprightly with the Lord and seek refuge in Him for God to provide solutions to their workplace trials, Psa. 34:4, 6, 9-22.

Lesson: David as an anointed king as well as a head of household experienced and taught all men responsible to make a living for their families to revere and heed God so as to obtain His help in superhuman trials they face.

Application: May we male heads of households heed David's example and admonition for blessing in our roles.