Read: Psalms 33-35
God made everything. He loves us. He protects us. He wants us to seek life in and through Him. He is our salvation. Look at all of that wonderful truth! Today we are reading Psalms 33 through 35, but I want to dive a little deeper into Psalm 34.
Before getting into it, a little background on David helps aid our understanding. David was the youngest in his family, the one that no one expected, yet he was chosen by God. He defeated Goliath through God’s power, and instead of that leading to peace, it stirred jealousy in Saul. David was then hunted, forced to flee, and found himself alone, afraid, and hiding. In the midst of all of that of that hardship and unrest, David wrote Psalms.
“I will honor the Lord at all times. His praise will always be in my mouth. My soul will be proud to tell about the Lord. Let those who suffer hear it and be filled with joy. Give great honor to the Lord with me. Let us praise His name together.” -Psalm 34:1-3
David was not praising God because life was easy. He was praising God because God was and is still good in the middle of everything.
“I looked for the Lord, and He answered me. And He took away all my fears … This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him. And He saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the Lord stays close around those who fear Him, and He takes them out of trouble.” -Psalm 34:4-7
We all have a reason to praise. If you cannot think of a reason to praise God in this current moment, dig a little deeper, think a little harder, look around you. Even in fear, even in hardship, even when life does not look how we thought it would, or how we wanted it to, God hears, God sees, and God is near. He loves us always and wants the best for his children.
There is a call in this chapter to not just know God, but to truly live for Him. To walk differently. To choose Him over the ways of the world. God wants this for all of us, not just his “anointed” and “chosen.”
“Come, you children, listen to me. I will teach you the fear of the Lord. Who is the man who has a desire for life, and wants to live long so that he may see good things? Keep your tongue from sin and your lips from speaking lies. Turn away from what is sinful. Do what is good. Look for peace and follow it.” -Psalm 34:11-14
The fear of the Lord is not about being afraid, it is about respecting God as God. It is the beginning of wisdom. Knowledge is knowing, but wisdom is doing. It is not enough to know the Lord, we are called to live for Him, to walk in His ways, and to experience His blessings through obedience.
“Taste and see that the Lord is good. Blessed is the one who takes refuge in Him.” -Psalm 34:8
That verse makes me think of the Dr. Seuss book Green Eggs and Ham. He had no idea how good the green eggs and ham were until he finally tried them. It wasn’t just that he didn’t like them, he was completely against them. But then he took a small bite, and everything changed. Everything he thought he wanted, or didn’t want for that matter, was completely flipped on its head.
As believers, we overcome the world not by trying harder, but by seeing something better. Instead of rose-colored glasses think “Christ-colored glasses.” Christ becomes more beautiful than the things that we used to chase after. We move from condemned to redeemed, from empty to full, from lost to found, from hating green eggs and ham to loving them. We are given a new life in Him; that life is abundant. We must strive to live that life according to God’s will and plan.
Sometimes that comes through brokenness. Sometimes it is in the hardest seasons that we experience God the most clearly. Being blessed through brokenness is real, because it brings us to a place where we depend fully on Him. It also builds our personal testimony.
One thing that really stood out to me is this idea that we cannot just listen to ourselves, we have to speak truth to ourselves. Our feelings will shift, our thoughts can spiral, but God’s truth stays the same. It has and will always remain. Throughout the Psalms, we even see glimpses and prophecies of Jesus that would be fulfilled thousands of years later, reminding us that God’s plan has always been intentional.
The truth is, we do not have to follow Him, we get to. I get to experience Christ. I get to know Him and love Him; and I get to be known and loved by Him.
“You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely.” -Psalm 139:1-4
As a mom, this is something I want my kids to grow up seeing, not just hearing about. I want them to see praise in our home, even in the hard seasons. I want them to learn early that God is not just someone we talk about, but someone we truly know, trust, and follow. That loving Him is not a rule, it is a relationship.
Discussion Questions
- How can you move from simply knowing about God to actually living for Him and listening to Him?
- Is there a piece of brokenness, whether your own or someone else’s, that has built part of your testimony?
- How can you model a genuine relationship with God for your children in your home? Or what does that look like differently if your children are grown and out of your home now?
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A Note from the Author
Hello everyone,
I wanted to take a moment to share a bit about the Bible verse studies, devotionals, and prayers that I put together. While I strive to offer meaningful insights and reflections, it’s important to clarify that I am not a trained or licensed biblical professional. My goal is not to provide expert theological advice but to share my personal knowledge, beliefs, and experiences as I read and reflect on the Holy Bible.
The insights I offer come from my own understanding and spiritual journey. I approach these reflections with the intention of sharing what personally resonates with me, what I’ve learned through my own study of Scripture, and what the Holy Spirit is sharing through me. I hope these thoughts are helpful and encouraging, but they are based on my personal perspective rather than formal theological training.
This specific Bible study is based off the book A Beautiful Year in the Bible The 52-Week Bible Study for Women by a series of wonderful authors Copyrighted by Alabaster Creative Inc. I do not own the rights to this book and am not claiming to. I am using the book to create my own version of the Bible in 365 days and continue to direct God’s word towards women, more specifically mothers.
Thank you for your understanding and for joining me in this journey of faith and reflection.
Blessings,
Maria Wilcoxon
*The header image is not mine and was taken from Pinterest
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