7
The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.
Exploring the Meaning of Psalms 34
By New Christian Bible Study Staff, Julian Duckworth
Psalm 34 is a psalm full of the praises of God and calls for our need for humility. The title says it is ‘A psalm of David when he pretended madness before Abimelech, who drove him away and he departed’. This psalm and its sentiments would fit very well with feelings of devotion and gratitude to God for being given safety.
The language throughout this psalm is very beautiful, and is written in a consistent style. Every verse in the psalm is a ‘couplet’ in which one thing gets said and is then repeated in a different way. This style of writing actually has a spiritual meaning, because one part relates to what is good and the other part to what is true. This duality is present in many places throughout the Word. (Sacred Scripture 80)
The Psalm begins with the idea of never-ending praise. Spiritually, expressions in the Word of time and duration are about our enduring acknowledgement of the Lord, and the way in which this continually leads us and shapes our thoughts and actions, even when we are not consciously thinking about Him. (Read more about this in Arcana Caelestia 4814.2, and in Arcana Caelestia 5253.)
After this comes the idea of the greatness of God and of our own consequent humility. We boast, magnify and exalt the Lord, and the humble hear and are glad. The word for ‘boast’ has the meaning ‘to praise’ which can mean praise of myself or of another, in this case, the Lord. Spiritually, the link between praise and humility lies in the universal truth that, as we praise God, we lose self-centredness. We become truly aware of our dependence on the Lord. (See Divine Providence 42.)
The next few verses carry the idea of our need to seek the Lord and keep turning to him - an action on our part which brings the Lord to us to deliver and save us. The truth is that the Lord is always present with us and does not leave or move from us. But from where we stand, we can and will lose our sense of Him. We need to focus, to become aware of him and bring ourselves back into dependence on him. (Divine Providence 91)
This section ends with a reference to the ‘angel of the Lord’ and deliverance. Spiritually, the ‘angel’ of the Lord stands for the truth we receive from the Lord since an angel is a ‘messenger’. (Arcana Caelestia 8495)
This is followed by the invitation to “taste and see that the Lord is good”. Spiritually, to ‘taste’ means to receive truth from the Lord and then to experience its effect and benefit to us. This is the reason why the two words ‘taste’ and ‘see’ are used in this verse. (Arcana Caelestia 4792)
This couplet ends by affirming the happiness – more accurately ‘blessedness’ – of one who trusts in the Lord. (Divine Providence 39)
The next part emphasises that those who live by the Lord shall lack for nothing. It is interesting that this is put in the negative, ‘not lack’ rather than in the positive, ‘be given everything’. This gives a stronger emphasis. Spiritually, it reinforces our experience of how our work to live by the Lord's Word brings a completeness to our personal life, while natural life is inevitably caught up with lacking what we want. (Arcana Caelestia 8939.2)
Verses 11 to 14 are an invitation and a description to choose, live and practise the life of ‘the fear of the Lord’. By ‘fear’ is meant reverence and holiness in a personal and spiritual way, and the examples which are used in this section describe the qualities that such a care for the Lord brings us. This is followed by a reassurance that the Lord’s presence and awareness is always there in our intention to follow and serve him. (Heaven and Hell 218)
The last part of this psalm, in verses 17 to 22, provides strong encouragements of the Lord’s deliverance and redeeming work for those who put their complete faith and trust in Him. ‘He guards all his bones, not one of them is broken.’ Spiritually, bones stand for the truths which support and hold our personal life, and here, with the meaning that our spiritual wholeness shall be kept together and be in integrity. (Arcana Caelestia 6138)
Isaiah 33
1
Woe to you who destroy, but you weren't destroyed; and who betray, but nobody betrayed you! When you have finished destroying, you will be destroyed; and when you have made an end of betrayal, you will be betrayed.
2
Yahweh, be gracious to us. We have waited for you. Be our strength every morning, our salvation also in the time of trouble.
3
At the noise of the thunder, the peoples have fled. When you lift yourself up, the nations are scattered.
4
Your spoil will be gathered as the caterpillar gathers. Men will leap on it as locusts leap.
5
Yahweh is exalted, for he dwells on high. He has filled Zion with justice and righteousness.
6
There will be stability in your times, abundance of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge. The fear of Yahweh is your treasure.
7
Behold, their valiant ones cry outside; the ambassadors of peace weep bitterly.
8
The highways are desolate. The traveling man ceases. The covenant is broken. He has despised the cities. He doesn't respect man.
9
The land mourns and languishes. Lebanon is confounded and withers away. Sharon is like a desert, and Bashan and Carmel are stripped bare.
10
"Now I will arise," says Yahweh; "Now I will lift myself up. Now I will be exalted.
11
You will conceive chaff. You will bring forth stubble. Your breath is a fire that will devour you.
12
The peoples will be like the burning of lime, like thorns that are cut down and burned in the fire.
13
Hear, you who are far off, what I have done; and, you who are near, acknowledge my might."
14
The sinners in Zion are afraid. Trembling has seized the godless ones. Who among us can live with the devouring fire? Who among us can live with everlasting burning?
15
He who walks righteously, and speaks blamelessly; He who despises the gain of oppressions, who gestures with his hands, refusing to take a bribe, who stops his ears from hearing of blood, and shuts his eyes from looking at evil--
16
he will dwell on high. His place of defense will be the fortress of rocks. His bread will be supplied. His waters will be sure.
17
Your eyes will see the king in his beauty. They will see a distant land.
18
Your heart will meditate on the terror. Where is he who counted? Where is he who weighed? Where is he who counted the towers?
19
You will no longer see the fierce people, a people of a deep speech that you can't comprehend, with a strange language that you can't understand.
20
Look at Zion, the city of our appointed festivals. Your eyes will see Jerusalem, a quiet habitation, a tent that won't be removed. Its stakes will never be plucked up, nor will any of its cords be broken.
21
But there Yahweh will be with us in majesty, a place of broad rivers and streams, in which no galley with oars will go, neither will any gallant ship pass by there.
22
For Yahweh is our judge. Yahweh is our lawgiver. Yahweh is our king. He will save us.
23
Your rigging is untied. They couldn't strengthen the foot of their mast. They couldn't spread the sail. Then the prey of a great spoil was divided. The lame took the prey.
24
The inhabitant won't say, "I am sick." The people who dwell therein will be forgiven their iniquity.
