Peter Barnes | Psalm 34:1-7
SERMON NOTES
PRAISE BASED ON EXPERIENCE
Psalm 34:1-7
Derek Kidner calls this a ‘glowing Psalm’. It is an acrostic (like Psalms 9-10 together, 25, 37, 111, 112, 119, 145)
1. We are to praise the name of the Lord.
– 34:1-3; ‘Religious joy cannot be too high’ (W. S. Plumer).
– Ps.22:3
2. We are to trust that God is faithful to His people.
– 34:4-6; this is David’s testimony. The context is 1 Sam.21:10-22:2.
– Calvin and most of the Puritans criticise David’s use of deception here, but God says nothing against it.
– David as a poor man (albeit the anointed king) calls on us to join him because God has been faithful to him.
3. The angels of the Lord protects His people.
– 34:7; Calvin says that this refers to the angels, but Spurgeon says it is the covenant angel i.e. Jesus, the angel of the Lord who is the Lord (see e.g. Ex.3:2, 4).
– Christ looks after His people.