Psalm 34

In no particular order, Blogging the Psalms continues this afternoon with Psalm 34.

34 I bless God every chance I get;
my lungs expand with his praise.

² I live and breathe God;
if things aren’t going well, hear this and be happy:

³ Join me in spreading the news;
together let’s get the word out.

⁴ God met me more than halfway,
he freed me from my anxious fears.

⁵ Look at him; give him your warmest smile.
Never hide your feelings from him.

⁶ When I was desperate, I called out,
and God got me out of a tight spot.

⁷ God’s angel sets up a circle
of protection around us while we pray.

⁸ Open your mouth and taste, open your eyes and see—
how good God is.
Blessed are you who run to him.

⁹ Worship God if you want the best;
worship opens doors to all his goodness.

¹⁰ Young lions on the prowl get hungry,
but God-seekers are full of God.

¹¹ Come, children, listen closely;
I’ll give you a lesson in God worship.

¹² Who out there has a lust for life?
Can’t wait each day to come upon beauty?

¹³ Guard your tongue from profanity,
and no more lying through your teeth.

¹⁴ Turn your back on sin; do something good.
Embrace peace—don’t let it get away!

¹⁵ God keeps an eye on his friends,
his ears pick up every moan and groan.

¹⁶ God won’t put up with rebels;
he’ll cull them from the pack.

¹⁷ Is anyone crying for help? God is listening,
ready to rescue you.

¹⁸ If your heart is broken, you’ll find God right there;
if you’re kicked in the gut, he’ll help you catch your breath.

¹⁹ Disciples so often get into trouble;
still, God is there every time.

²⁰ He’s your bodyguard, shielding every bone;
not even a finger gets broken.

²¹ The wicked commit slow suicide;
they waste their lives hating the good.

²² God pays for each slave’s freedom;
no one who runs to him loses out.

I like to think of this Psalm as the “Psalm for Dummies” because of the simple beauty and comprehensive instruction it provides. The basic guidelines are so easily digestible that anyone can understand– those from eight to eighty! Here is a Psalmist who says: You are hurting. You are unhappy. Things are tough? Don’t Worry. God is living on your praises! God shows up when you announce Him. If God is present in our speaking praises (v3) and in our worship (v11) then how can he “occupy” places where He is not welcome? Like schools where prayer is discouraged or not considered? Systems will remain in disarray until we invite God into these spaces. I don’t think it takes a revolutionary overhaul, just one willing soul. If we truly want a shift, one that can transform our nation we need to invite God into every aspect of our lives. We have a tendency to compartmentalize God– relegate Him to only the church or only to Saturdays or Sundays. God is not limited by our man made religions, so to be clear, I am not speaking of a “Christian” only God.

If we really want to see God move, God change, and God rebuild, we need to stop segregating God from our public and private spaces, and invite Him into our everywhere.