Psalm 34:12 - Printer Friendly

ESV: What man is there who desires life and loves many days, that he may see good?

NIV: Whoever of you loves life and desires to see many good days,

NASB: Who is the person who desires life And loves length of days, that he may see good?

CSB: Who is someone who desires life, loving a long life to enjoy what is good?

NLT: Does anyone want to live a life that is long and prosperous?

KJV: What man is he that desireth life, and loveth many days, that he may see good?

NKJV: Who is the man who desires life, And loves many days, that he may see good?

In this statement, David raises a rhetorical question: who wants a full, good life? Of course, everyone wants to lead a long, happy, peaceful, fulfilling, and prosperous life. Jesus properly defined the valuable aspects of human life by asking, "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?" (Mathew 16:26). He explained that life lived in the pursuit of material wealth amounts to loss, but a life of service for Him amounts to eternal gain.

In Philippians 1:21 the apostle Paul highlighted the best way to live. He said, "For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain." Throughout his Christian life Paul made the will of God his top priority. He served Christ faithfully, and at the end of his life he looked forward to receiving from the Lord "the crown of righteousness" (2 Timothy 4:8). Solomon, as well, noted that the "fear of the LORD," meaning submissive respect, was "the beginning of knowledge" (Proverbs 1:7).

Psalm 34:8–14 invites others to experience the Lord's goodness. David has just praised the Lord for delivering him from the Philistines at Gath (1 Samuel 21:10–15). Now, he celebrates what God does for those who fear Him: He gives His people happiness; He protects them; He provides bountifully for them; and He grants them long life.

David praises the Lord for delivering him from the Philistines, and he invites others to join him in singing joyfully to the Lord. He extols the virtue of fearing the Lord and remembering His goodness. He encourages the Lord's people to respect God and offers wisdom leading to a long and blessed life. At the end of this psalm David emphasizes the distinction the Lord draws between the wicked and the righteous. He cares for the righteous and will not condemn them, but He condemns the wicked.

David composed this psalm after he escaped from the Philistines at Gath. He accomplished this by feigning insanity and later sheltered in the cave of Adullum. This experience is recorded in 1 Samuel 21:10—22:1. Like Psalm 25, this is an acrostic psalm. Every verse except the final one begins with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet. First Peter 2:3 alludes to the psalm's eighth verse, and 1 Peter 3:10–12 quotes verses 12–16 of Psalm 34. John 19:36 refers to Psalm 34:20.

The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.

Accessed 5/6/2024 2:45:21 PM