One of my favorite passages is Psalm 34. As I read it the other day, I was struck by how the author's perspective is completely transformed when he looks at the Lord. Throughout the book of Psalms, a common theme is looking to the Lord in both good times and bad. When the Psalmist is rejoicing and safe, he sings praise. When he's in trouble, he cries out to the Lord. Over and over, God protects and delivers from trouble. This in itself is amazing! But the work of God doesn't stop there. Beyond just keeping us safe, the Father uses these troubles to get us to look to Him. Psalm 34:5 says that the ones who look to the Lord are themselves altered. God is so gloriously good that we become radiant just by gazing in His direction, and our whole countenance changes to reflect Him.
In his book Eyes Wide Open, Pastor Steve DeWitt wrote: "Every created beauty was created by God to lead our affections to Him... We enjoy the divine music of beauty, but our enjoyment often stops there. The greatest wonder is not the music itself but the Musician, not the creation but the Creator. He is beautiful." All the beautiful things that bring us pleasure are just a hint of the overwhelming beauty of the Father.
C.S. Lewis said: “It would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.”
The Psalmist tells us to "taste and see that the Lord is good" because He is beautiful, and we get to delight in that beauty! Just by turning to him, we are changed. "Those who look to him are radiant." God's beauty is lasting and satisfying, beyond the things in life that bring us pleasure. Surely this is reason to enough to join with the Psalmist and "glory in the Lord" and "exalt his name together."
Psalm 34
1 I will extol the Lord at all times;
his praise will always be on my lips.
2 I will glory in the Lord;
let the afflicted hear and rejoice.
3 Glorify the Lord with me;
let us exalt his name together.
4 I sought the Lord, and he answered me;
he delivered me from all my fears.
5 Those who look to him are radiant;
their faces are never covered with shame.
6 This poor man called, and the Lord heard him;
he saved him out of all his troubles.
7 The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him,
and he delivers them.
8 Taste and see that the Lord is good;
blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.
9 Fear the Lord, you his holy people,
for those who fear him lack nothing.
10 The lions may grow weak and hungry,
but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.
11 Come, my children, listen to me;
I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
12 Whoever of you loves life
and desires to see many good days,
13 keep your tongue from evil
and your lips from telling lies.
14 Turn from evil and do good;
seek peace and pursue it.
15 The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,
and his ears are attentive to their cry;
16 but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil,
to blot out their name from the earth.
17 The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them;
he delivers them from all their troubles.
18 The Lord is close to the brokenhearted
and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
19 The righteous person may have many troubles,
but the Lord delivers him from them all;
20 he protects all his bones,
not one of them will be broken.
21 Evil will slay the wicked;
the foes of the righteous will be condemned.
22 The Lord will rescue his servants;
no one who takes refuge in him will be condemned.
1 comment :
I love your thoughts on Psalm 34, Lisa!! Don't you especially love the Cantus version of singing it?!
Mary Lynn
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