Psalm 34

Common Metre (8,6,8,6)

Suggested Tunes:

(vv.1-10) 78 Jackson, 73 Harington, 127 St Thomas

(vv.11-17) 147 Wiltshire

(vv.18-22) 110 St David, 157 St Matthew

1    God will I bless all times; his praise

            my mouth shall still express.

2    My soul shall boast in God: the meek

            shall hear with joyfulness.

3    Extol the Lord with me, let us

            exalt his name together.

4    I sought the Lord, he heard, and did

            me from all fears deliver.

5    They look’d to him, and lighten’d were:

            not shamed were their faces.

6    This poor man cry’d, God heard, and sav’d

            him from all his distresses.

7    The angel of the Lord encamps,

            and round encompasseth

      All those about that do him fear,

            and them delivereth.

8    O taste and see that God is good:

            who trusts in him is bless’d.

9    Fear God his saints: none that him fear

            shall be with want oppress’d.

10  The lions young may hungry be,

            and they may lack their food:

      But they that truly seek the Lord

            shall not lack any good.

11  O children, hither do ye come,

            and unto me give ear;

      I shall you teach to understand

            how ye the Lord should fear.

12  What man is he that life desires,

            to see good would live long?

13  Thy lips refrain from speaking guile,

            and from ill words thy tongue.

14  Depart from ill, do good, seek peace,

            pursue it earnestly.

15  God’s eyes are on the just; his ears

            are open to their cry.

16  The face of God is set against

            those that do wickedly,

      That he may quite out from the earth

            cut off their memory.

17  The righteous cry unto the Lord,

            he unto them gives ear;

      And they out of their troubles all

            by him deliver’d are.

18  The Lord is ever nigh to them

            that be of broken sp’rit;

      To them he safety doth afford

            that are in heart contrite.

19  The troubles that afflict the just

            in number many be;

      But yet at length out of them all

            the Lord doth set him free.

20  He carefully his bones doth keep,

            whatever can befall;

      That not so much as one of them

            can broken be at all.

21  Ill shall the wicked slay; laid waste

            shall be who hate the just.

22  The Lord redeems his servants’ souls;

            none perish that him trust.