Psalm 34:8-14

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.

What commands do you see in this section? What does God expect of us?

What are benefits to obeying?

Reflect

There is something in the bright flash of lightening followed immediately by the deafening boom of thunder that reminds us that there are powerful forces on this earth that we can’t restrain. Meteorologists track severe weather on radar and try to predict its path and intensity, but when the storm is on top of us, and the rain is coming down in sheets, the wind is howling, and lightening cracks across the sky, we recognize that we have no control. Just because we know how and why storm systems form doesn’t mean we can manipulate them.

We can sometimes act as if we have the hows and whys of God all figured out. As Christians, we can treat God as an object of study or a code to crack. God has graciously revealed himself to us in ways that accommodate our finite human minds. That in no way means that we can make demands of him, any more than we can tell the lightening where it should strike or insist that the winds calm. He is Lord and Creator and his power is restrained only by his own goodness and mercy. Though he loves us, he is not beholden to us. There is such a thing as a healthy fear, or reverence, of the Lord.

Proverbs, a book of wisdom, starts off by telling us that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 1:7). Before you can become wise, you must have the correct view of God. Psalms 34 echoes that sentiment. While God has lovingly invited us to experience his goodness, and offers us refuge, he is worthy of reverence and respect. He insists on it. He is God and we are not.

Unless we bring ourselves under God’s authority and acknowledge his rightful rule over our lives, we will end up in disaster. But those who fear the Lord and seek him, will lack no good thing. Part of that reverence and respect will include agreeing with him on what is good and what is evil and then living accordingly. Psalm 34 singles out one evil in particular in verse 13 — that which comes from the lips and the tongue.

We live in a society where lying has become routine. Now some may excuse it by saying “everyone does it.” They can call it “shading the truth,” label it “spin,” or claim that “omitting facts is not the same as lying,” but let’s be honest, it’s all lying. And it won’t just affect our personal relationships. As a nation, we’re all having a hard time knowing what is true. From corporations to politicians to media, the constant lying has left us cynical and bewildered. And while we may not be able to fix this massive problem in our culture, we can do what Psalms 34:13 commands and keep our own lips from telling lies.

Christians must be ruthlessly honest and speak only what we know to be true, even if it’s difficult or inconvenient. And that includes our digital speech. We shouldn’t promote anything, from a product to an article to a candidate, if we doubt the truthfulness of their claims. Better to say nothing than spread a lie. We need to be wise in who we trust and discerning about what we share. Of all people, those who follow Christ should be known as people of integrity. Our witness depends on it.

As believers, we also want to be known as those who do good and seek peace. In Hebrew, the concept of shalom, or peace means more than just a lack of conflict. It’s harmony, wholeness, completeness, prosperity, welfare, and tranquility. We pursue this for our own lives, and we also pursue shalom for our community and nation. As we rest under the loving authority of God, we turn to him and away from evil and do good. Those are the instructions of Psalm 34.

Do you think you have an appropriate fear or reverence for the Lord? How do you demonstrate it?

In what ways do you actively turning from evil and doing good, or seeking peace and pursuing it? How could you do more?

Respond

Sit before the Lord and remember his immense power and complete authority over you and every created thing. Then remember his vast love for you. Ask the Spirit to search you and bring to mind sins, hidden and known, confess, and accept his forgiveness. Ask him for the strength and endurance to change sinful habits so you can turn from evil and do good.