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Psalm 34 is the 34th psalm of the Book of Psalms, It is an acrostic poem in the Hebrew Alphabet. The 34th Psalm is a Psalm of David in the Bible, one of a series of the songs of thanksgiving. It is the first Psalm which describes angels as guardians of the righteous.
Contents
Psalm 34 attributes its own authorship to David. The Psalm's title derives from when David was living with the Philistines.
Structure
Which could be structured in the following manner:
- Vers 2-4: Hymn Introduction
- Vers 5: Basic praising, preaching the fate of the Psalmist
- Vers 6-11: teaching, which is evident from his fate
- Vers 12-22: didactic poem 1.Vers 12: psalmist is now "teacher"
- Vers 13-15: Question - Answer:
- Vers 16-22
- Collection of wise sayings
It is an acrostic poem in the Hebrew Alphabet, with each letter of the Hebrew alphabet beginning a verse in sequential order; the lone exception is waw ( ו ), which begins the second clause of verse six. Verse 22, the concluding statement, begins with pe, outside the acrostic scheme. The Old Testament scholar Hermann Gunkel felt that the acrostic nature of the Psalm made any historical, or theological analysis impossible. This psalm is an acrostic of confidence as is Psalm 25 with which it has many similarities.
Judaism
New Testament
Psalm 34 is referenced in the New Testament, as alluded to in the Gospel according to John (John 19:36) and quoted by St. Peter in 1 Peter 2:3. Verse 18 is parapharased in Matthew 5:3.
Catholicism
According to the Rule of St. Benedict around 530, this psalm was traditionally performed at the office of Matins Monday with monasteries.
Currently, in the Liturgy of the Hours, Psalm 34 is recited Saturday from the first and third semaines and for the holy celebrations, the median time. It is often taken to church as a responsorial psalm.