The Meaning of Psalms 34:4 Explained

Psalms 34:4

KJV: I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.

YLT: I sought Jehovah, and He answered me, And from all my fears did deliver me.

Darby: I sought Jehovah, and he answered me, and delivered me from all my fears.

ASV: I sought Jehovah, and he answered me, And delivered me from all my fears.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

I sought  the LORD,  and he heard  me, and delivered  me from all my fears. 

What does Psalms 34:4 Mean?

Context Summary

Psalms 34:1-10 - "magnify The Lord With Me"
The event associated with this psalm is recorded in 1 Samuel 21:1-15. It was not a very creditable incident. David, however, realized the goodness of God, notwithstanding his own failures and mistakes.
In the original the verses begin with the letters of the Hebrew alphabet.
Psalms 34:1 : At all times"¦ continually. It is a sign of great grace to bless always, in dark as well as bright days.
Psalms 34:3 : "Birds," says Trapp, "when they come to a full heap of corn, will chirp to call their fellows."
Psalms 34:4-6 : All the time David was feigning madness, his soul was going out to God in prayer.
Psalms 34:7 : Compare Acts 12:6-10.
Psalms 34:8 : Some experiences must be enjoyed to be understood. There are not words adequate to tell of them.
Psalms 34:10 : "We will leave thee nothing!" said plundering soldiers to a widow. "I care not," returned she. "I shall not want so long as God is in the heavens." Columba-an early Celtic missionary-spent his last afternoon in transcribing this psalm, saying when He reached Psalms 34:10 : "I will stop here. The following verse will better suit My successor." [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalms 34

1  David praises God, and exhorts others thereto by his experience
8  They are blessed who trust in God
11  He exhorts to the fear of God
15  The privileges of the righteous

What do the individual words in Psalms 34:4 mean?

I sought - Yahweh and He heard me and from all my fears delivered me
דָּרַ֣שְׁתִּי אֶת־ יְהוָ֣ה וְעָנָ֑נִי וּמִכָּל־ מְ֝גוּרוֹתַ֗י הִצִּילָֽנִי

דָּרַ֣שְׁתִּי  I  sought 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: דַּרְיׄושׁ 
Sense: to resort to, seek, seek with care, enquire, require.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
יְהוָ֣ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
וְעָנָ֑נִי  and  He  heard  me 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular, first person common singular
Root: לְעַנּׄות 
Sense: to answer, respond, testify, speak, shout.
וּמִכָּל־  and  from  all 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
מְ֝גוּרוֹתַ֗י  my  fears 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct, first person common singular
Root: מְגוּרָה  
Sense: fear, terror.
הִצִּילָֽנִי  delivered  me 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, third person masculine singular, first person common singular
Root: נָצַל  
Sense: to snatch away, deliver, rescue, save, strip, plunder.