The Testimony of Boasting in the Lord
Notice that David immediately turns his attention away from himself and to how his experience and what he has learned can do in benefit of other servants of God and how it bring glory to God. The redeemed are never content to sit in isolation and simply just “be” right with the Lord (whatever that would mean if such sitting still and being right were even possible). His concern is that “the humble” hear of his experience and they “be glad”.
The “humble”, it seems certain, are God’s people.
It is a plural noun and refers primarily to a person suffering some kind of disability or distress.[1] In theological contexts in the Scripture, that is most often the context of sinfulness and redemption. It was used of Moses in Numbers 12:3. David Himself used the word twice in the context of redeemed sinners in Psalm 25:9. He uses it in a similar context in Psalm 37:11; Psalm 147:6; & in Psalm 149:4. Solomon used in the same context in Proverbs 3:34. (We must certainly admit, though, that the word is not always used in the clear context of believers. Zephaniah 3:3 is not so clear a reference for instance.)
Self-satisfaction in being rescued was not David’s point. He was not just happy and basking in the after-glow of what God had done. Oh no! David wanted testimony to others and ministry to the family of God’s people (though that is surely NT language) to be the great profit of his experience. And more, as we see from what follows, he wanted God’s glory to be the profit – he want them to grow and benefit themselves and then to join him in magnify the God who had delivered him!!
The goals of the lives of the Redeemed is not self-centered! We are not here to experience life! We are told by sign after sign and therapist after therapist that what we need is “love ourselves” and just let go and experience life! But that is not what God has put us here for. We are here for the benefit of the Body of Christ and, ultimately, for the glory of Lord Who created us! David understood that and his heart raced to fulfill those goals.
Matthew Henry, in his wonderful, devotional commentary[2], gave three things for which we “must agree with David” at this point in Psalm 34:
- In great and high thoughts of God, which we should express in magnifying him and exalting his name, v. 3. We cannot make God greater or higher than he is; but if we adore him as infinitely great, and higher than the highest, he is pleased to reckon this magnifying and exalting him.
- He would have us to join with him in kind and good thoughts of God (v. 8): O taste and see that the Lord is good! The goodness of God includes both the beauty and amiableness of his being and the bounty and beneficence of his providence and grace; and accordingly,
- He would have us join with him in a resolution to seek God and serve him, and continue in his fear (v. 9): O fear the Lord! you his saints. When we taste and see that he is good we must not forget that he is great and greatly to be feared; nay, even his goodness is the proper object of a filial reverence and awe. They shall fear the Lord and his goodness,
I think that is the kind of thing David would have applauded! That his experience turn our thought to the character and works of God. That if the focus of the rest of the marvelous Psalm. His works are insignificant, nothing unless they drive the attention of the reader to the Person and Character of the One true and Living God. That ought to be what you and I live for as well!
One Last Consideration – The Necessity of Humility
There is one last matter for our consideration here. That last phrase, “The humble shall hear of it and be glad” points out the need for humility in order to receive the message Gospel. Micah 6:8 says:
He has shown you, O man, what is good;
And what does the Lord require of you
But to do justly,
To love mercy,
And to walk humbly with your God?
God requires that, in order to walk before Him, men walk “humbly”. We can define humility as being marked by meekness or modesty in behavior, attitude, or spirit; not arrogant or prideful. Theologically that basic definition would stand up pretty well if we added the idea of rejecting dependence on human devices or ability for any part of salvation or sanctification or to commend you to God’s favor.
One cannot even enter into a relationship with God without some degree of humility. That humility is demonstrated in a willingness to repent of sin and hear the truth of the Word of God. This is why unredeemed people cast the Scripture aside and consider it foolish. Their pride will not allow them see its truth. They will not humble themselves before God and bow before his authority.
It is small wonder then that they spend their lives with little to be glad about and little encouragement. They have cut themselves off from the One Being in the entire universe Who could, in all situations, without fail bring them cheer and hope!
In the end, this is horribly foolish, but of course, that is from the point of view of the redeemed! From the point of view of the unredeemed they are simply doing what David did, serving their own best interest, a completely natural thing to do. But also completely self-destructive.
David would argue that there is no more “self-serving” thing than to give ones-self over to the service of their Creator. It is counterintuitive to the unredeemed, but once one is redeemed and that fog of sin is lifted and clear sight is restored, thinking is possible for the first time ever. Then things make sense and one can see how what once seemed to be ridiculous is not so foolish after all.
That being the case, it becomes easy for the “humble to hear” of the works of God and “be glad”. Who wouldn’t be?
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[1] Harris, R. L., Harris, R. L., Archer, G. L., & Waltke, B. K. (1999, c1980). Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament (electronic ed.) (683). Chicago: Moody Press.
[2] Henry, M. (1996, c1991). Matthew Henry's commentary on the whole Bible : Complete and unabridged in one volume (Ps 34:11). Peabody: Hendrickson.
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