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Psalms 34:12

What man is he that desireth life, and loveth many days, that he may see good?

What man ... desireth life ... see good? Who is there that does not desire "life" in its fullest enjoyment? The Psalmist proceeds to describe the sure and only means for attaining it. The word "good" in the second clause, explains what is meant by the parallel "life" in the first clause. "Days" of 'seeing good' are life in its highest sense.

[nun (n)]

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See also Psalms 34:12 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Psalms 34:12. _WHAT MAN_ IS HE THAT _DESIRETH LIFE_] He who wishes to live long and to live happily, let him act according to the following directions. For a comment upon this and the _four_ ens...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    WHAT MAN IS HE THAT DESIRETH LIFE? - That desires to live long. All people naturally love life; and all naturally desire to live long; and this desire, being founded in our nature, is not wrong. Life...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    Psalms 34 The Perfect Praise of His Redeemed People _ 1. His praise for salvation (Psalms 34:1)_ 2. The instructions of the righteous (Psalms 34:11) 3. His redemption remembered ...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    XXXIV. YAHWEH'S CARE FOR HIS OWN. An acrostic Ps., the letter Waw being omitted as in Psalms 25. Yahweh's care of the poor who fear Him. Psalms 34:5. Read with LXX, look to him, be radiant, your face...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    WHAT... ? Referred to in 1 Peter 3:10. LIFE. Figure of speech _Metonymy_ (of Adjunct), App-6, put for all that makes life worth living....

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    The challenge with its answer in Psalms 34:13 is a vivid and forcible equivalent for _Whosoever desires … let him &c_. Cp. Psalms 25:12. _life_ Not mere existence, but life worthy of the name (Psalms...

  • Charles Simeon's Horae Homileticae

    DISCOURSE: 553 THE FEAR OF GOD INCULCATED Psalms 34:11. Come, ye children, hearken unto me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord. What man is he that desireth life, and loveth many days, that he may...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    AND LOVETH MANY DAYS, THAT HE MAY SEE GOOD— _And loveth days to see_ or _enjoy good._ Houbigant. The meaning of the verse is, "Who is the man that desires a long and happy life?...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    PSALMS 34 DESCRIPTIVE TITLE An Alphabetical Psalm of Praise and Instruction. ANALYSIS For convenience, this psalm may be regarded as resolving itself into three stanzas of seven verses each, follow...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    The reliability of this title (_A Psalm_ of David; when he feigned madness (RM) before Abimelech, who drove him away, and he departed) is doubtful, both because the Philistine king in question is call...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    Psalms 1:41 _GORDON CHURCHYARD_ Words in boxes are from the Bible. The notes explain some of the words with a *star by them. Tap the * before a word to show an explanation. The translated Bible tex...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    DESIRETH LIFE. — Better, _the man delighting in life._ These gnomic sayings are echoes from the book of Proverbs. (See especially Proverbs 4:23.)...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    _[Psalms 34:13]_ מִֽי ־הָ֭ אִישׁ הֶ חָפֵ֣ץ...

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    Psalms 34:1 THE occasion of this psalm, according to the superscription, was that humiliating and questionable episode, when David pretended insanity to save his life from the ruler of Goliath's city...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    THE SALVATION OF THE CONTRITE Psalms 34:11 Psalms 34:11 : The gist of this exhortation is quoted by Peter in his first Epistle. See 1 Peter 3:10. We need not fret to defend ourselves or to answer fal...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    In this psalm praise is personal. After the chorus of the last we have a solo full of feeling. It tells of the goodness of Jehovah and that in order that others may know and be helped. The opening dec...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    What man [is he that] desireth life, [and] loveth [many] days, that he may (i) see good? (i) Seeing all men naturally desire happiness, he wonders why they cast themselves willingly into misery....

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    _Depriving, sterilitatem. (Haydock) --- Hebrew denotes the condition of one who has lost a husband or father. --- I had exposed my life for the welfare of the state, and of those who now seek my ruin....

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    How exceedingly to be desired is it, that those who set up for instructors of children would adopt David's plan, and instead of useless sciences, falsely so called, teach that happy science, the only...

  • James Nisbet's Church Pulpit Commentary

    Psalms 32 _ Proper Psalm for Ash Wednesday_ (_Morning_). PSALMS 32-34 = _ Day 6_ (_Evening_)....

  • John Calvin's Bible Commentary

    12._Who is the man who desireth life? _The prophet does not inquire if there be any man so disposed, as if all men voluntarily brought upon themselves the miseries which befall them; for we know that...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    Psalms 34. The sure government of God enables faith to bless at all times. He has proved His faithfulness to them that were in distress. The psalmist, Christ in spirit, calls on the remnant to praise,...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    WHAT MAN [IS HE THAT] DESIRETH LIFE?.... Every man desires life, even a natural life; it is more desirable than all things in it; especially an healthful life, without which the blessings and mercies...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    What man [is he that] desireth life, [and] loveth [many] days, that he may see good? Ver. 12. _What man is he that desireth life?_] This is David's doctrine; and to draw company about him, he proclai...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _What man is he that desireth life_ A long and happy life, begun in this world and continued for ever in the next: namely, who is he that seriously and in good earnest desires it, so as to be willing...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    What man is he that desireth life, prosperity in the best sense of the word, AND LOVETH MANY DAYS, a long life being considered a special blessing, THAT HE MAY SEE GOOD? That is, To whom will God show...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    DAVID TEACHES TRUE PIETY...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    11-22 Let young persons set out in life with learning the fear of the Lord, if they desire true comfort here, and eternal happiness hereafter. Those will be most happy who begin the soonest to serve...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    DESIRETH, to wit, seriously and in good earnest, so as to be willing to use any endeavours which shall be prescribed to him: for otherwise the question were needless; for there is no man but desires i...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Psalms 34:12 man H376 desires H2655 life H2416 loves H157 (H8802) days H3117 see H7200 (H8800) good...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    4). HE POINTS OUT TO THEM THE WAY TO TRUE LIFE (12-14). Psalms 34:12 M ‘What man is he who desires life, And loves many days, that he may see good?' N Keep your tongue from evil, And your lips fr...

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    Psalms 34:11 In the first place, David sums up his advice in one grand affection, which he calls the fear of the Lord. Then he proceeds to detail what is comprehended in "the fear of the Lord." I. No...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    Psalms 34:1. _I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth._ «Others may do what they please, and murmur, and complain, and be filled with dread and apprehension of...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    The title of this Psalm is, «A Psalm of David, when he changed his behavior before Abimelech (or, Achish); who drove him away, and he departed.» It relates to a sad scene in David's life when he had t...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    Psalms 34:1 _I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth._ What a sweet resolve! Oh, that every one of us who knows the Lord would make that resolve, and keep it a...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    «A psalm of David when he changed his behavior before Abimelech, who drove him away, and he departed.» It was a very painful exhibition, and one in which David does not shine but in which, nevertheles...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    Psalms 34:1. _I will bless the LORD at all times:_ «At dark times, and bright times when I am alone, and when I am in company; when I feel like doing it and when I do not feel like doing it: ‘I will...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: David thankfully records God's goodness and invites the praise of others. CHARACTERS: God, David. CONCLUSION: God's people who share His special favor should concur in His praises and magn...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Psalms 34:6. _This poor man cried._ David, a prince yesterday, was poor to-day; an exile among his enemies, and destitute of friends. Yesterday, Saul sought his life, and now the friends of Goliath as...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _What man is he that desireth life, and loveth many days, that he may see good?_ THE HAPPINESS OF LIFE Why is it we see man on all sides wearying himself in the effort to obtain this and that? It can...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the Lord._ THE ROOTS OF THE BLESSED LIFE What man is he that desireth a life that will extract the real “good” out of things, that wi...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _O taste and see that the Lord is good._ IMPORTANT EXHORTATION I. A call to the enjoyment of divine goodness (Psalms 34:8). Two things are necessary to the enjoyment of this goodness: 1. Freedom fr...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _I will bless the Lord at all times: His praise shall continually be in my mouth._ A DEVOUT HYMN I. an exemplification of true praise. 1. It is thorough. (1) There is no praise without concentrati...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    PSALM PSALM—NOTE ON PSALMS 34:1. This psalm is an expression of thanksgiving for God’s protection and care for those who trust in him. The title connects the psalm to...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    PSALM—NOTE ON PSALMS 34:8 The song encourages all who sing it to FEAR THE LORD (v. Psalms 34:9), that is, to respect, obey, and worship God

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    INTRODUCTION “This psalm is assigned by the superscription to the occasion when David, persecuted by Saul, fled to the Philistines, and being brought before Achish was driven away by him as a madman ...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION THIS is the third of the alphabetical psalms, and appears to have a special connection with the second of them, Psalms 25:1. Like that psalm, it omits the _vav_, and has a second _pe _at th...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Psa 34:1-22 is a psalm of David when he, it says, "changed his behavior, before Abimelech." Actually, it is probably the case of when he had gone down and Abimelech or Achish the king who drove him aw...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    1 Peter 3:10; 1 Peter 3:11; Deuteronomy 30:20; Deuteronomy 6:2;...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    Life — A long and happy life, begun in this world and continued for ever in the next. Good — In which he may enjoy good, prosperity or happiness....

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