The message from Psalm 34 centers on the believer’s call to see and declare the goodness of God, even amid fear, shame, pain, and difficulty. The preacher frames David’s psalm not as a song from triumph but as worship rising out of personal failure, fear, and isolation. Through David’s words, “I will bless the Lord at all times… O taste and see that the Lord is good,” the sermon challenges Christians to stop measuring God’s goodness by their comfort and to instead recognize His unwavering favor, faithfulness, and presence regardless of circumstances.

1. The Setting of Psalm 34 — Worship from a Place of Trouble

David wrote Psalm 34 during one of the lowest seasons of his life. Fleeing from King Saul and pretending to be insane among the Philistines for safety, David was fearful, ashamed, and alone. Yet his psalm begins not with despair but with praise: “I will bless the Lord at all times.” The preacher highlights the paradox — David had nothing outwardly to rejoice about, but inwardly he recognized that God’s character had not changed. The lesson: worship is not born from comfort but conviction. To “see” the goodness of God is not to wait until life improves but to acknowledge that God is good even when life is not.

2. Why We Stop Seeing God’s Goodness

The preacher identifies several reasons believers often lose sight of God’s goodness, each drawn from the psalm’s progression:

a. Fear (v. 4) — Fear shifts our eyes from God to danger. Like survival instincts, fear leads us to rely on self-preservation rather than divine trust. The preacher warns that when fear dominates, faith weakens, and we distance ourselves from God’s will. He gives practical examples: believers working themselves to exhaustion during the holidays or going into debt out of fear of disappointing others. Fear magnifies problems but minimizes God’s power.

b. Shame (v. 5) — Shame over sin or failure causes believers to withdraw from God instead of running to Him for restoration. The preacher notes that many never return to church because of shame, believing they are beyond forgiveness. Yet David, despite his failures, found God’s mercy anew. True restoration, he says, requires both honesty about sin and willingness to be cleansed — not hiding in guilt but confessing and returning.

c. Trouble and Distraction (v. 6) — Life’s troubles often consume our focus. The preacher compares it to driving too close behind a truck—our field of vision becomes limited. When we back up and gain perspective, we begin to see how God is working around us. Like Peter walking on water, when we fix our eyes on the waves instead of Christ, we sink beneath the weight of anxiety.

d. Pain and Brokenness (v. 18) — Pain limits perspective. When people are hurt deeply, emotionally or physically, pain distorts what they know to be true. The preacher likens it to taking medicine — sometimes pain drives us to act in ways contrary to our usual convictions. But even in pain, God’s presence remains near: “The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart.” Pain becomes the place where God’s nearness is most real if we allow it.

3. How to See the Goodness of God Again

David’s psalm, though born in hardship, unfolds practical ways to restore spiritual sight and experience God’s goodness afresh.

a. Seek His Nearness (v. 4)
David sought the Lord, and in seeking found God’s presence. The preacher emphasizes that drawing near to God requires preparation — confession and cleansing, as seen when God told Moses to remove his shoes on holy ground. Nearness brings fullness of joy (Psalm 16:11), not necessarily by changing circumstances, but by changing the heart’s focus. When we are near God, joy flows even amid suffering.

b. Recognize His Protection (v. 7)
“The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him.” God surrounds His children with unseen protection. The preacher notes that divine protection does not mean an absence of hardship, but rather preservation through it — as with Joseph, Moses, or Job. Even when plans collapse, God remains the fortress and shield preserving the believer from ultimate harm. His protection may come disguised as interruption, like a flat tire or a detour, but such interruptions often lead to divine appointments.

c. Trust His Provision (v. 10)
Those who seek the Lord “shall not want any good thing.” The sermon underscores that the “good thing” is not wealth, health, or material gain — it is God Himself. His provision is His presence. The widow’s oil, Moses’ commission, Daniel’s deliverance — all were not rewards but revelations of God. The preacher warns against equating goodness with possessions, reminding that even in scarcity the believer has “eternal life,” the greatest provision of all.

d. Learn His Patience (vv. 17–19)
God’s goodness is often seen through His patience. We grow frustrated when prayers go unanswered, but the preacher explains that divine delay refines character. Using Joseph’s story, he illustrates how youthful arrogance had to be tempered through betrayal, slavery, and prison before Joseph could handle leadership. Similarly, trials mature us so that when God’s blessings arrive, we can steward them humbly. Patience is not God withholding goodness — it is Him shaping us to receive it.

e. Recall His Faithfulness (v. 1)
The psalm opens with a declaration: “I will bless the Lord at all times.” This is David’s decision to remember that God is faithful. The preacher connects this to Lamentations 3, where Jeremiah, amid despair, reminds himself that “It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed… great is Thy faithfulness.” Even when the prophet felt abandoned, memory of past mercy rekindled hope. The key to enduring faith is not denial of pain but remembrance of God’s record of goodness.

4. Living Out the Vision of God’s Goodness

From these truths, the preacher draws several life applications:

• Gratitude must replace criticism. Pessimism, whether about life, work, or the church, blinds believers to God’s blessings. Criticism reveals pride — the assumption that we could do better than God.
• Faith must override fear. Obedience sometimes defies logic, just as God told Moses to pick up a serpent by the tail. Trust requires surrender of instinct for divine instruction.
• Contentment must temper desire. Godliness with contentment is great gain. The preacher urges believers not to let material pressures or the fear of missing out drive them into debt or anxiety during the holidays.
• Restoration must follow repentance. Churches must welcome back those who have fallen, addressing sin honestly yet lovingly. God’s goodness includes the grace to begin again.
• Perspective must guide patience. When life narrows to one problem, take a step back. Like Peter, refocus on the Savior rather than the storm.

5. Illustrations of God’s Goodness

The sermon concludes with vivid examples of God’s goodness through everyday events. The preacher recounts his frustration over a flat tire that led to an encounter with a tire shop worker seeking truth. That inconvenience became a divine appointment leading to salvation — a reminder that God’s interruptions are often His invitations. He also shares a personal story of fatherhood, confessing initial resentment toward his newborn daughter and how caring for her exposed selfishness and forced maturity. What felt like a burden became the very blessing that grew his faith. Such stories illustrate that God’s goodness often hides behind discomfort, revealing itself only through reflection and patience.

6. The Unchanging Goodness of God

Returning to Psalm 34, the preacher affirms that “many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivereth him out of them all.” God’s goodness is constant because His nature never changes — He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Even when circumstances deteriorate, believers can stand on this truth: God’s character remains good, His mercy endures, and His plan is faithful. The final challenge echoes throughout: “Do you see His goodness?”

To see the goodness of God is to:

• Seek His nearness in prayer,
• Trust His protection through trials,
• Rest in His provision of Himself,
• Wait in His patience, and
• Remember His faithfulness.

When believers live with that vision, worship becomes natural, gratitude becomes continual, and even suffering becomes a stage for God’s glory.