Psalm 34:2-9
Our responsorial psalm comes from Psalm 34, a hymn written in acrostic form, where each verse begins with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet. This poetic structure symbolizes completeness or wholeness, conveying that the psalmist’s praise encompasses all things.
Psalm 34 is a song of praise and deliverance, echoing the theme of Peter’s miraculous rescue in the first reading from Acts. It celebrates God’s faithfulness to those who place their trust in him.
I will bless the LORD at all times; his praise shall be ever in my mouth. Let my soul glory in the LORD; the lowly will hear me and be glad.
The psalm opens with unceasing praise, rooted not in fleeting emotion but in a steadfast recognition of God’s goodness.
This praise is communal: “the lowly” (’ănāwîm), those who live in trust and dependence on the LORD, are uplifted by hearing it.
Glorify the LORD with me, let us together extol his name.
The psalmist invites others to join in rejoicing and in praising God’s name.
I sought the LORD, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears.
The psalmist confesses having been in distress, having turned to the LORD, and having been rescued.
This is the reason for his gratitude.
Look to him that you may be radiant with joy, and your faces may not blush with shame. When the poor one called out, the LORD heard, and from all his distress he saved him.
The psalmist pivots from testimony to teaching, urging the community to seek the Lord so they too may rejoice in gratitude, their faces radiant and without shame.
In biblical language, one’s face reflects their interior state and their status in the community. To “lose face” is to lose honor or be shamed; standing unashamed reflects the dignity of one who lives in the light of God’s favor.
The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them.
The “angel of the LORD” symbolizes God’s active presence, guarding those who live in holy fear — that is, with awe, reverence, and trust in God.
This imagery reassures the faithful: God’s protection is real and personal.
Taste and see how good the LORD is; blessed the man who takes refuge in him.
This closing exhortation is both poetic and practical. To “taste” the Lord’s goodness suggests personal experience — it must be tried to be known.
The psalmist’s witness becomes an invitation to trust: Blessedness comes not from self-reliance but from refuge in the Lord.
Sunday Readings 