Psalm 34:1-3 Now Available feat. Joel Limpic
Psalm 34:1-3 is now available on all streaming platforms!
THE VERSE
[1] I will bless the LORD at all times;
his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
[2] My soul makes its boast in the LORD;
let the humble hear and be glad.
[3] Oh, magnify the LORD with me,
and let us exalt his name together!
Every song has a story. Every psalm has a genesis that originates in a human experience. While we’re not given the background for every psalm written in the Psalter, we’re given some helpful insight in the superscription (the wording between the chapter and the actual psalm itself which generally contains some information about who wrote it, what the context was, how it was to be sung, etc.) for Psalm 34:
Of David, when he changed his behavior before Abimelech, so that he drove him out, and he went away.
This superscription reminds us that our praise of God never is birthed in a vacuum. It’s always tied to real life scenarios! (For more context about this story, you can read 1 Samuel 21:10-15) We learn from the psalms that we can always come to God no matter where we are internally: in distress, in sin, in confusion, in doubt, in pain, in depression, in sorrow, in joy, in wonder, in whatever station or season you find yourself in. We don’t need to figure it all out before we come to Him, but rather the important thing is simply that we come. In this case, David is coming toward God overflowing with praise! He was in fear for his life, and when he came out the other side, Psalm 34 was spilling out of his heart toward God.
Here are two simple observations from these three verses in Psalm 34:
God is infinitely worthy of a whole-hearted unhindered response.
We don’t find a single but rather multiple verbs detailing David’s worship: blessing, praising, and boasting in God hoping he’s overheard. This response isn’t a “one and done” but we’re told it’s “at all times” and “continually.” Every season is an appropriate season to bless and praise God, not just the bright or happy seasons. He’s worthy when we’re high on the mountain top and He’s worthy when we’re low in the mire. Charles Spurgeon comments on this:
“At all times, in every situation, under every circumstance, before, in and after trials, in bright days of glee, and dark nights of fear. He would never have done praising, because never satisfied that he had done enough; always feeling that he fell short of the Lord's deservings. Happy is he whose fingers are wedded to his harp. He who praises God for mercies shall never want a mercy for which to praise. To bless the Lord is never unseasonable.”
2. True worship is dissatisfied being alone.
While our worship is directed at God, it’s also intended to be overheard and joined in by those around us. When we find something of value, we want others to value it with us... When we enjoy a good meal, we want others to taste how amazing that food really is! The same is true of an experience of a staggeringly beautiful sunset or sunrise. CS Lewis comments on this reality in his book “Reflections on the Psalms”:
I had not noticed either that just as men spontaneously praise whatever they value, so they spontaneously urge us to join them in praising it: 'Isn't she lovely? Wasn't it glorious? Don't you think that magnificent?' The Psalmists in telling everyone to praise God are doing what all men do when they speak of what they care about.
This is precisely what David is doing in verse 3! “I’m magnifying God, won’t you join me?! Oh that all within earshot would hear and join in a building choir of praise toward the God Who’s been nothing but kind toward me!” May Psalm 34:1-3 find a place in your heart today! May all of us overhear David’s song of rescue and join the choir of those who bless God at all times as well.
The Artist
Joel Limpic is the pastor of liturgy & arts at Park Church in Denver, CO. We talked to him about the process of recording this particular song and here were song of his thoughts:
We worked with Scott Mills of Colony House to produce a handful of songs from the Psalms for our church and this was one of them! I had already tracked a more acoustic version with Aaron Strumpel a few years prior, but this passage is so declarative I felt like having a fuller band and arrangement might feel more appropriate! He looped in fellow bandmate and drummer Will Chapman and then added some 80’s Stranger Thing vibes for good measure…
Song Credits
Joel Limpic - Vocals
Scott Mills - Everything else
Will Chapman - Drums
Song written by Joel Limpic and produced by Scott Mills. Mixed by Dalton Diehl, mastered by Joe Causey.
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