Psalm 34
“After You Have Played The Fool”

Introduction:
1. At Gath, after slaying Goliath, David pretended to be mad and played the fool. Achish had him
released and banned from the land. Now in Israel in the country of Judea in the cave of Adullam
he waited as the misfits of society joined him. There under those conditions Psalm 34 was
born. David turned his cave into a cathedral.
2. You’ve played the fool. Would you like to turn your cave into a cathedral?
3. Somewhere between Gath and the cave David had a change of heart. He must have learned
something through the Gath experience. He gives us insight to battle the poison of doubt,
depression and despair. Psalm 34:1-3 David would praise the Lord no matter what happened
to him.

You’ve played the fool. Would you like to turn your cave into a cathedral? Praise!!
I. PRAISE THE LORD FOR GOD’S GRACE 34:4-7
A. God’s Grace Is For the Seeking Heart 4
I sought the Lord and He heard me…That’s why we should praise the Lord!
1.When life is hard, when life is full of fear. Most don’t seek. There is no
earnestness.
2. We seek the wrong object.
B. God’s Grace Is For the Seeing Heart 5-6
Look unto Him
1.David had been looking at Goliath’s sword, at Achish, everywhere but the Lord.
2.It is easy to get our eyes on our circumstances and situations and off the Lord.
*Look earnestly…Look expectantly…
*What are you seeking? Where are you looking?
3. This great God never disappointed the poor man…We are too rich! David realized
his poverty. The Lord heard him and saved him.
C. God’s Grace Is For the Safe Heart 7
Be not dismayed…God will take care of you.
1.Do you believe it?
2.The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him and saves them.
*The angel of the Lord in the Old Testament is the pre-incarnate Christ. *Deliverance and saving is beyond me. A fool tries to save him or herself. A drowning man cannot save himself!
*Praise the Lord, ‘I can’t’…He will have to…

You’ve played the fool. Would you like to turn your cave into a cathedral? Praise!!
II. PRAISE THE LORD FOR GOD’S GOODNESS 34:8-10
A. God’s Goodness Is For Those Who Taste 8a
O taste and see the Lord is good.
1.The Tasting Is Personal You must taste. You must assimilate.
2.The Tasting Is Proven It was proven by those in the cave.
*God is good!
*Only those who taste and see can give this report!
B. God’s Goodness Is For Those Who Trust 8b
Blessed is the man who trusteth in Him.
1.Blessed is plural…doubly blessed. How blessed is the man who takes refuge in
Him (NASV)
2. Too many are running to Gath only to find you have lost your freedom!
3. Rest your weight on Him! Take refuge in Him!
C. God’s Goodness Is For Those Who Tremble 9, 10
O, fear the Lord you saints; for there is no lack to those who fear Him. 9
1.Fear is stand in awe. It is a heart attitude of submission and surrender.
2.It is not to be afraid, but a reverence that moves us to worship and service.
3. Realize the power and position and then give Him His proper dues.
They who seek the Lord shall not lack any good…He will do it! It’s not up to you,
because you can’t! 10

You’ve played the fool. Would you like to turn your cave into a cathedral? Praise!!
III. PRAISE THE LORD FOR GOD’S GUIDANCE 34:11-17
To teach others we must first be taught. 11, 12 No truth is given in a vacuum. Truth is
where the rubber meets the road. Would you like to see good days?
A. Take Heed To Your Words 13
1. “I don’t know how many of you know this, but down there in Gath I disgraced
myself and I disgraced the Lord. I said a lot of foolish things. I wish I could
relive the last few weeks, but I can’t.”
2.Watch your words! He is turning a cave into a cathedral. It is essential to see good days.
B. Take Heed To Your Walk 14
Depart from evil, do good, seek peace and pursue it.
1. Depart from evil…There are some places a believer should not go.
2. Seek peace and pursue it with God and others. This I must do to see good days.
C. Take Heed To Your Works 15-17
The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous and His ears are open unto their cry.
1. God sees what you do and hears what you say.
2. That is a terrific truth to everyone who is doing and saying the things that please
God.
3.The face of the Lord is against those who do evil. It is a terrifying truth to those who are not living as God would have them or
saying what insults the ears of God.
4.The righteous cry and He hears them and delivers them. Note: all your troubles…In His time and in His way deliverance will come!!

You’ve played the fool. Would you like to turn your cave into a cathedral? Praise!!
IV. PRAISE THE LORD FOR GOD’S GOAL 34:18-22
A. God’s Presence 18a
The Lord is near those who are of a broken heart, and saves those of a contrite spirit.
1.God’s goal is to Be near me when I hurt. The Lord is near when I hurt!
2.The Lord is near when I hurt!
B. God’s Provision 18b
1. God’s goal is to Save me when crushed in spirit.
2. I am so weak! I am crushed! Only God can save the broken and crushed. They
can’t!!
C. God’s Power 19
The Lord delivers them out of them all.
1. God’s goal is to Deliver me.
2. Note…not from but out of them all
3. v. 21 that which is evil is God’s business…evil will catch its victims. Let them go!
D. God’s Plan 22
The Lord redeems the souls of his servants…None of them who trust in Him shall be
desolate.
1. God’s goal is to Guarantee my safe arrival.
2. This isn’t all there is!
3. The cave is not the end (vss. 1-3)

How can we turn a cave into a cathedral?
Bless the Lord…we must live to bless Him!
I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
My soul shall make her boast in the Lord; the humble shall hear of it and be glad.
Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together.