Come and Learn

 

Come, my children, listen to me …

—from Psalm 34:11

At some time in our lives, most of us find ourselves eager to learn. Perhaps it was the first time mom or dad allowed us to use our Learner’s Permit to take the car out for a drive under their close supervision. Maybe it was when mom allowed you to bake your first cake all by yourself. Perhaps it was the first time that dad allowed you to use his power tools.

I became fascinated with radio broadcasting as a ten-year-old in fifth grade. I had been given a small radio of my own. I spent many hours in the evening, tuning across the dial trying to pick up some distant powerful station. Then, I discovered the Dewey Decimal System’s section in the public library labeled “621.384.” This section covered radio broadcasting. I checked out every book on this subject, and read each one voraciously. I was very eager to learn all I could about radio broadcasting.

King David developed a similar zeal to learn all he could about God. David wanted to know as much as he possibly could about this One who had chosen him to rule as King over Israel. Notice what David writes in Psalm 34:11:

Come, my children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord.

As with previous uses of the word “fear” in this Psalm, David uses the word to mean “supreme reverence.” So, David is inviting the children to come and learn about the “supreme reverence” that is due to the God who loves them.

As we begin another new day, we do well to gather around a trusted teacher and learn all we can about the God who has chosen us to belong to Himself. We can spend time studying God’s written Word, the Bible, wherein we will find out what He has revealed to us about Himself. We can learn about the “supreme reverence” that is due our wonderful God. And, we can learn more and more about the depth of His love for us.

 

_{Copyright © 2026 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Better Than the Lions

 

The lions may grow weak and hungry …

—from Psalm 34:10

No, this blog post isn’t about preferring one sports team above another. The title is based on these words of King David found in Psalm 34:10:

The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.

In David’s day, the lion was the most powerful and most feared animal. No mere human could ever hope to stand up to a lion. Although, we do know from Scripture that teenage David had certainly faced lions when he was protecting his sheep out in the Galilean hills. And, we also know that God closed the mouths of the lions that inhabited the den into which Daniel was thrown. Nevertheless, lions represent a force of nature with which humans dare not trifle.

No matter how powerful lions may be, they still needed to eat. If they didn’t eat, these powerful lions would grow weak and lose their strength. But, David contrasts this status of the lions with those who seek the Lord. David asserts that God-seekers lack no good thing. Why? The answer is because God supplies all they need.

As we begin another new day, let’s count ourselves among those who seek the Lord. As genuine “God-seekers,” we will surely experience the reality that we will lack nothing in our lives. God will truly supply all our needs and make us better than the lions.

 

_{Copyright © 2026 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Fear the Lord

 

Fear the Lord, you his saints …

—from Psalm 34:9

We generally think of the word “fear” as meaning “afraid.” But, in actual fact, the word “fear” has a much broader set of definitions.

As a transitive verb, the word “fear” means to frighten, to feel fear in oneself, to have reverential awe, to be afraid of, or expect alarm. As an intransitive verb, the word “fear” means to be afraid of, or be apprehensive of. Okay. I get it. You want to know what a transitive verb and intransitive verb is. Right?

A transitive verb is one that is used with an object: a noun, phrase, or pronoun and refers to the person or thing that is affected by the action of the verb. An intransitive verb does not have a direct object.

Notice what King David wrote in Psalm 34:9:

Fear the Lord, you his saints, for those who fear him lack nothing.

In this sentence, the word “fear” takes a direct object “the Lord.” So, the word “fear” is a transitive verb. And, instead of evoking a sense of apprehension, the word intends to capture a sense of great reverence—to have reverential awe. That reverence is borne out of the fact that God is the all-powerful creator of the universe. His power is beyond our comprehension. In fact, every one of His qualities is beyond our comprehension.

Just as His power and might fills us with reverential awe, so does His great love for us. He truly is to be perceived with great reverence. So, David indicates that those who possess great reverence for the Lord are the ones who lack nothing.

As we begin another new day, let’s recognize that our reverence for the God, who loved us enough to sacrifice His one and only Son in our behalf, is a worthy response to who He is. And, as a result, He gives us everything we need, so that we lack nothing.

 

_{Copyright © 2026 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Come! Taste and See!

 

Taste and see that the Lord is good …

—from Psalm 34:8

Has anyone ever invited you to come to his or her home at a particular time, so that he or she could share a tasty meal with you? Most likely you have had just such an experience. The hospitality of good food and good conversation really can’t be beat.

King David clearly recognized that the relationship he had with the God who had chosen David to be king was one that mirrored an experience of rich hospitality. Notice what David wrote in Psalm 34:8:

Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.

It is not beyond reason to say that God is our banquet. He has set a table before us and invites us to come to Him for rest, refreshment, and the very best hospitality available in all of the universe. He, who has created all things, invites us to come to His table and enjoy fellowship, along with protection and refuge.

As we begin each new day, we can do so knowing that we always have a place at God’s table. He waits to welcome us to come and sit with Him for a while. He gladly provides what we need and offers us the very best sustenance available.

 

_{Copyright © 2026 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Encamped Around

 

The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him …

—from Psalm 34:7

When you go to sleep at night, do you like to have the covers all pulled up around you? I do. It’s almost like a cocoon of warmth and protection. Most of us enjoy the feeling of security that a nice cozy blanket can provide, especially when it’s cooler during the night.

King David recognized that, in the depth of his misery and trouble, God had provided a covering around him that was even more secure than a warm blanket on a cold night. That covering of protection came from the presence of the angel of the Lord. Notice what David writes in Psalm 34:7:

The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them.

As followers of the Great King Jesus, we “Christ’s-ones” have that same strong protection surrounding us, as well. God puts His guarding angel in charge of us to keep us all the days of our lives. We can move forward each day, secure in the knowledge that we are divinely protected.

So, as we come to the start of this new day, let’s remember to give thanks to God for His divine protection. And also, let’s remember that we most certainly are under the guardianship of the God who loves us with His eternal love.

 

_{Copyright © 2026 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

The Call of a Poor Man

 

This poor man called, and the Lord heard …

—from Psalm 34:6

Have you ever felt so worthless that you believed if you were to ask someone for help they would refuse? I hope not. Yet, I know our world is filled with people who feel utterly useless, completely worthless, and absolutely hopeless.

We who follow Jesus have a particular responsibility to reach out to those who feel that they have no worth and no hope. We have a wellspring of value and hope because God has chosen us to belong to Himself through His precious Son, Jesus. Therefore, we are compelled to share with others what God has given us.

King David knew what it was to feel that everything he valued had been taken away from him. He believed there was no one who would help him, except for God. David knew that God would never reject him. That’s why David wrote these words found in Psalm 34:6:

This poor man called, and the Lord heard him; he saved him out of all his troubles.

As we begin a new day, let’s remember the lesson David teaches us in this verse of Psalm 34. God stands ready to help us. When we feel like no one knows and no one cares, God loves us, cares for us, and longs for us to ask Him to help us.

 

_{Copyright © 2026 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Radiant Faces

 

Those who look to him [God] are radiant …

—from Psalm 34:5

Can you spot someone who is feeling great joy? I imagine you can. There is just something about the way he or she looks. We often say that he or she appears radiant. Please let me offer two illustrations:

I remember my mother often telling my dad on our way home from church on Sunday that she thought such and such a mother was pregnant. “She’s just glowing,” my mom would say. And, she was usually right. In just a few weeks, the announcement of an impending birth would spread throughout the church.

New brides and grooms often have “that look” about them that says they’re feeling significant joy. Their smiles radiate the love that they feel for each other. In fact, that feeling of being deeply loved tends to affect how they relate to other people, as well.

It should come as no surprise that King David would use such a radiant image to describe the relationship that those chosen by God have with Him. Notice what David writes in Psalm 34:5:

Those who look to him [God] are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame.

A follower of Jesus can receive no greater a compliment than to hear someone say:

“When I look at you, I see Jesus.”

The radiance of Christ’s divine Presence within a believer is surely a mark of great joy. Therefore, as we begin a new day, let’s not be afraid to show the joy that dwells within us because God has chosen us to belong to Himself. We have every good reason to have radiant faces, filled with overflowing joy.

 

_{Copyright © 2026 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}