Psalm 34:5
New International Version
Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame.

New Living Translation
Those who look to him for help will be radiant with joy; no shadow of shame will darken their faces.

English Standard Version
Those who look to him are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed.

Berean Standard Bible
Those who look to Him are radiant with joy; their faces shall never be ashamed.

King James Bible
They looked unto him, and were lightened: and their faces were not ashamed.

New King James Version
They looked to Him and were radiant, And their faces were not ashamed.

New American Standard Bible
They looked to Him and were radiant, And their faces will never be ashamed.

NASB 1995
They looked to Him and were radiant, And their faces will never be ashamed.

NASB 1977
They looked to Him and were radiant, And their faces shall never be ashamed.

Legacy Standard Bible
They looked to Him and were radiant, And their faces will never be humiliated.

Amplified Bible
They looked to Him and were radiant; Their faces will never blush in shame or confusion.

Christian Standard Bible
Those who look to him are radiant with joy; their faces will never be ashamed.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Those who look to Him are radiant with joy; their faces will never be ashamed.

American Standard Version
They looked unto him, and were radiant; And their faces shall never be confounded.

Contemporary English Version
Keep your eyes on the LORD! You will shine like the sun and never blush with shame.

English Revised Version
They looked unto him, and were lightened: and their faces shall never be confounded.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
All who look to him will be radiant. Their faces will never be covered with shame.

Good News Translation
The oppressed look to him and are glad; they will never be disappointed.

International Standard Version
Look to him and be radiant; and you will not be ashamed.

Majority Standard Bible
Those who look to Him are radiant with joy; their faces shall never be ashamed.

NET Bible
Those who look to him for help are happy; their faces are not ashamed.

New Heart English Bible
They looked to him and were radiant, and their faces are not ashamed.

Webster's Bible Translation
They looked to him, and were lightened: and their faces were not ashamed.

World English Bible
They looked to him, and were radiant. Their faces shall never be covered with shame.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
They looked expectingly to Him, "" And they became bright, "" And their faces are not ashamed.

Young's Literal Translation
They looked expectingly unto Him, And they became bright, And their faces are not ashamed.

Smith's Literal Translation
They looked to him and were bright, and their faces shall not be ashamed.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Come ye to him and be enlightened: and your faces shall not be confounded.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Approach him and be enlightened, and your faces will not be confounded.

New American Bible
Look to him and be radiant, and your faces may not blush for shame.

New Revised Standard Version
Look to him, and be radiant; so your faces shall never be ashamed.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Look towards him and trust in him, and you shall not be disappointed.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Gaze unto him and hope in him, and your faces will not be disappointed.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
They looked unto Him, and were radiant; And their faces shall never be abashed.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Draw near to him, and be enlightened: and your faces shall not by any means be ashamed.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Taste and See that the LORD is Good
4I sought the LORD, and He answered me; He delivered me from all my fears. 5Those who look to Him are radiant with joy; their faces shall never be ashamed. 6This poor man called out, and the LORD heard him; He saved him from all his troubles.…

Cross References
2 Corinthians 3:18
And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into His image with intensifying glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

Isaiah 60:5
Then you will look and be radiant, and your heart will tremble and swell with joy, because the riches of the sea will be brought to you, and the wealth of the nations will come to you.

Matthew 17:2
There He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light.

Exodus 34:29-30
And when Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the Testimony in his hands, he was unaware that his face had become radiant from speaking with the LORD. / Aaron and all the Israelites looked at Moses, and behold, his face was radiant. And they were afraid to approach him.

1 John 3:2
Beloved, we are now children of God, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that when Christ appears, we will be like Him, for we will see Him as He is.

Numbers 6:25
may the LORD cause His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you;

2 Corinthians 4:6
For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made His light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

Isaiah 45:22
Turn to Me and be saved, all the ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other.

John 8:12
Once again, Jesus spoke to the people and said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life.”

Revelation 22:4
They will see His face, and His name will be on their foreheads.

Isaiah 50:7
Because the Lord GOD helps Me, I have not been disgraced; therefore I have set My face like flint, and I know that I will not be put to shame.

Philippians 2:15
so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and perverse generation, in which you shine as lights in the world

Psalm 16:11
You have made known to me the path of life; You will fill me with joy in Your presence, with eternal pleasures at Your right hand.

Hebrews 12:2
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Isaiah 61:10
I will rejoice greatly in the LORD, my soul will exult in my God; for He has clothed me with garments of salvation and wrapped me in a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom wears a priestly headdress, as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.


Treasury of Scripture

They looked to him, and were lightened: and their faces were not ashamed.

They

Psalm 123:1,2
A Song of degrees. Unto thee lift I up mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the heavens…

Isaiah 45:22
Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.

Hebrews 12:2
Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

and were

Psalm 13:3
Consider and hear me, O LORD my God: lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death;

Psalm 18:28
For thou wilt light my candle: the LORD my God will enlighten my darkness.

Psalm 97:11
Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart.

lightened.

Psalm 83:16
Fill their faces with shame; that they may seek thy name, O LORD.

2 Samuel 19:5
And Joab came into the house to the king, and said, Thou hast shamed this day the faces of all thy servants, which this day have saved thy life, and the lives of thy sons and of thy daughters, and the lives of thy wives, and the lives of thy concubines;

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Abashed Ashamed Bright Confounded Covered Enlightened Expectingly Eyes Faces Lightened Radiant Shame Shamed Turned
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Abashed Ashamed Bright Confounded Covered Enlightened Expectingly Eyes Faces Lightened Radiant Shame Shamed Turned
Psalm 34
1. David praises God, and exhorts others thereto by his experience
8. They are blessed who trust in God
11. He exhorts to the fear of God
15. The privileges of the righteous














Those who look to Him
This phrase emphasizes the act of seeking God, which is a recurring theme throughout the Bible. In the context of Psalm 34, David is encouraging believers to turn their focus and trust towards God. This act of looking to God is an expression of faith and reliance on His guidance and provision. Biblically, looking to God is often associated with seeking His presence and favor, as seen in passages like Isaiah 45:22, "Turn to Me and be saved, all the ends of the earth." This reflects a call to repentance and trust in God's salvation.

are radiant with joy
The imagery of radiance suggests a transformation that occurs when one is in the presence of God. This transformation is not just internal but visible to others, as seen in the story of Moses, whose face shone after speaking with God (Exodus 34:29-35). The joy mentioned here is a deep, abiding joy that comes from a relationship with God, transcending circumstances. This joy is a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22) and is often linked with the peace and assurance found in God's presence.

their faces shall never be ashamed
Shame in biblical terms often relates to dishonor or disgrace. In the cultural context of ancient Israel, honor and shame were significant social values. To have one's face "never be ashamed" implies a state of vindication and honor. This assurance is rooted in the faithfulness of God, who does not disappoint those who trust in Him. Romans 10:11 echoes this promise, "Anyone who believes in Him will never be put to shame." This phrase also points to the ultimate redemption and justification found in Christ, who bore our shame on the cross, ensuring that believers stand unashamed before God.

Persons / Places / Events
1. David
The author of Psalm 34, who wrote this psalm after pretending to be insane before Abimelech, who drove him away, and he left. This context is crucial for understanding the depth of trust and deliverance expressed in the psalm.

2. Abimelech
A Philistine king before whom David feigned madness to escape. This event is a backdrop to the psalm, highlighting God's deliverance.

3. The LORD (Yahweh)
The central figure to whom the psalmist looks for deliverance and joy. The Hebrew term "Yahweh" emphasizes God's covenantal faithfulness.

4. The Afflicted
Those who are in distress or trouble, looking to God for help and deliverance, as David did.

5. Radiance
The transformation of those who look to God, symbolizing joy and freedom from shame.
Teaching Points
The Power of Looking to God
Looking to God involves trust and expectation. It is an active choice to focus on Him rather than our circumstances.

Radiance as a Reflection of God's Presence
Just as Moses' face shone, our lives can reflect God's glory when we spend time in His presence.

Freedom from Shame
Trusting in God leads to a life free from shame. Our identity and worth are secure in Him.

Joy as a Byproduct of Faith
True joy comes from a relationship with God. It is not dependent on external circumstances but on our connection with Him.

The Testimony of Deliverance
Sharing our experiences of God's deliverance can encourage others to look to Him and find joy.(5) Were lightened.--The Hebrew verb means properly "to flow," but by a natural process, as in the common phrases "streams of light," "floods of light," acquired in Aramaic the sense of "shining." Such must be its meaning in Isaiah 60:5, almost the echo of the thought in the psalm, the thought of a reflex of the Divine glory lighting up the face of those who in trouble seek God. (Theodoret has "He who approaches God, receives the rays of intellectual light.") We naturally think of the dying Stephen.

As to the construction, the subject must either be supplied from Psalm 34:2, or it must be general. The LXX. and Vulg. avoid the difficulty by changing to the second person.

Verse 5. - They looked unto him, and were lightened; or, were brightened (Hengstenberg); i.e. had their countenances lighted up and cheered. And their faces were not ashamed. As they would have been if God had made no response to their appeal (comp. Psalm 25:2, 3; Psalm 74:21).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Those who look
הִבִּ֣יטוּ (hib·bî·ṭū)
Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 5027: To scan, look intently at, to regard

to Him
אֵלָ֣יו (’ê·lāw)
Preposition | third person masculine singular
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

are radiant with joy;
וְנָהָ֑רוּ (wə·nā·hā·rū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 5102: To sparkle, be cheerful, to flow, assemble

their faces
וּ֝פְנֵיהֶ֗ם (ū·p̄ə·nê·hem)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 6440: The face

shall never
אַל־ (’al-)
Adverb
Strong's 408: Not

be ashamed.
יֶחְפָּֽרוּ׃ (yeḥ·pā·rū)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 2659: To blush, to be ashamed, disappointed, to shame, reproach


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OT Poetry: Psalm 34:5 They looked to him and were radiant (Psalm Ps Psa.)
Psalm 34:4
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