Psalms 34:4 (ASV)

Passage

I sought Jehovah, and he answered me, And delivered me from all my fears.

Nearby Context

Psalms 34:2 My soul shall make her boast in Jehovah: The meek shall hear thereof, and be glad.

Psalms 34:3 Oh magnify Jehovah with me, And let us exalt his name together.

Psalms 34:4 I sought Jehovah, and he answered me, And delivered me from all my fears.

Psalms 34:5 They looked unto him, and were radiant; And their faces shall never be confounded.

Psalms 34:6 This poor man cried, and Jehovah heard him, And saved him out of all his troubles.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "sought", "jehovah", "answered", "delivered", and "fears". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "sought" and "jehovah", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 3's "Oh magnify Jehovah with me And let..." into verse 5's "They looked unto him and were radiant...", so "sought" and "jehovah" belong inside that flow. In Psalms context, the local focus is worship, trust, the LORD's kingship, and covenant mercy.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "sought" and "jehovah" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.