Psalms 34:13 (DRB)

Passage

But as for me, when they were troublesome to me, I was clothed with haircloth. I humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer shall be turned into my bosom.

Nearby Context

Psalms 34:11 Unjust witnesses rising up have asked me things I knew not.

Psalms 34:12 They repaid me evil for good: to the depriving me of my soul.

Psalms 34:13 But as for me, when they were troublesome to me, I was clothed with haircloth. I humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer shall be turned into my bosom.

Psalms 34:14 As a neighbour and as an own brother, so did I please: as one mourning and sorrowful so was I humbled.

Psalms 34:15 But they rejoiced against me, and came together: scourges were gathered together upon me, and I knew not.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "troublesome", "clothed", "haircloth", "humbled", "soul", "fasting", "prayer", and "shall". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "troublesome" and "clothed", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 12's "They repaid me evil for good to..." into verse 14's "As a neighbour and as an own...", so "troublesome" and "clothed" 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 "troublesome" and "clothed" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.