What does it mean that God delivered me from all my fears (Psalm 34:4)?

"O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together" (Ps. 34:3). Fellowship is sought now. It wants others to be in its company. And then the last verse of the section gives, so to speak, the reason for all this. Now we get the basis of it. "I sought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears." You will find the speaker is delivered himself, a verse or two lower down the Psalm, but here he is delivered from all his fears. I think the Lord oftentimes works to deliver us from our fears before He delivers us from our foes. Here is a man who was delivered from the fear of the trouble, before he was delivered from the trouble. It is the discovery of what God is. It is the soul deepening in its acquaintance with God, no matter what the difficulties may be.

While David had certainly not consulted the Lord in his going to Abimelech and deceiving the king, yet afterward he says, "I sought the Lord, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears" (v. 4). He had been fearful, and for this he needed the Lord, who never disappoints the faith that honestly seeks Him.

Psalm 34 was composed “when [David] changed his behavior before Abimelech, who drove him away, and he departed.” This psalm celebrates the Lord's tender care of the believer under trial and expresses David's confidence, flowing out of the fact that in his affliction, God had taken his cause in hand. This man of God in seeking help from Achish had had only a broken reed in hand. Now, instructed by God, he can say: “I sought Jehovah, and He answered me, and delivered me from all my fears” (v. 4). “This afflicted one called, and Jehovah heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles” (v. 6). He had learned the lesson that God was teaching him through His discipline. The experience he had just had enabled him to encourage others: “Taste and see that Jehovah is good: blessed is the man that trusts in him!” (v. 8).

66 But Psalm 34 goes farther. It takes up the case of sorrow and trial in the most beautiful way. Jehovah Himself, as ever, is the blessed burden of the psalm. In verses 1-4 it is the Spirit of Christ in an especial way which speaks, but as for the heart of every one so tried, and belongs to every one who has this faith, that every one may have it. The point of the psalm is "at all times." It is easy to praise Jehovah when He makes all flow softly for us; yet Jehovah is not as much praised really for what He is. In the midst of trouble the soul is seen humble and subdued in spirit. He has sought Jehovah and he found Him a ready friend. This made Jehovah intimate and precious to him. The saint's heart was tried, exercised; difficulty and wrong pressed upon it, and his will did not rise up in pride and anger, but he lays his matter with confidence on the kindness of Jehovah, and He interests Himself in him. It is not high and sovereign providence making things flow for outward blessing (no doubt we should be thankful for this) but the gracious interest of Jehovah in his tried heart. This is much nearer, the interest greater, the link more sweet and stronger. It was not pride of will in trial or in success, but an oppressed and humble heart finding Jehovah's ear and heart open to it. Thus consoled himself, he could console others with the comfort wherewith he himself was comforted of God. He was delivered from all his fears. Oh, how often this happens, even as to the removing not unreasonably expected evil entirely! This knowledge of Jehovah leads to the exercise of love in encouraging others, while the heart experiences it, and is filled with it. It is applied to the remnant by the Spirit in verse 5. They recall the case of Christ in verse 6. In verse 7 we have it as a general truth; in verses 8-10 his own blessed experience enables him who has trusted the Lord to assure others of the certainty of finding this help.

In these difficult circumstances he did not rise up in a spirit of pride and anger, and strive with his opponents. He did not seek to avenge himself, but, he says, "I sought the Lord." He confides all his exercises to the Lord, and spreads out his trials before Him.

He then tells us the result, for, he says, "The Lord delivered me from all my fears." The Lord gave him light for his path, and saved him out of "all his troubles." Moreover, he found that, though opposed by man, he was guarded by unseen angelic power. If then the Lord delivers this lowly man from "all" his fears, and "all" his troubles, he may well bless the Lord at "all times."

(Verses 8-10). Having experienced the goodness of the Lord the Psalmist calls his brethren to "taste and see that the Lord is good," and thus realise the blessedness of the man that trusts in the Lord, and walks in His fear. Such will find, in a world like this, that they may have many needs, but they will not want. The Psalmist had sought the Lord and had been blest; now he can say to others, "they that seek the Lord shall not want any good."

(vv. 4-7) The following verses present the circumstances in which the psalmist learned to praise the Lord at all times. “Fears” assailed him; the dread of evils that looked imminent pressed upon him. But he sought the Lord and found deliverance from all these fears (v. 4).

Darkness seemed to enshroud the path of God's people; but they looked to Him and were lightened (v. 5). “Troubles” pressed upon this poor man; but he “cried and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles” (v. 6). Dangers beset the people of God. All the unseen powers of evil are against them; but even so, they find the angel of the Lord encamps round about them that fear Him, and delivers them.

The heart that is filled with praise will seek associates also in it; and His Name will be common joy: for His Name is but the revelation of Himself. The exhortation to magnify His Name is followed by the experience which makes the text, as it were, of the exhortation. The living God had heard and answered him, and delivered him from all his fears.

Again he recurs to his own deliverance. He in his poverty had been heard and delivered: not simply from his fears now, but in fact. And he will go further and maintain that round about those that fear Jehovah the angel of Jehovah camps: and this is deliverance from all that may come, from any quarter.

Had the enemies, then, all been driven away? No; but his fears had. “I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people, that have set themselves against me round about” (v. 6). “ Thou art a shield for me” (v. 3) He was safely garrisoned inwardly, though apparently still exposed outwardly.

So another testifies: "I cried to the LORD with my voice, and He heard me from His holy hill" (Ps.3:4). Again, "I sought the LORD, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears" (Ps.34:4). Fellow - believer, the same is our privilege! Such is "the boldness" we have towards Him, that "if we ask anything according to His will, he hears us" (1 John 5:14 ). This involves brokenness of our own wills, spirituality; without which our thoughts and feelings do not move in the line of His will. There has been One who could say, without limitation, "Father ... You always hear me" (John 11:41 ,42).