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.

Berean Literal Bible
They looked toward Him, and they shone, and their faces were not 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.

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

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.

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

Berean Literal Bible
They looked toward Him, and they shone, and their faces were 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 ...



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
Those who look to Him

Psalm 123:2
As the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maidservant look to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes are on the LORD our God until He shows us mercy.

Psalm 25:15
My eyes are always on the LORD, for He will free my feet from the mesh.

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

Psalm 4:6-7
Many ask, “Who can show us the good?” Shine the light of Your face upon us, O LORD. / You have filled my heart with more joy than when grain and new wine abound.

Psalm 89:15-16
Blessed are those who know the joyful sound, who walk, O LORD, in the light of Your presence. / They rejoice in Your name all day long, and in Your righteousness they exult.

Exodus 34:29-35
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. / But Moses called out to them; so Aaron and all the leaders of the congregation returned to him, and Moses spoke to them. …
their faces shall never be ashamed.

Psalm 25:2-3
in You, my God, I trust. Do not let me be put to shame; do not let my enemies exult over me. / Surely none who wait for You will be put to shame; but those who engage in treachery without cause will be disgraced.

Isaiah 49:23
Kings will be your foster fathers, and their queens your nursing mothers. They will bow to you facedown and lick the dust at your feet. Then you will know that I am the LORD; those who hope in Me will never be put to shame.”

Romans 10:11
It is just as the Scripture says: “Anyone who believes in Him will never be put to shame.”
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.

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.

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.”


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;

Jump to Previous
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

David directs the faithful to fix their trust on the Lord, seeking His help rather than relying on human strength or circumstances. God receives those who turn to Him in faith and depend on His care.

Psa 123:2 As the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master…
Psa 25:15 My eyes are always on the LORD, for He will…
Isa 45:22 Turn to Me and be saved, all the ends of the earth;…

are radiant with joy;

Those who know God’s deliverance bear the visible confidence and gladness that come from His presence. Like Moses after meeting with the Lord, they are changed by communion with God and by the assurance of His favor.

Psa 4:6-7 Many ask, “Who can show us the good?” Shine the light…
Psa 89:15-16 Blessed are those who know the joyful sound,…
Exo 34:29-35 And when Moses came down from Mount Sinai…

their faces shall never be ashamed.

The Lord will not abandon or disgrace those who trust in Him. Though they may face trouble, He vindicates His people and secures their standing before Him through the redemption provided in Christ.

Psa 25:2-3 In You, my God, I trust. Do not let me be put to shame;…
Isa 49:23 Kings will be your foster fathers, and their queens…
Rom 10:11 It is just as the Scripture says: “Anyone who believes…

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.
Bible Study Questions and Answers
1. What is the meaning of Psalm 34:5?

2. How does Psalm 34:5 encourage us to seek God's presence daily?

3. What does "radiant" in Psalm 34:5 reveal about God's transformative power?

4. How does Psalm 34:5 connect with 2 Corinthians 3:18 on spiritual transformation?

5. How can we avoid shame by trusting in God, as Psalm 34:5 suggests?

6. In what ways can we reflect God's light to others, inspired by Psalm 34:5?

7. How does Psalm 34:5 reflect the transformative power of faith in one's life?

8. What historical context influenced the writing of Psalm 34:5?

9. How does Psalm 34:5 align with archaeological findings from the biblical era?

10. What are the top 10 Lessons from Psalm 34?


(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).

Looking steadily to the Lord produces two unbreakable outcomes: present radiance and future vindication. Fix your eyes on Him, bask in the joy that overflows from His presence, and rest assured—you will never be disgraced for trusting Him.

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


Additonal Resources
Psalm 34:5 Blue Letter Bible
Psalm 34:5 Bible Gateway
Psalm 34:5 Bible.com

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Psalm 34:5 Study Bible
Psalm 34:5 Biblia Paralela
Psalm 34:5 Chinese Bible
Psalm 34:5 French Bible
Psalm 34:5 Catholic Bible

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

Psalm 34:4
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