In Psalm 34, David is on his knees pouring out his heart to God in repentance, thanksgiving, faith, and in request to God for assurance, strength, deliverance, and instruction. He says, “I sought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears” (34:4).

A main theme in this Psalm is peace: “What man is he that desireth life, and loveth many days, that he may see good? Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile. Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it” (34:12-14).

PEACE COMES TO THOSE WHO REFRAIN THEIR TONGUES FROM EVIL.

      The tongue can be one of the most evil members of our bodies if we allow it to be so (Proverbs 18:8; Titus 3:2). It can make the whole body ugly. The tongue is not bad in and of itself. It is only the instrument used to convey thoughts and feelings. James said: “And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell” (James 3:6).

We must keep our tongues bridled (James 1:26). Our tongues will be used for good or for evil (Proverbs 13:3; 21:23). Our tongues will be used to gossip or to tell the good news. It is important to ask, “How do we use our tongues?”

PEACE COMES TO THOSE WHO DEPART FROM EVIL 

       Christians must shun evil every time they come in contact with it. We must never follow that which is evil (3 John 1:11; John 7:7). Real peace is found in our relationship with God. That relationship is established when we oppose the things of the world (2 Timothy 2:3-4; 1 John 2:15-17). We are warned to “abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul” (1 Peter 2:11). Attain real peace by departing from evil.

PEACE COMES FROM DOING GOOD.

      We glorify God by our good works (1 Peter 2:12). I realize that there are some who believe that good works are not important, but the Bible clearly teaches otherwise (Matthew 5:16; Ecclesiastes 3:12; James 4:17; 3 John 1:11). As Christians we must set our minds to do good things. What is good? Anything and everything that God has chosen for us to accomplish (Ephesians 2:10). “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 7:21). To have peace we must speak no evil, depart from evil, and do good. Seek peace.