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They looked to him, and were radiant. Their faces shall never be covered with shame.
Psalms 34:5 · World English Bible
Parallel translations
  • KJV They looked unto him, and were lightened: and their faces were not ashamed.
  • BSB Those who look to Him are radiant with joy; their faces shall never be ashamed.
  • NKJV They looked to Him and were radiant, And their faces were not ashamed.
  • NASB They looked to Him and were radiant, And their faces will never be ashamed.
  • NLT Those who look to him for help will be radiant with joy; no shadow of shame will darken their faces.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Quick answer

Those who look to God are radiant and never put to shame.

Overview

David broadens his testimony to all who look to the Lord, who are made radiant and kept from disgrace. Trust in God transforms and secures the believer. This radiance anticipates the unashamed hope of those who look to Christ and are never disappointed.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 12

  • Heb 12:2looking to Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising its shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
  • Ps 123:1–2A Song of Ascents. To you I do lift up my eyes, you who sit in the heavens.
  • Ps 18:28For you will light my lamp, Yahweh. My God will light up my darkness.
  • Ps 25:3Yes, no one who waits for you shall be shamed. They shall be shamed who deal treacherously without cause.
  • Isa 60:5Then you shall see and be radiant, and your heart will thrill and be enlarged; because the abundance of the sea will be turned to you. The wealth of the nations will come to you.
  • Ps 36:9For with you is the spring of life. In your light shall we see light.
  • Ps 97:11Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart.
  • Isa 45:22“Look to me, and be saved, all the ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other.
  • Ps 13:3Behold, and answer me, Yahweh, my God. Give light to my eyes, lest I sleep in death;
  • Esth 8:16The Jews had light, gladness, joy, and honor.
  • Ps 83:16Fill their faces with confusion, that they may seek your name, Yahweh.
  • 2 Sam 19:5Joab came into the house to the king, and said, “Today you have shamed the faces of all your servants, who today have saved your life, and the lives of your sons and of your daughters, and the lives of your wives, and the lives of your concubines;

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (1)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Psalms videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Psalms 34:5YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on PsalmsMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

Christ at the center

The Psalms are Christ's own prayer book and a gallery of his portraits — the suffering one of Psalm 22, the risen Lord of Psalm 16, the priest-king of Psalm 110, the Son to whom the nations are given.

How Psalms 34:5 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.

Original language

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.