Psalms 34:11 · Bible study
Psalms 34:11 Commentary: Teaching the Fear of Yahweh
Hebrew · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
How can the fear of Yahweh be taught? This verse shows that true reverence is learned through instruction and lived through obedience.
Research Summary
- Meaning: An experienced worshiper invites the teachable to learn the reverence of God that leads to life.
- Key words: Children, listen, teach, fear of Yahweh.
- Main debate: Are “children” literal young people or a metaphor for all disciples? Commentators divide, but both see an open invitation.
- Theological theme: The fear of God is foundational wisdom that is both learned relationally and lived practically.
- Best use: A starting point for teaching the nature of true religion to new believers or the next generation.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
Come, children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD.
WEB World English Bible 2000
Come, you children, listen to me. I will teach you the fear of Yahweh.
KJV King James Version 1769
Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of Jehovah.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
Come ye, children, hearken to me, The fear of Jehovah I do teach you.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
Come, ye sons, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of Jehovah.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
Unjust witnesses rising up have asked me things I knew not.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Venid, hijos, oidme; el temor de Jehová os enseñaré.
Vinde, filhos, ouvi a mim; eu vos ensinarei o temor ao SENHOR.
Les lionceaux éprouvent la disette et la faim,
Kommt her, Kinder, höret mir zu; ich will euch die Furcht des HERRN lehren:
Caph. De jonge leeuwen lijden armoede, en hongeren; maar die den HEERE zoeken, hebben geen gebrek aan enig goed.
Venite, figliuoli, ascoltatemi; io v’insegnerò il timor dell’Eterno.
Lwięta niedostatek cierpią i głód; lecz szukającym Pana nie będzie schodziło na wszelkiem dobrem.
Восстали на меня свидетели неправедные: чего я не знаю, о том допрашивают меня;
眾弟子啊，你們當來 聽 我的話！我要將敬畏 耶和華 的道教訓你們。
Come, children, give attention to me; I will be your teacher in the fear of the Lord.
Verse in Context
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators broadly agree that in this verse David turns to address the young (or those teachable) as a fatherly instructor. Barnes calls it “a most interesting address from an aged and experienced man of God to those who are in the morning of life.” Gill notes that “children” may mean his own family, his subjects, or all who are humble and ready to learn. The phrase “the fear of Yahweh,” central to Proverbs, includes both a reverent awe of God and the practical obedience that flows from it. The Cambridge Bible describes it as “the devout reverence which is essential to a right relation of man to God, and the conduct which it demands.” David’s promise to teach this fear is not a mere lecture, it is the fruit of his own deliverance (the context of the psalm) and invites hearers into a life that God blesses. The consensus: the fear of Yahweh can be taught, and it is the foundation of wisdom and wellbeing.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: The psalmist promises to teach the fear of Yahweh, and the surrounding verses define that fear as reverent obedience expressed in speech, conduct, and a lifelong trust in God.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Identity of the 'children' addressed | David is addressing a group that is teachable and younger in faith or years, inviting them to learn. | Some commentators (Barnes, Matthew Henry) take 'children' literally as young people, even David's own. Others (Keil, Gill) see it as a term for all disciples, regardless of age, emphasizing humility. |
| Content of 'the fear of Yahweh' | The fear includes reverent awe and practical obedience to God's commands. | Calvin and older Reformed commentators stress that fear is the beginning of wisdom, while Cambridge and Gill also include the conduct it demands, some traditions emphasize the awe, others the ethical outworking. |
| How this fear is taught | Teaching the fear of the Lord involves instruction, example, and personal testimony. | Does it come primarily through formal teaching (Gill) or through the teacher's lived experience (Barnes)? The psalm shows both: David points to his own deliverance as context. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Psalm 34 is set against a specific crisis: David, fleeing Saul, changed his behavior before Abimelech (King Achish of Gath) and feigned madness to escape (1 Samuel 21). Calvin observes that this deliverance was so unexpected that David “acknowledges that there had been exhibited a memorable instance of God’s favor towards him.” The psalm begins with David’s personal praise (vv. 1-10) and then shifts to direct instruction, a movement from testimony to teaching. The term “children” Hebrew banim (not supplied in data but we can mention from Keil & Delitzsch comment) is a tender address from a master experienced in God’s ways. Keil & Delitzsch explain that banim here are not necessarily children in years but “a tender form of address of a master experienced in the ways of God to each one and to all,” echoing Proverbs 1:8. This verse thus stands in the wisdom tradition, where “the fear of Yahweh” is the beginning of wisdom (Psalm 111:10; Proverbs 1:7). The historical context, David’s personal danger and divine rescue, gives his teaching credibility. He speaks not from theory but from a life where the fear of God proved true.
Textual Notes
The supplied sources note no significant textual variants for Psalm 34:11. The Hebrew text is stable across manuscripts, and the Greek Septuagint renders the verse similarly. The main interpretive questions revolve around context and meaning rather than textual uncertainty.
Reception History
Psalm 34:11 has been used across Christian traditions as a call to catechesis and the training of children and new believers. Early church fathers drew on it to emphasize that even the simplest believer can learn the fear of God. During the Reformation, Calvin and others saw it as proof that true piety is taught, not innate, and that Scripture is the school of godliness. In Protestant and Catholic catechisms, the verse often appears alongside Proverbs 1:7 to anchor instruction in the fear of the Lord. Its simplicity has made it a beloved memory verse for teaching children the beginnings of faith.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The invitation to learn. David calls “children”, all who are humble, young in faith, or simply ready to receive instruction. This is not a command for outsiders but a loving summons to those who already trust God (v. 8: “taste and see”). Teaching the fear of the Lord begins with a posture of listening.
- The content of instruction: the fear of Yahweh. This is not terror but a reverence that shapes every part of life. As the following verses show (vv. 12-14), fearing God means controlling the tongue, avoiding evil, doing good, and pursuing peace. It is wisdom embodied in daily choices.
- The promise attached to this fear. The context promises that those who fear God lack no good thing (v. 9), experience God’s nearness (v. 18), and are delivered from trouble (v. 19). The fear of the Lord leads not to a cramped life but to full, protected life under God’s care.
Five-point outline
- The teacher’s credibility. David speaks from experience, personal deliverance colors his words.
- The audience’s posture. “Children” = young, teachable, humble, eager to listen.
- The subject defined. Fear of Yahweh: awe, trust, and obedience combined.
- The curriculum. Practical ethics: guarding speech, doing good, making peace.
- The outcome. God’s eyes and ears are open to the righteous; deliverance and blessing follow.
Illustration hooks
- Learning a craft. A master carpenter shows an apprentice not just the tools but the respect needed for the wood and the design. Fear of the Lord is like that, learned through relationship and practice.
- A child crossing a street. A parent says “Hold my hand, because I love you.” The child’s grip is a mix of trust and healthy respect for danger. That blend is the fear of the Lord.
- Ancient wisdom. In many cultures, elders taught the young not only skills but a way of seeing the world. David does the same: he invites the next generation into the path of life.
Questions your congregation is asking
- “I know I should fear God, but how do I actually learn to do that, is it just reading the Bible more?”
- “Does fearing God mean being scared of Him, or is it something else?”
- “How do I teach this to my children when I’m still learning it myself?”
Leading a Discussion
Opening framing: David has just celebrated God’s goodness (vv. 4-10). Now he turns to us as a father figure and says, “Come, I’ll teach you what it really means to fear the Lord.” This is an invitation, not a scolding. The discussion that follows helps the group explore what it means to learn holy reverence.
Discussion questions
- Who does David address as “children” in this verse? Why do you think he chooses that word?
- What does the phrase “fear of Yahweh” mean in the surrounding verses (vv. 7, 9, and the following verses)? Does it change how you understand the term?
- How does David’s personal story (feigning madness, being delivered) give weight to his teaching?
- In verses 13-14, David lists concrete actions that flow from the fear of the Lord. Which of these is most challenging for you right now?
- Why do you think “teaching” is the verb David chooses? Can reverence for God really be taught, or is it caught?
- Look at Psalm 34:15-22. What promises are attached to those who fear God? How do those promises shape your trust in Him?
- How might our small group or church become a place where people “learn the fear of the Lord” together?
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Psalms 32:8 | I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you shall go. I will counsel you with my eye on you. |
| Psalms 66:16 | Come and hear, all you who fear God. I will declare what he has done for my soul. |
| Psalms 111:10 | The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of wisdom. All those who do his work have a good understanding. His praise endures forever! |
| Proverbs 1:7 | The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of knowledge, but the foolish despise wisdom and instruction. |
| Proverbs 2:1 | My son, if you will receive my words, and store up my commandments within you, |
| Proverbs 2:9 | Then you will understand righteousness and justice, equity and every good path. |
| Proverbs 4:1 | Listen, sons, to a father’s instruction. Pay attention and know understanding; |
| Proverbs 7:24 | Now therefore, sons, listen to me. Pay attention to the words of my mouth. |
Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
9 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke draws a sharp contrast between teaching youth the fear of the Lord and the common practice of instructing them in heathen mythology. He endorses an old Psalter paraphrase that rejects fables and tyrant stories, instead focusing on the dread of God that leads to fellowship with angels.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes insists the word "children" here means young people in general, not disciples or his own sons specifically. He sees this verse as an aged, experienced believer personally addressing the young, sharing the practical lessons of his own life to show them what true religion looks like and how it brings happiness.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin highlights how improbable David's escape was, since he had fled to his deadliest enemy and could only save himself by feigning madness. The deliverance was so remarkable that David intended it as an instruction for the whole Church. Calvin also notes that Abimelech was a royal title, not a personal name.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentator defines the fear of the Lord as both a devout reverence toward God and the obedient conduct that flows from it. This phrase is noted as a central theme in Proverbs, appearing there almost as often as in all other Old Testament books combined.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
Come children, hearken vnto me: I will teache you the feare of the Lord.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill sees the invitation "come, ye children" as broadly open to the psalmist's household, subjects, hearers, or all humble believers. He stresses that "come" means a ready and attentive mind, not physical movement. The psalmist can only teach the fear of the Lord, showing its nature and effects, but cannot give it.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB notes that "children" here refers to those who are being taught, not necessarily young offspring. The term designates subjects of instruction, as seen in earlier verses where the call to wisdom begins with a teachable spirit.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch observe that David addresses his hearers as "children" not because they are young but as a tender form from a master experienced in God's ways. They highlight David's habit of posing a question and then answering it himself to make the truth more forceful. The commentator emphasizes avoiding sins of the tongue and pursuing peace with the same eagerness a hunter chases game.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry observes that David, though a warrior and king burdened with cares, still made time to teach children about the fear of the Lord. That he instructed the children of his people, not his own, shows his pastoral heart for the next generation.