When Americans think about the good life, many think of what they are allowed to experience. They think of opportunities, fun, concerts, vacations, hobbies, friends, parties…(or solitude for the introverts.) What we think about less often is the good life; as in being good. What if the good life is a moral life, a righteous life or a holy life? And, what if a good life actually results in a good life? Would a person’s life be better if they chose good words, chose to do good deeds and chose to be obedient to Jesus? Would life be better if we did not retaliate or revile? What if we turned from evil and pursued peace? There may be adversity, and we are surely not exempt from suffering in this life, but according to the Word of God, more often than not, the good life results in a good life. In our text for this week, Peter quoted an Old Testament passage from the Psalms about the good life. Some have called it “an ancient recipe for a happy life.” Psalm 34 is a rich psalm. It contains lament, rejoicing, struggle and praise. It encourages the righteous to not give up even when they are being persecuted for their faith and good deeds. By the direction of the Holy Spirit, Peter picked that portion of that psalm for these particular people at that particular time. Thankfully, because of the timeless nature of the Bible, it applies to us as well. Neither Psalm 34 nor 1 Peter 3 support the prosperity gospel, but it is hard to deny the general idea that living a good life is not only good for us, but it leads to a good life both now, and in the age to come.