Taste and See

This is a great psalm of trust and hope. The historical occasion to which this heading alludes is found in 1 Samuel 21:10–15; however, there is nothing obvious in the context of Psalm 34 to make such a specific connection. Abimelech, like Pharaoh, was likely a dynastic designation, not a proper name.

Psalm 34 – The LORD, a Provider and Deliverer. A Psalm of David when he feigned madness before Abimelech, who drove him away and he departed.

1 I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.
2 My soul will make its boast in the LORD; The humble will hear it and rejoice.
3 O magnify the LORD with me, And let us exalt His name together.
4 I sought the LORD, and He answered me, And delivered me from all my fears.
5 They looked to Him and were radiant, And their faces will never be ashamed.
6 This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him And saved him out of all his troubles.
7 The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear Him, And rescues them.
8 O taste and see that the LORD is good; How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!
9 O fear the LORD, you His saints; For to those who fear Him there is no want.
10 The young lions do lack and suffer hunger; But they who seek the LORD shall not be in want of any good thing.
11 Come, you children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD.
12 Who is the man who desires life And loves length of days that he may see good?
13 Keep your tongue from evil And your lips from speaking deceit.
14 Depart from evil and do good; Seek peace and pursue it.
15 The eyes of the LORD are toward the righteous And His ears are open to their cry.
16 The face of the LORD is against evildoers, To cut off the memory of them from the earth.
17 The righteous cry, and the LORD hears And delivers them out of all their troubles.
18 The LORD is near to the brokenhearted And saves those who are crushed in spirit.
19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the LORD delivers him out of them all.
20 He keeps all his bones, Not one of them is broken.
21 Evil shall slay the wicked, And those who hate the righteous will be condemned.
22 The LORD redeems the soul of His servants, And none of those who take refuge in Him will be condemned.

Here is a little outline of what we find in this psalm:

  1. David’s Praise of the Lord (Psalm 34:1–3)
  2. David’s Prayer to the Lord (Psalm 34:4–6)
  3. David’s Prosperity in the Lord (Psalm 34:7–10)
  4. David’s Proclamation of the Lord (Psalm 34:11–14)
  5. David’s Preservation in the Lord (Psalm 34:15–22)

This is an individual song of thanksgiving, and according to the title, it originated in the days when David was “on the run” from Saul. A slight problem is apparent in the title in that David actually faked insanity and madness before the Philistine ruler Achish, not Abimelech (1 Samuel 21:10–15). On the other hand, Abimelech may be a title for any Philistine ruler. That seems to be the case in the dealings of the patriarchs with the Philistines (Genesis 20:1–18; 21:22–34; 26:1–17).

David began by urging others to join him in praising the Lord, and then he recounted how God had heard his prayers and delivered him (Psalm 34:6). Those who depend on the Lord will lack nothing (Psalm 34:10). Those who expect His blessings must keep away from from evil. When they do, they will see how faithful the Lord is. Evil will surely meet judgment, but the saints of the Lord will never be held guilty in His eyes (Psalm 34:22).

Today I want to focus on Psalm 34:8. I recently read a story about a woman who gave her young daughter four jellybeans and let her know that was all the candy she was going to receive.

After practically inhaling the first three candies, the daughter lingered over the last one. She sucked on it, took it out of her mouth, bit into it, sucked on it some more, then gnawed at the outer shell. Knowing that this was her last jellybean, she took a full 45 minutes to ingest the treat completely.

The mom observed her little girl with amusement. It occurred to her that she was watching a lesson of the value of savoring—enjoying taste and texture and learning to draw out every possible bit of flavor from the pleasurable experience.

When we read, “Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good” (Psalm 34:8), we can be sure that God wants us to “savor” His presence. He allows us to gain intimate and satisfying knowledge of Him. When we meditate on His Word, we will draw out a deeper understanding of who He is (Ezekiel 3:1-3).

Ezekiel 3

1 Moreover He said to me, “Son of man, eat what you find; eat this scroll, and go, speak to the house of Israel.”
2 So I opened my mouth, and He caused me to eat that scroll.
3 And He said to me, “Son of man, feed your belly, and fill your stomach with this scroll that I give you.” So I ate, and it was in my mouth like honey in sweetness.

As we taste of His goodness and love, God will reveal the distinctive flavor of His creativity, sovereignty, holiness, and faithfulness.

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