Psalm 34:8 Taste and see that the LORD is good;
blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.

O: I would have trouble counting even the songs I know that are made from this Psalm, and I’m sure there are many more that I don’t know. As an acrostic poem its creation was an intellectual exercise for David, but that doesn’t mean it was any less genuine and heartfelt. I’m reminded of when my wife Cathy has to go through a medical procedure that requires her to lie still for an extended period of time. She uses the time by praying through the alphabet, praying for people or situations that start with each letter. The procedure is always finished before she’s through! The preface to this Psalm indicates David wrote it when he had plenty of reason to be thankful to God, and it really shows. David had tasted God and found Him to be good indeed! The image is an interesting one, familiar only because David used it here, and somewhat awkward to translate. (The Japanese I use says, “Taste the goodness of the Lord.”) I can’t really imagine licking God, much less taking a bite out of Him! However, the metaphor is apt because there is risk in tasting: maybe it will taste nasty, or even be poisonous! Thinking about God from a distance is never enough; we’ve got to get up close and personal with Him. The good news is that a true taste of God never disappoints!
A: I have certainly tasted God over the years, which is why I so look forward to the full experience of Him in heaven, and why I recommend Him so enthusiastically to others. So many people do seem to try to hold God at a distance, failing to draw close to Him in full devotion. What a waste! I find many are afraid to draw close to God because they are so aware of their own sinfulness. I’ve heard people say, “The roof would fall in if I walked into the church.” Those are exactly the people Jesus came to save! (Luke 5:32) I am to extend to all the invitation expressed in Hebrews 10:22: “Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.” I need to help people see that we can’t draw near to God on the basis if our own righteousness, but only on that of Jesus Christ, who loved us and gave Himself for us, so that we might taste God indeed.
P: Father, thank You for this clear reminder. Thank You for the concert we had here last night, and for what You did through the music, the testimonies, and the message. I pray that the little taste many people got of You last night would truly make them hungry for more, and they would choose to follow up on that hunger and receive all that You have for them. Help me be increasingly effective in communicating the good news of Your grace, so that as many as possible may receive, repent, and believe, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!