Taste and See that the LORD Is Good

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Taste and See that the LORD Is Good

Sometimes  when a person is rather down-and-out,  they don’t really  turn to God  and earnestly pray  about their trouble.     They might think about God,  but then  dismiss all such thoughts  when they glumly  feel  that God probably won’t answer  their prayer anyway.      So,  they go on through life  carrying their burdens of sadness  and troubles.      They know God is real,  but have  no hope  of getting help.      When one thinks about it,  we are all  rather self-centered  in living our lives.     They don’t want to try  having God in their lives  to “taste and see that the LORD is good.”

King David  had a different approach  —  and he was ever so glad  to have it  as his means of relief  from all sorts of troubles.      One time,  David had been captured  by Abimelech  and was sure to be killed.      So,  he pretended to be crazy,  causing Abimelech  to disgustingly say  David wasn’t worth killing.      They let David go  and he escaped  into the wilderness.

David was accustomed  to praising the LORD  at all times,  and this time  was no different.      Abimelech and his men  might have thought David was nuts,  but that was because  God led them to believe that  from David’s actions.      David knew  it was God  who helped him  and answered his prayers.      So,  David wrote  Psalm 34  as a testimony  to God’s faithfulness.      Here are a few of the things  David sang,

Verse 1 –
I will bless the LORD  at all times;
His praise  shall continually  be in my mouth.

Verse 4 –
I sought the LORD,  and He answered me,
And delivered me  from all my fears.

Verse 8 –
O taste and see  that the LORD is good;
How blessed is the man  who takes refuge  in Him!

Verse 19 –
Many are the afflictions  of the righteous;
But the LORD delivers him  out of them all.

These are not the words and experiences  of a crazy man.      They are the words  and experiences of a man  who faced all sorts of troubles;  prayed with all his heart;  trusted in God for who He is;  and was saved.      As a shepherd boy,  David killed lions  and bears.      As a young teenager  bringing food to his brothers  in the Israelite army,  David killed the giant Goliath.      When God had him anointed  to be the next king,  David spent a lot of time  escaping all of King Saul’s attempts  to kill him.      Once he became king,  there were all sorts of battles  with enemies  —  and even the attempt of his own son,  Absalom,  trying to kill him.      David certainly had a lot of afflictions.

What kinds of feelings  would we have,  if we had to face  all that  throughout our whole life?      In all his troubles,  David did not complain,  but he confessed his sins,  asked for God’s forgiveness,  trusted God’s ways  to be best for him,  and continually praised God  for His holiness and goodness.      That is possible  because God has shown Himself  to be faithful,  trustworthy,  gracious,  and almighty  in all that He does.      God cannot lie.      He has promised to help us  and His ways for us  are always best.

Let us not give up  on praying  and praising the LORD  for who He is.      Filled with praise,  let us “taste and see that the LORD is good.”       Praise  takes remembering  all that God has done  in creation  and for our salvation  in Jesus Christ.      When we center  on God’s love and ability,  He will carry us through  whatever we need to face.

Then  in remembering,  we say,  “Hallelujah!      LORD,  we will bless You  at all times,  because You deliver us  from all our fears.      All Your ways are good  and right  in Your time.”

Love,
Margaret

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A Christian devotional to glorify the LORD of lords and God of gods

 

Pray for our country.

 

This is the day which the LORD has made;
Let us rejoice and be glad in it.
Psalm 118:24

 

The word of the LORD is tried;
He is a shield  to all  who take refuge  in Him.
Psalm 18:30

 

Sing for joy in the LORD,  O you righteous ones;
Praise is becoming  to the upright.
Psalm 33:1

 

How blessed are those  who dwell in Thy house!
They are ever praising Thee.
Psalm 84:4

 

Just as a father has compassion  on his children,
So the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him.
Psalm 103:13

 

Oh give thanks to the LORD,  for He is good;
For His lovingkindness is everlasting.
Psalm 107:1

 

Glory in His holy name;
Let the heart of those who seek the LORD be glad.
Psalm 105:3

 

Not that I have already obtained it, or have already become perfect, but I press on in order that
I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:12

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