Oh Taste and See

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This sermon is based on Psalm 34. It speaks about the praise that King David gives to the Lord in the times of dark trials and his review of the benefits God has provided. Then David issues an invitation for others to discover God's wonderful benefits like he has found.

Written excerpts:

Psalm 34:8 ^(NKJV) Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!

Introduction:

Kris’ “homemade” cinnamon buns.

Andy in 5^th Grade – Mom’s Apple pie.

“Just wait until you taste it!”

We all have probably had those moments when we ate something that makes us think, “wow!” One of my favorites is, country style pork ribs cooked for hours in barbeque sauce. M-mmmm!

King David undoubtedly had some of those moments too; especially with him being the king of Israel. As king, he could have the best of anything. The food prepared for a king we might say, “Is to die for.” Therefore, it is quite interesting that the king uses this “culinary metaphor” as a way of encouraging others to “sample God’s wonderful blessings.”

There are three primary thoughts that I want to share with you today from Psalm 34. We won’t try to cover the entire psalm, just verses 1-10, which were read earlier in the service.

I.      Give Praise to the Lord. (vv. 1-3)

The inscription at the beginning of this Psalm attributes its time of writing to the time when King David was running from King Saul. He came to the king of the Philistines who was warned about accepting him lest he turn and fight against the Philistines in the heat of the battle. David then started acting insane so that the king sent him away. (He could have had him executed.) So, in the midst of all these circumstances (fleeing from Saul, and narrowly escaping from an “enemy” king), David breaks out in praise to the Lord.

Reminds me of something I mentioned a few weeks ago regarding Paul and Silas in the Philippian jail.

(Read verses 1-3)

I have been reminding you several times lately that God is deserving of all our praise, even when we find ourselves in the middle of trying circumstances and adversity.

God Wants to Hear You Sing by Greater Vision

Their chains were fastened tight
Down at the jail that night
Still Paul and Silas would not be dismayed
They said, "It's time to lift our voice,
Sing praises to the Lord
Let's prove that we will trust Him, come what may."

God wants to hear you sing
When the waves are crashing round you
When the fiery darts surround you
When despair is all you see
God wants to hear your voice
When the wisest man has spoken
And says your circumstance is as hopeless as can be
That's when God wants to hear you sing

He loves to hear our praise
On our cheerful days
When the pleasant times outweigh the bad, by far
But when suffering comes along
And we still sing Him song
That is when we bless the Father's heart

God wants to hear you sing
When the waves are crashing round you
When the fiery darts surround you
When despair is all you see
God wants to hear your voice
When the wisest man has spoken
And says you circumstance is as hopeless as can be
That's when God wants to hear you sing

II.    Review His blessings and benefits. (vv. 4-7)

“I sought the Lord, and he delivered me from all my fears.” In the precarious situation he finds himself in with the Philistines (he could have been executed if they had perceived he would be a threat to them), he discovers the reality of God’s divine protection.

“faces were not ashamed”

(Keil and Delitzsch Commentary) – It never comes to pass that their countenances must be covered with shame on account of disappointed hope: 

“This poor man cried…” (reinforce what was said in v. 4)

“The angel of the Lord…”

(Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries) – The angel of the Lord sometimes stands for the Lord himself and at other times for his spiritual agent. In any case, the psalmist understands that God is the ultimate source of his rescue. The fact that the angel encamps around those who fear him points to God as the Divine Warrior who fights on behalf of his people (Josh. 5:14).

Compare Joshua 5:13-14 (NKJV) And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, a Man stood opposite him with His sword drawn in His hand. And Joshua went to Him and said to Him, "Are You for us or for our adversaries?" ¹⁴ So He said, "No, but as Commander of the army of the LORD I have now come." And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped, and said to Him, "What does my Lord say to His servant?"

III.   Invitation to share the blessings. (vv. 8-10)

Some think it is significant that David says, “taste and see” rather than “look and see.”

(Keil and Delitzsch Commentary) Tasting (γεύσαστηαι, Hebr. 6:4f., 1 Peter 2:3) stands before seeing; for spiritual experience leads to spiritual perception or knowledge, and not vice versa. (Compare 1 Peter 2:1-3 Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, ² as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, ³ if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.)

 David is desirous that others also should experience what he has experienced in order that they may come to know what he has come to know, viz., the goodness of God.

 (Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries) – The psalmist uses a culinary metaphor to urge his listeners into a relationship with God (Taste and see that the Lord is good). Like a cook who urges a reluctant eater just to give it a taste, so the psalmist encourages them to sample God and his protection, confident that they will thus recognize his benefits.

He encourages them to fear God. In the previous stanza, he testified that he feared God and was thus rescued from his other fears. While the wicked (the lions; see Job 4:7-11) languish, those who fear God will lack nothing/no good thing. This is not a naïve belief that God’s people will prosper, but rather that those who fear God recognize fundamentally that their relationship with God will satisfy them completely.

The king, even though he is “running for his life,” invites others to come and discover the blessings of knowing God as he has found.

“Young lions lack and suffer hunger…”

Even though lions may hunger from lack of prey, those who trust in the Lord will find that He provides and He satisfies.

This is not a promise that God will rescue us and deliver us from everything that is unpleasant or distasteful. But God will watch over his children and deliver them from the enemy that has the potential to destroy them.

Conclusion:

As I was reading this Psalm several days ago in my daily Bible reading, I was stirred once again by these words of testimony and exhortation. Just like the king, I have discovered many times that God is faithful and that He can be counted on in troubling situations. It is especially true when it seems like the darkness of evil and the pressure of my spiritual enemy is so real, God is always there to rescue and bring peace in the midst of trouble.

My greatest desire, like King David, is to spread the word and let others know that God can be that near and precious to them too. It is up to us to spread the word and encourage others to find their hope in God. 

I’m glad that God can give us a song, even when our circumstances are painful and dark.

Let us stand to sing our closing hymn: In My Heart There Rings a Melody