In my upcoming book, OMG! Whatβs Been Done with Jesus? Bringing Christ Back to the Forefront (scheduled for release December 2025), I briefly discuss Psalm 34:8 (NIV), which says, Taste and see that the Lord is good.
Itβs no surprise to me that the Lord alludes to food here; Jesus, too, used food as metaphors. The definition of taste is βtheΒ sensation of flavor perceived in the mouth and throat on contact with a substance.β As a verb, it is to βperceive or experience the flavor of.β I think this is precisely what God wants humankind to do.
When a friend invites us to taste a dish they’ve prepared or are still cooking, we rarely gulp down a full plate or take a big spoonful of it. We put a small amount into our mouths to see if it is flavorful, well-prepared, or tastes delicious. Does the mixture of spices and seasonings delight our taste buds?
God, in His wise simplicity, invites humankind to do the same. Heβs telling us here that we donβt have to try to experience the full measure of Himself all at once or rack our brains trying to perform activities well enough to know Him (i.e., praying, bible reading, going to church, or ridding ourselves of wrong). No.
In this verse, the Lord simply invites us to experience a small taste of Himself. This taste will prove His goodness and faithfulness. The Mounce’s Complete Expository Dictionary notes the word βtasteβ in this verse as a verb. The Greek word isΒ Ξ³Ξ΅ΟΞΏΞΌΞ±ΞΉ (geuomai), which means βto taste, eat, partake of,β usually implying enjoyment of the experience. (Retrieved from Mounce’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words, Copyright Β© 2006 by William D. Mounce.)
Partake of an experience with God, the Father, which only happens upon believing in His Son, Jesus Christ. Donβt try to go big to impress people or because of pressure from others. Donβt do it to compensate for your losses or faults. Simply taste Him. You may say, βBut I donβt have much faith at all.β That’s okay. Jesus said, ββ¦Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, βMove from here to there,β and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for youβ (Matthew 17:20 NIV).
βYum! He is soooo good!β Β Go ahead, just taste; youβll enjoy the experience; trust me. π
Be blessed until next timeβ¦
