Mmm, Tastes Great!

The Text: Psalm 34:8

"O taste and see that the LORD is good ; How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him" (New American Standard)

"Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him" (English Standard Version)

" O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him" (King James Version)

"Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him" (New International Version)

"Taste and see how good the LORD is! The one who takes refuge in him is truly happy" (Common English Bible)



The Reasoning:

"O taste and see. Make a trial, an inward, experimental trial of the goodness of God. You cannot see except by tasting for yourself; but if you taste you shall see, for this, like Jonathan's honey, enlightens the eyes. That the Lord is good. You can only know this really and personally by experience. There is the banquet with its oxen and fatlings; its fat things full of marrow, and wine on the lees well refined; but their sweetness will be all unknown to you except you make the blessings of grace your own, by a living, inward, vital participation in them. Blessed is the man that trusteth in him. Faith is the soul's taste; they who test the Lord by their confidence always find him good, and they become themselves blessed. The second clause of the verse, is the argument in support of the exhortation contained in the first sentence" (The Treasury of David)

"The goodness of God includes both the beauty and amiableness of his being and the bounty and beneficence of his providence and grace; and accordingly, (1.) We must taste that he is a bountiful benefactor, relish the goodness of God in all his gifts to us, and reckon that the savour and sweetness of them. Let God’s goodness be rolled under the tongue as a sweet morsel. (2.) We must see that he is a beautiful being, and delight in the contemplation of his infinite perfections. By taste and sight we both make discoveries and take complacency. Taste and see God’s goodness, that is, take notice of it and take the comfort of it, 1 Pt. 2:3 . he is good, for he makes all those that trust in him truly blessed; let us therefore be so convinced of his goodness as thereby to be encouraged in the worst of times to trust in him.3. He would have us join with him in a resolution to seek God and serve him, and continue in his fear" (Matthew Henry)