When the Heart Cries Out for God: A Look Into PsalmsНамуна

Day 2: Experiencing God

Taste and see that the Lord is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him! (Psalm 34:8 NLT)

Early in his exile from Saul, David sought refuge in the Philistine city of Gath. The king’s officials were suspicious of David’s intentions, so he feigned insanity to demonstrate he was no threat, then moved on to find refuge in the cave of Adullam (1 Samuel 21:10–22:1). Psalm 34 celebrates God’s protection and deliverance during those disorienting, threatening times.

We might expect this to be a psalm that celebrates survival, but it goes well beyond that. It’s about thriving. Not only does it tell us that God is good; it encourages us to experience his goodness ourselves. David invites us to “taste and see” and follows up the invitation with assurances that those who look to God will be radiant with joy (Psalm 34:5). He’s convinced that they’ll have all they need and lack no good thing (34:9-10). He promises that God is near to all his people, especially the brokenhearted (34:15-18). And he sweepingly affirms that even though the righteous face many troubles, God delivers them each and every time (34:19).

Re-Envision His Goodness

This psalm literally invites us to re-envision God and test his promises out. It calls us out of our old perceptions and into an entirely new way of seeing.

We need that. Intellectually, we already grasp everything it says, but in our deep-down perceptions of God, the question of his goodness remains. This issue has caused a raging battle within us from day one—personally and as members of the human race (see Genesis 3:1-4). No matter how often we’re told God is good, our souls whisper questions, especially in times of crisis and pain. Will he really be that good to us?

According to David, throughout a far more challenging time than most of us will ever experience, the answer is yes.

When you pray, do you see yourself sitting at the negotiating table across from God, pleading with him to intervene in your life? Or are you sitting on the same side next to God, facing the circumstances of your life together? Do you feel as if you have to twist his arm for your dreams and desires to be fulfilled, or are they seeds he has planted in your heart with the full intention of growing them to maturity and fruitfulness? The battle concerning his goodness plays out here, deep inside, and only experience with him will convince us. In every situation, we are urged to “taste and see.”