Final thoughts on Psalm 34:8-10
Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him! Oh, fear the Lord, you His saints! There is no want to those who fear Him. The young lions lack and suffer hunger; But those who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing. NKJV
These verses are a wonderful reminder of God’s sufficiency. Though I may feel empty, lonely, or even discontent at times, the declaration of God is that I lack nothing good. If even the mightiest of God’s creation (the young lions) cannot find fulfillment in their own strength, why do I think that I can manipulate situations to achieve my own ends? What a statement of God’s sufficiency! Though even the most majestic and powerful of the animal kingdom cannot provide for themselves, the omnipotent God is able to provide abundantly for His dependent and needy children.
Notice that there are three actions I must take to enjoy this all-sufficient goodness.
First, I must be trusting in God (v. 8). This means that I must rely on Him alone. I cannot truthfully say that I am trusting God while I am looking anywhere else for fulfillment, protection, or safety. God alone is my Deliverer and Refuge.
Second, I must fear God (v. 9). I must have an awe-inspiring reverence for who He is. All too often we approach God flippantly with no recognition of His holy hatred for sin and His omniscient eyes. We easily forget that our God is a holy consuming fire. To fear God means that we always live in the realization that God is watching us, which results in a disdain for sin and a delight in living for God. To those who fear God, His Word promises they will lack nothing. What a promise!
Finally, I must seek God (v. 10). If I am to “taste and see God” that presupposes that I am close enough to Him behold Him, and can draw close enough to actually reach out and taste Him. Far too often in our lives we are content to go hungry just outside the doors of God’s banquet hall. A.W. Tozer exposed this tragedy when he wrote, “The world is perishing for lack of the knowledge of God, and Church is famishing for want of His Presence.” Tragically, we are happy to occasionally catch a glimpse of His glory or snatch the odd crumb that falls from His table, when He invites us to seek and see and taste Him.
In the banquet hall of God’s goodness it is a satanic lie to believe that He has withheld any good thing from our lives. We need only to partake of His goodness. We need to realize that He will give us the absolute best.
The past need not bring despair nor the future bring worry, for the same God that is my portion today will be my portion forever. O taste and see that the LORD is good. That is a challenge. Put God to the test. He will not disappoint. Sam Sinclair
Bethel Bible Church Hawaii 