TASTE AND SEE THAT THE LORD IS GOOD

(8-minute read)

David was running for his life, away from a jealous king who wanted to make him disappear from people’s praises and their perception of military leadership. The narcissistic King Saul would not allow himself to be upstaged by anyone – even those loyal to him.

Scripture reveals that “David left Gath and escaped to the cave of Adullam. … All those who were in distress or in debt or discontented gathered around him, and he became their commander. About four hundred men were with him.” (1 Samuel 22:1-2). Imagine you are running for refuge and end up with people who are down-and-out with more problems than you, and who are more dysfunctional than the king you are running away from!

Oops! Wrong cave. How is a place occupied by 400 disgruntled and disenfranchised men the right address? An idyllic destination would be a cave built for a tranquil solo retreat set in lush mountains, with the presence of a Jonathan-type friend as a source of comfort. (Read about their friendship 1 Samuel 18:1-3). 

But instead, David turned that over-crowded refuge into a safe house for his own spiritual retreat and a place of temporary rest for his men. He instinctively knew that as long as he could find reprieve from the constant threat of danger to his life, he could find shelter in the shadow of the Almighty (Psalm 91:1).

During this time, David penned his vulnerabilities in a Psalm. Surrounded by helpless men in hopeless realities, it was his prophetic counter-narrative. 

We can often tell the difference between someone who simply talks profusely about God versus someone whose life overflows with stories about him through the thick and thin of their lived realities. The prayers and reflections that David penned in the most dire times of his life have now become a source of timeless encouragement and hope for believers today.

In this episode of fleeing King Saul’s relentless pursuit, David came to this unusual conclusion: “Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.” (Psalm 34:8) 

Refuge describes a place of escape from present and imminent danger. Yet, David finds blessedness in taking refuge in God. What he was not saying was that it was more blessed to be free of risks or threat of harm in the first place. He also did not spend any time talking about effective conflict management techniques, his emotional resilience, his ability to see the glass half full and to thrive under extreme pressure. In fact, when his world fell apart, he could not draw on any of his inner resources to help him navigate and overcome his challenges.

So what could we glean from David’s conclusion about experiencing God’s goodness when he sought refuge in Him? Let’s dive into Psalm 34:1-10.

TRUST THE LORD FULLY

Verse 8b …blessed is the one who takes refuge in Him. 

David’s idea of a shelter was not a cave, or joining 400 men to form an echo chamber against social injustice and the power blocs. Once withdrawn from predatory danger, he shifted his focus to the One whom he fully trusted. 

To trust God does not mean to live in denial of the gravity of the situations we face. It does not mean we downplay the human propensity for ambition and power. It does not mean we deemphasize our own hurts and desperation. That would only make us out of touch with ourselves and with reality.

To trust God is to draw strength in His ability to protect, defend, and deliver us from harm in spite of the risks. Isaiah 43:2 recorded this promise of God, “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.” Those who trust God will grow up in what they go through with Him. 

Some believers have a way of manifesting spiritual pride by consciously removing all expressions of human vulnerability and situational realities from their thinking and speech, arguing that to trust God, they have to maintain a positive outlook. Such perspective is unbiblical, self-defeating and at odds with the real human experience of life. Those who live in denial stay stuck. 

On the other hand, Jeremiah 17:7-8 tells us, “But blessed is the one who trust in the Lord, whose confidence is in Him….it does not fear when heat comes, its leaves are always green….”. 

Metaphorically and physically, both water and fire pose real risks of harm and danger. Talking about them does not mean we trust God less. Whether we drown in conflict, or are seared by the forces of conflict depends on who we approach the conflict with. There is conflict in the family, in the workplace, in the church, and in every arena where humans exist. David was seeking refuge in God when he was experiencing one of the most severe conflict in his life with King Saul. He did not beat himself up for having to run away from King Saul. He was a bad and mad king after all! 

Do you believe that when nothing makes sense, when problems only seem to escalate in frequency and intensity, when we seem to have reached our capacity to cope, when there is no evidence that things are changing, it is the perfect time to trust that God still cares and He has your back, that He still sees what’s happening, He still feels your anguish, and He is doing something on your behalf beyond what you can see. 

In humility, David admitted, “This poor man called, and the Lord heard Him; He saved him out of all his troubles.” (Psalm 34:6).

Whatever you are going through right now, (this is not positive thinking), put yourself in David’s shoes and declare, “I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” “ (Psalm 91:2). 

HAVE THE FEAR OF THE LORD

“The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him, and He delivers them… Fear the Lord, you His holy people, for those who fear Him lack nothing.” (Psalm 34:7, 9).

Holy fear is about a fearlessness towards adversities and setbacks. Fearless people have indomitable courage, unquenchable hope and immovable faith in God. Their respect for God’s greatness and might defies logic because they stand resolute with the One whose supernatural power can overcome all natural hardships.

Do not fear lack and stop being generous. Do not fear failure and stop learning. Do not fear looking foolish when you stand alone on the Word of God. Do not even fear that nothing will ever change because nothing that you can see has changed. Ungodly fears can cause us to lose appetite, lose sleep and even lose the desire to live.

Those who are committed to the fear of God grows in humility and their desire to walk in obedience to the commands of God and to please Him alone. Their actions defy all expectations. They represent God on a different level as responsible individuals, parents, workers and citizens. They are empowered by their fear of God to love better, live better, think better and respond better. 

1 Peter 2:1-3 reminds us that there is no grown-up believers, only growing believers. “Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your  salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.” 

Hebrews 6:4-6 also warns us that the lack of the fear of God breeds spiritual pride. “It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age and who have fallenaway, to be brought back to repentance.”

SEEK THE LORD AT ALL TIMES

When we are trying hard to connect with God, we can sound like we are talking to ourselves, teaching ourselves and telling ourselves what to do when. Just look at the Psalm that David penned. 

“I sought the Lord and He answered me, He delivered me from all my fears.” (Psalm 34:4). At the same time, he is articulating the counsel of the Spirit of God, “The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.” (Psalm 34:10). Most of us would probably think that David wrote Psalm 34 to pass on valuable life lessons to others. But on closer look, it is actually written like a living memoir for himself to read.

The Psalm tells us that when we seek God, He responds. This is what we can expect. The answer that God provides is never just a stop gap, but a permanent, future-proof solution to our most complex issues. He has an operating system (OS) that is always updated to the times that we live in. 

We are often hoodwinked by our own persuasions and hidden self-serving motives. As followers of Jesus Christ, seeking the Lord is the only way to grow in our knowledge of Him.

However, the only thing that holds many of us back from seeking God is our self-reliance, especially those of us who do not have the habit of asking for help and support. Perhaps we have learnt from young not to be an additional burden to a family that was facing prolonged health or financial crisis. We learnt to get out of people’s way. But now that we are saved through Christ, we must learn to seek the Lord all the time. The reward is the Word of God bearing out in our everyday life as we submit to His guidance, instructions and corrections – which are ingredients as we taste and see the the Lord is always good to us.

This is a summary and reflection based on a virtual BIR Session held on 26 April 2025.