O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him. (Psalm 34:8 KJV)

What does it mean to taste and see that the Lord is good?  How can we do this today?

This verse is an example of the breathtaking usage of figurative language in the Bible. Often, we become accustomed to seeing this figurative language and therefore miss the depths of meaning hidden in them.

Did you notice the two words “taste” and “see” are used in the figurative sense? Both are verbs for the natural senses.  We normally taste food and see things. I want you to remember the last time you tasted some really good food and then nodded your head in acknowledgment that the food was good—you tasted and discovered for yourself that the food was good!

The Psalmist applies this common real-life scenario to God as if He were delicious food or dessert.  First, the Psalmist urges us to taste God. After tasting God, as we would food, he encourages us to see or discover for ourselves that God is good!

This passage reveals an extremely common figurative use of the bodily senses to describe spiritual activities in the Bible. The Scriptures often use our bodily senses to describe our experience of the spiritual.  As human beings, we experience life on earth through our senses. For example, we experience the joys of our favorite food through the sense of taste; we partake of that food.

So to taste God is to experience His goodness. For instance, your sins have been forgiven in Christ. That experience of freedom, joy, and fulfillment is tasting God’s grace in Christ! God wants you to taste Him in every aspect of your life and see that He is, indeed, good! 

Meditate

With the understanding above, what does “tasted the good word of God” mean in Hebrews 6:5?

Apply the Word

God wants you to taste and see that He is good in every aspect of your life. The cornerstone of experiencing God’s goodness is believing or trusting Him.  Long for and expect to taste God’s goodness in the land of the living (Ps 27:13).

Pray

Ask the Father to help you experience His goodness.

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