What does Psalm 34:8 mean?
Once again, the book of Psalms provides a poetic phrase used often in Christian literature and songs. The expression "taste and see that the LORD is good" combines several ideas. To "taste" means something more than a fleeting relationship. It means to feed on the Lord—to accept His truth deep into one's self (John 6:53)—which involves reading the written Word of God voraciously and mulling over it as part of our discipleship. To truly know God, we need to absorb His message as if we were eating it (Revelation 10:2–10).When the Lord commissioned Joshua to lead the Hebrews into Canaan, He instructed him to meditate day and night on His Word (Joshua 1:8). Everyone who seriously studies and applies God's Word learns firsthand that the Lord is good, and he also finds the Lord is an available and reliable stronghold. Further, the person who tastes and sees that the Lord is good finds blessing: true happiness. Jesus promised: "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied" (Matthew 5:6).
