Taste and See That the Lord Is Good

This article is adapted from a message preached on December 28th, 2025. Watch the full sermon on YouTube.

An earnest gospel appeal drawn from Psalm 34:8, calling hearers to personally discover the goodness of God through trusting Christ.

An appeal, not a lecture

Psalm 34, verse 8 reads:

“Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!” Psalm 34:8, NKJV

This is an appeal—not a lecture in theology. It is an appeal to hear the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and to understand how a person can have peace with God. It is not an appeal for money or church membership. It is the same appeal David made thousands of years ago: “Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good.”

David urges people not merely to hear about God, but to discover for themselves that the Lord is good. Many may have heard the gospel before, understood it intellectually, or listened to it repeatedly—yet never personally “tasted.” The appeal is simple and direct: discover for yourself that the Lord is good.

Why David made this appeal

David made this appeal out of personal experience. He desperately needed the Lord’s goodness. King Saul was seeking his life. Betrayal surrounded him. Enemies were closing in. Backed into a corner, David cried out to the only One who could rescue him.

His testimony is given in a single sentence:“This poor man cried out, and the Lord heard him, And saved him out of all his troubles.” Psalm 34:6

That is the testimony of every person who has been saved. Having been rescued, protected, and blessed by God, David now calls others to share in that same experience. So he pleads: “Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good.”

“Oh” — a word of entreaty

The expression “Oh” is more than an introduction. It is a word of pleading—an entreaty. It carries the sense of urging someone to try something for themselves.

The appeal goes beyond listening and understanding. It goes beyond watching and observing. To “taste” means to partake personally. No one else can do it for you. Salvation is individual and personal.

God does not force salvation. Humanity willingly departed from Him, and God, in grace, opens a way of return. The same free will that allowed rebellion is now addressed by this invitation: “Taste and see.”

The object of the invitation: the Lord

The psalmist does not direct people to sample everything the world offers. Many things appear sweet but prove corrupt and disappointing. The world promises satisfaction but delivers regret.

Instead, the invitation is specific: “Taste and see that the Lord is good.” The Lord Himself is the object. David assumes the Lord’s existence. He saw His hand in creation and providence. The One who governs the vastness of the universe also deals with the small, the broken, and the needy—and He is willing to receive sinners.

Do not look within—look to Christ

Looking inward leads only to despair. Honest introspection reveals sin, failure, and condemnation. “In Adam all die” 1 Corinthians 15:22.

The gospel does not call sinners to save themselves through self-examination. It turns them outward—to Christ. The appeal is not to measure oneself, but to look to the One who can save. “Taste and see that the Lord is good.”

How the Lord proved His goodness

The goodness of the Lord is seen most clearly in forgiveness. Though people have rebelled against Him and taken His gifts for granted, He is ready to forgive.

Yet this offer came at great cost. For sinners to taste, He first had to taste.“He… tasted death for everyone.” Hebrews 2:9, NKJV

Why did Jesus die on the cross?

Jesus gave Himself willingly to rescue us from what we could not escape.

God's way of rescue

The Lord Jesus Christ bore sin in His own body on the tree. He allowed Himself to be nailed to the cross. He was lifted up, gave Himself, bowed His head in death, and was buried. God looked upon that holy sacrifice and declared it sufficient. Salvation rests entirely on the finished work of Christ—not on the sinner.

What it means to “taste”

If the metaphor seems unclear, the verse explains it plainly:“Blessed is the man who trusts in Him.” Psalm 34:8, NKJV

You taste by trusting. Trusting means taking God at His word—relying fully on what He has said. God is satisfied with the work of His Son. Christ has been raised, exalted, and seated at the Father’s right hand. Everything necessary for salvation has been accomplished.

Now the call is simple: trust Him.

As Paul could say, “The Son of God… loved me and gave Himself for me.” Galatians 2:20

The appeal remains

God’s promises are not merely to be analyzed; they are to be received. The invitation still stands: “Taste and see that the Lord is good.” Blessed is the person who trusts in Him.