Taste and See - the Lord is Good!

Psalm 34

I have always loved this psalm, but today as I did some 'Bible-study research' on it, I learned some new things.  And, while I still love it, I am seeing it through fresh eyes - thanks be to God that His word is new every day.

Did you know that David wrote Psalm 34 after he faked being insane in order to escape from evil King Abimelech?  I Samuel 21;10-15.  So, let me get this straight:  David is fleeing from the wrath of King Saul, who wants to kill him.  This other king, Abimelech or Ashich - apparently he went by different names - also hates David.  So in this king's presence, David pretends to be insane - foams at the mouth and makes incomprehensible marks on the city's gates. The king sends him away in disgust.

And then he writes Psalm 34, including verses like this:

Glorify the LORD with me, let us exalt his name together.  (v. 3)
I sought the LORD, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears (v. 4).

He doesn't pat himself on the back and say, nice acting job, David - Ashich fell for your ruse.  Instead, he  gives all the glory and all the credit to the Lord.

David was afraid of King Ashich.  Samuel doesn't tell us that he called on the Lord in the midst of his fear, but we can assume that he did as we read through Psalm 34.  He calls on his followers to praise God as well:

Taste and see that the Lord is good, blessed is the man who takes refuge in him (v. 8).

God is good.  David knew that firsthand.  He delivered David from his enemy.

What are you afraid of?  Do you think God can help?  Or is your God too small?  Count the ways he has delivered you in the past.  Thank him for his goodness.  And be bold - your God wants you to taste and see that He is good!

Lord, it's after Thanksgiving.  The turkey is eaten, the relatives have dispersed.  Life will soon be back to 'normal.'  Help me to face my fears, and to count on you to deliver me from all my fears.  Amen

Prayer is Whispering -

Psalm 34:4 (NIV)
 I sought the LORD, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears. 

This is one of my favorite Psalms, although it is impossible to choose a favorite, there are a couple that seem to speak to my heart, that meet me where I am.  Because 'where I am' changes, the Psalms which speak loudest to me change as well.  Today this one is whispering in my ear words of assurance, words of comfort and peace.

Verse 4 is interesting today because of one word I just noticed as I read.  I sought the LORD, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears. When praying to God I often list my fear-of-the-day, that one thing that was still on my mind as I closed my eyes the night before and was first to pop into my head in the morning. This line in Psalms covers that fear, but if you see what I see, he has addressed all my fears. Isn't that curious?

God always goes the extra mile.  He know everything about us, not only what stops us from moving forward today and paralyzed us yesterday, He sees tomorrows crippling worries, and prepares us to deal with them too.  This is the Only God for me.  The god of money or of fame, the god of my obsessive desires all pale in comparison to the God of Abraham, the God of David.

Psalm 34, 35, 36