What does it mean to taste and see that the Lord is good in Psalm 34:8?

Then he appeals to men to make the experiment for themselves: let them taste and see that Jehovah is good; for happy is the man (gebher, the strong man, — evidently finding his strength in this) that takes refuge in Him. And then His saints are exhorted to His fear: there is no want to them that fear Him. Finally this is affirmed in the fullest way with regard to those who seek Him; the number showing, no doubt, their "mastery" of circumstances, as the parallel, too, implies: for the lions might seem, amid the lesser animals by which they are surrounded, to be masters if any are. Yet they might lack; but not the man who seeks Jehovah.

And now you have a call. "Oh taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusts in him" (Ps. 34:8). The Hebrew word for man here is very striking. It is the mighty man. It is not the word expressing a poor weak man. No, it is a mighty man. And what is the secret of his might. He trusts in God. He has all his springs in God. You will find there are three things here. There is fearing the Lord, trusting the Lord, and seeking the Lord. In the eighth verse it is, "Blessed is the man that trusts in him." In the ninth verse, "There is no want to them that fear him." And in the tenth verse, "They that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing." This is a moral set of holy principles that keep the heart always blessedly in touch with God. The soul, exhorted to taste what the goodness of the Lord is, will taste it if these principles are active.

When David returned ignominiously from the land of the Philistines where he had unwisely sought refuge from Saul (1 Sam. 21:10-15), he wrote Psalm 34, possibly in the seclusion of the cave of Adullam where he recovered faith in his God. In this song of praise, he commemorates his deliverance and extols the graciousness of Jehovah to the needy and the afflicted, calling upon all those who were in distress and in debt (see 1 Sam. 22:2) to prove Him for themselves. David says, "Taste and see that Jehovah is good: blessed is the man that trusts in Him! Fear Jehovah, ye His saints; for there is no want to them that fear Him. The young lions are in need and suffer hunger; but they that seek Jehovah shall not want any good" (Ps. 34:8-10).

Psalm 34 was composed “when [David] changed his behavior before Abimelech, who drove him away, and he departed.” This psalm celebrates the Lord's tender care of the believer under trial and expresses David's confidence, flowing out of the fact that in his affliction, God had taken his cause in hand. This man of God in seeking help from Achish had had only a broken reed in hand. Now, instructed by God, he can say: “I sought Jehovah, and He answered me, and delivered me from all my fears” (v. 4). “This afflicted one called, and Jehovah heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles” (v. 6). He had learned the lesson that God was teaching him through His discipline. The experience he had just had enabled him to encourage others: “Taste and see that Jehovah is good: blessed is the man that trusts in him!” (v. 8).

(Verses 8-10). Having experienced the goodness of the Lord the Psalmist calls his brethren to "taste and see that the Lord is good," and thus realise the blessedness of the man that trusts in the Lord, and walks in His fear. Such will find, in a world like this, that they may have many needs, but they will not want. The Psalmist had sought the Lord and had been blest; now he can say to others, "they that seek the Lord shall not want any good."

(vv. 8-10) Having learned what an intimate friend he has found in the midst of his trials, and thus gained an experimental acquaintance with the Lord, he is able to call upon others to taste and see that the Lord is good, to “fear the Lord” and “seek the Lord” and thus find that those who make the Lord their resource, will not “want any good.”

Christ teaches the heart. Others may teach the ear, Christ the heart. "Whose heart the Lord opened" (Acts 16:14). All that the dispensers of the word can do is but to work knowledge, Christ works grace: they can but give the light of the truth; Christ gives the love of the truth; they can only teach what to believe, Christ teaches how to believe. Christ gives us a taste of the word. Ministers may set the food of the word before you, and carve it out to you; but it is only Christ can cause you to taste it. "If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious," (1 Peter 2:3). "Taste and see that the Lord is good" (Ps. 34:8). It is one thing to hear a truth preached, another thing to taste it. David had got a taste of the word. "Thou hast taught me: how sweet are Thy words to my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth" (Ps. 119:102-103).

Verse 3 furnishes a weighty proviso: "if indeed ye tasted that the Lord is good." It is a reference evidently to Ps. 34 (33) 8 where there is a most touching call from the inspired writer that others might share his joy in Jehovah. "O taste and see that Jehovah is good; blessed is the man that trusteth in Him." Here it is to the Christian so much the sweeter, in that the apostle identifies the Lord Jesus with Jehovah, as it is the truth. To have proved it for and in our inmost soul is the condition of growth in the word; but it is a condition that is assuredly verified in all who believe on Him. Yes, they can and do say in their hearts, that the Lord is good. They have tasted it in the word all through.

Knowing thus the perfect protection and care of the Lord, David invites others to find this out for themselves, "Oh taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who trusts in Him" (v. 8). It is sadly true that there are some who taste and yet go no further to drink in the precious word of God (Heb. 6:4-8). But these are those who have cultivated a taste for corruption, and cannot discern how superior is the goodness of the Lord above the corruption of the flesh. They deliberately choose evil rather than good.

Then the king jumped to a conclusion: "They have gone out of the camp to hide themselves in the field," said he; "and when we come out of the city they will catch us alive and get into the city." Which meant: "It's too good to be true." But one of his servants was a wise man, and proposed that at least they might send and see. "Let some take, I pray thee, five of the horses that remain in the city, and let us send and see." No one could question the wisdom of the proposal, and I would take it up and press it upon those who have doubts in their minds as to the blessedness of knowing the Lord. I would take up David's words and say, "O taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man that trusts in Him." "The proof of the pudding is in the eating." And those who have tasted say with united voice, "The Lord is gracious."