Psalm Meditation 928
Easter
April 1, 2018

Psalm 34
1 I will bless the LORD at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
2 My soul makes its boast in the LORD; let the humble hear and be glad.
3 O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together.
4 I sought the LORD, and he answered me, and delivered me from all my fears.
5 Look to him, and be radiant; so your faces shall never be ashamed.
6 This poor soul cried, and was heard by the LORD, and was saved from every trouble.
7 The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them.
8 O taste and see that the LORD is good; happy are those who take refuge in him.
9 O fear the LORD, you his holy ones, for those who fear him have no want.
10 The young lions suffer want and hunger, but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.
11 Come, O children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD.
12 Which of you desires life, and covets many days to enjoy good?
13 Keep your tongue from evil, and your lips from speaking deceit.
14 Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.
15 The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their cry.
16 The face of the LORD is against evildoers, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.
17 When the righteous cry for help, the LORD hears, and rescues them from all their troubles.
18 The LORD is near to the brokenhearted, and saves the crushed in spirit.
19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD rescues them from them all.
20 He keeps all their bones; not one of them will be broken.
21 Evil brings death to the wicked, and those who hate the righteous will be condemned.
22 The LORD redeems the life of his servants; none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.
(NRSV)

When I was younger my mother and brothers would tell me to slow my pace while eating. They would ask if I even took time to taste my food and I thought that I did. I discovered eventually that I was eating way too fast and that I was not getting the full benefit of the food I was eating. When I am aware of my eating I find much more enjoyment in it than I do when I shovel it in as if I am in a race. This may be a part of why the instruction to taste and see that the LORD is good catches my attention.

There is a treat for the senses in the presence of God. There is a savor to being with God that delights the tongue in the way a favorite food impacts the taste receptors of the body. It is an indescribable and undeniable part of being with God. It is satisfying even as it creates a longing for more with each bite. With food there comes a point at which the body signals fullness and the eating stops. With God the taste draws us to want more since there is no sense of fullness as we ‘taste and see that the LORD is good.’

While we may be tempted to devour the presence of God, there is something to the advice my family gave me. Take the time to taste and savor the presence of God. Enjoy the various aspects of a delightful experience of taste that comes from being with God. Find comfort in God the way a comfort food gives a sense of love and belonging when we are most in need of that kind of comfort. “O taste and see that the LORD is good; happy are those who take refuge in him.”

March 26, 2018
LCM lcrsmanifold@att.net
http://psalmmeditations.blogspot.com/