THE GOODNESS OF GOD

PSALMS 34:8

A. "O TASTE AND SEE THAT THE LORD IS GOOD; BLESSED IS THE MAN THAT TRUSTETH IN HIM."
  1. The discovery of the goodness of God:
    1. Is based upon actual experience
    2. Theory about the goodness of God will not suffice to dwell upon His goodness
  2. The Psalmist's invitation:
    1. Is practical because it is based upon personal experience
    2. It affects out personal taste; it appeals to our very experience B. THE APPROACH OF GOD
  3. The Psalmist invites us to put God to the most practical test; - "O taste and see"
    1. Of our five senses taste is the most homely
    2. Of our five senses taste is the most personal; for what we see, and hear, and smell and touch, we share with others; but in a peculiar sense the taste is our own
    3. Said Job, "Cannot my taste discern perverse things?" - Job 6:30
  4. Meaning of the word 'taste'
    1. To taste is to try the relish of anything by the tongue - Job 32:3
    2. Figuratively, to taste is to prove - Ps. 34:8
    3. To taste is to eat a little - I Sam. 14:20-30
  5. The secret of goodness can be found only by personal experience:
    1. Men know what sin is by experience; Examples: Judas learned from experience the terribleness of sin - Matt. 27:1-5; Samson, too learned from personal experience the meaning of sin - Judge. 16:20
    2. This is a mode of proof available to every man, without distinction or exception
    3. It requires neither learning nor logic to conduct it. The appeal is simply this, "Taste and see", trust in the Lord and thou shalt be blessed
    4. "Whosoever will let him take of the water of life freely" - Rev. 22:17
  6. The test must be applied under certain conditions
    1. "Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile"
    2. "Seek peace and purse it" C. THE DISCOVERY OF THE GOODNESS OF GOD, AND THE SATISFACTION IT BRINGS
  7. The soul that tastes makes a discovery:
    1. It finds that God is good; Examples: Peter discovered how good the Lord is from personal experience - Luke 5:8. Nathanael, too, found out from his personal experience how good the Lord is - John 1:48-49. So did the woman that was healed by her personal touch - Matt. 9:21-22
    2. The hope of the world lies in its vision and taste of the goodness of God in the person of His Son Jesus. That is the reason that Christ devoted most of His ministry to healing the sick - Matt. 11:5-6; Acts 10:38
    3. Goodness obtainable through faith in Jesus interwoven with personal experience - Examples: Saul of Tarsus - Acts 9:1-20; Zacchaeus too, learned to believe in Jesus Luke 19:1-9. The blind man that had received his sight believed in Jesus through personal experience - John 9:1-38
  8. Satisfaction of tasting:
    1. It removes all doubt from the mind of the one who tastes the goodness of the Lord
    2. Said Job, "I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear; but now mine eye seeth thee:" Job 42:5-6
    3. Said the Samaritans "Now we believe, not because of the saying; for we have heard Him ourselves, and know this is indeed the Christ the Saviour of the world" John 4:42
    4. He who has tasted the goodness of God and has learned the secret of happiness will seek to share it with others, "Come and taste how good the Lord is" - Examples: Philip findeth Nathanael and saith unto him, we have found him of whom Moses, in the law and the prophets did write" - saith unto him, we have found the Messiah" John 1:40-42
  9. The goodness of God:
    1. Must be tasted to be appreciated
    2. To continue to enjoy the taste of the goodness of God, we must share it with others


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