“O taste and see that the LORD is good; How blessed is the man who takes refuge{Trusts} in Him!”-{Psalm 34:8}
Unhappy people are, well, err,…unhappy!
Psalm 34:8 shows- How to be HAPPY IN your circumstances though perhaps not happy WITH your circumstances!
Note the word “blessed “in Psalm 34:8. It Is the Hebrew word “esher,” Which means “ blessedness, Happiness!” It speaks of being HAPPY!
We may not be happy WITH our Circumstances But we can be Happy IN our Circumstances!
David in times of fear and troubles cried out to Him {v4,6} and found Him to be caring and powerful to deliver him and this is how he has tasted – experienced and seen the LORD is good…. Not in a general way but in a personal, specific way to him! He experienced the LORD’S goodness in his circumstances!
The word “Taste” as used here means “to try the FLAVOR of anything” like taking a bite of something to FIND OUT FOR CERTAIN What it is like! The idea here is “testing by experience.”
David has “tasted” by experience and seen the LORD is good, and put his “trust” in Him. The Hebrew word,”shasah” translated “takes refuge,” is also translated “trust” as used here. It means “to Flee for protection,” and “to confide, hope in.” And to those who run to the LORD for protection and confide in Him, David says they are “Blessed…HAPPY” people!
Oh, the happiness’s of those who run and take refuge, put their trust and confide in Him!
What is missing in our times of fear and troubles at times? Often it is we forger or choose to divert where and whom, or what we run to and confide in! Let me give you a practical example, fears or troubles arise and at times we run to food, or tv, and confide in it for comfort and to calm us rather than the LORD and though we may experience temporary relief or diversion of our thoughts we are not Happy, satisfied, secure!
We are like a train whose wheels run’s off the safety of the two tracks that kept it on course and crashes! It is out of its “orbit!” when it leaves the tracks! Our “track “is to trust Him as our “refuge,” by running to Him for protection of our emotional well-being, our hearts, or whole being as our security and safety, and confide in Him. These are the two tracks that will keep us Happy IN our circumstances though not happy WITH our circumstances.
And as we run to Him and Confide in Him, which here is the meaning of “trust!” having tasted His goodness we will be happy people! David had run to Him and confided in Him and He delivered him out from, “all his fears” –{v4} and “all his troubles”-{v6}. As a result he had experimentally tasted and seen the Goodness of the LORD and as a result of trusting Him David proclaims to others “Taste and See that the LORD is good!” And continues on with those who do, that they are “Blessed” by the LORD,… they are HAPPY People!
Psalm 34:8 shows- How to be HAPPY IN your circumstances though perhaps not happy WITH your circumstances!
Run to the LORD and Confide in Him!