Taste and See that The Lord is Good
In 1897, Adolph S. Ochs, the owner of the New York Times, adopted for his paper the motto, “All the news that’s fit to print”. It was a declaration of his intention to maintain high standards of journalism, as well as to hold to good taste and integrity in the advertising he would permit in the paper. The motto still appears on the paper’s masthead. It was a noble intention, but it seems impossible to live up to given the messy realities of this world. We can often wonder if the news is indeed fit to print. The world is such a mess and the realities on the ground are often so grimy and unpleasant. Where can a person find something to read about that is truly wholesome, truly good these days? Psalm 34 invites us to open God’s Word and explore the goodness of God Himself: “Taste and see that the Lord is good…”
Perhaps your “tastebuds” have grown dull to that which is wholesome and good. Perhaps you have tasted that which is painful or cynical or dysfunctional or downright evil, and you find yourself thirsty or hungry for something truly good. In the words of Psalm 42, ”As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God….My tears have been my food day and night…“ You might be wondering if God is really good all the time? The trials of this life may have left you bruised and scared to trust God with your tender heart. But if you “sink your teeth” into the sweet truths of Scripture, you will indeed taste and see that the Lord is good. As Psalm 119:68 exclaims, “The Lord is good and does good.”
First, God is good in all that He is. When it comes to the Lord, we are dealing with a benchmark of goodness that is entirely unique. In Mark 10, the rich young man approached Jesus with the intriguing question, “’Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Notice that Jesus picks up on the word “good” and asks the young ruler a question: “Why do you call me good?”…“No one is good – except God alone.” (Mark 10:18). God alone is truly good; He is uniquely good. All other goodness to be found anywhere in the universe is but a reflection – often a pale reflection – of the goodness of God himself. God is always good, entirely good, and uncompromisingly good in every way. The pure goodness of God is a discovery and a truth that the Bible writers delight in and rejoice over. A number of Psalms – 106, 107 and 136 – all begin with these words: “Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good. His love endures forever.”
Second, God is good in all that He says. God’s law (His Word) – like God Himself – is trustworthy, true, good, and pure. It is entirely wholesome. And in a world where so much of what we see, hear, and consume is full of the rotten effects of the Fall, God’s Word comes to us as though from another world. It is refreshingly good. Psalm 119 extols the goodness of all that God says. Verse 75 declares, “…your laws are righteous.” Verse 86 exclaims, “All your commands are trustworthy…” And verse 103 states, “How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!!” Now, of course, one can conclude that honey is honey because it is golden, has a certain viscosity, and has bits of comb in it. But there is a superior way to know: put a drop on your tongue, and you’ll see that knowing about honey involves much more than understanding facts about it. To truly know honey is to taste and see that it is sweet, delicious, and delightful. Likewise, to truly know that God is good, one must know more than sheer facts about Him. Even the devil knows the fact that God is good. We must allow His goodness to permeate our hearts and lives. Then, we will be able to trust and rely upon the ruth that God is always, only, and entirely sweet, delightful, and lovely—even in the storms of life.
Third, God is good in all that He does. Jesus once taught that a good tree cannot produce bad fruit. This is true with people, and it is likewise true with God: if the Lord is truly good (and we know that He is), then the works that He produces will be entirely good. We see God’s goodness in the creation itself. God, of course, is the creator and originator of the universe – of the world itself. And right from the beginning He affirms the sheer goodness of what he has made. The refrain throughout Genesis 1 at the end of each day of creation is simply this: “And God saw that it was good…” God’s goodness is shown not only in the things that He has made, but in the way in which he cares for His creatures. Psalm 145: 8: “The LORD is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love. The LORD is good to all; He has compassion on all He has made..” The Lord shows his kindness and compassion – His sheer goodness – in the care of his creatures. We ourselves are His creatures, and every good thing we have and experience comes from the hand of God. As James 1:17 states, “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights…”
God is good to all His creatures. But He is good in a special way to His saved people – His covenant people – His children. Lamentations 3:25 states, “The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him…” The Old Testament people of God saw His special goodness to them. But God’s goodness is most fully displayed as we come to the New Testament and understand what God has done for His people in sending His Son to die as a sin offering. This level of goodness is astounding! Charles Wesley expresses well the almost incomprehensible goodness of God that is evident in Christ crucified: “And can it be that I should gain an interest in the Savior’s blood? Died He for me, who caused His pain? For me, who Him to death pursued? Amazing love! How can it be that Thou, my God, should die for me?” How should we respond to such goodness? Romans 2:4 explains that “the goodness of God leads you to repentance?” Have you confessed your sins to Christ lately? Turn to Him today and experience firsthand the goodness of His forgiveness, mercy, and love. Then, seek to live a life that “tastes good” to those around you. As William Tyndale once explained, “God’s goodness is the root of all goodness; and our goodness, if we have any, springs out of His goodness.” Lastly, find opportunity today to lift your hands in worship and gratitude. As 1 Chronicles 16:34 encourages: “Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.”