Psalm 34:8-14 O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusts in him.… I. THE FACT ALLUDED TO IN THE TEXT. We minify the atonement when we consider it merely as one, perhaps the best, of several possible plans of salvation. There is no other way, no other name by which God can save, even if the nature and character of the sinner admitted of others. This plan and this name are rooted and grounded in the nature of God. "Mercy and Truth," or Justice, "have met together"; "Righteousness," or Justice, and "Peace," or Pardon, "have kissed each other." II. THE DOCTRINE OF THE TEXT. "Taste and see." Religion is a blessed, blissful, glorious experience. It casts out fear, drives away doubt, and sweetens the whole of human life. Religion is love, and love is an experience of the mind, heart, and soul. We love a father, husband, wife, parent, and a child, and we know it. We know it by experience — by the witness of the human spirit. Love to God is lodged in human experience, in human consciousness, just where all other loves are lodged, and we may know that we love God just as readily as we know that we love our parents. We have but one witness to the fact of all human loves; but to the fact of Divine love we have two witnesses — our own spirit and the Spirit of God. This makes assurance doubly sure. Our spirit says we love God, and God's Spirit in ours says we love Him. III. THE EXHORTATION which is implied in the interjection "O!" Ye hungry, poor, here is bounty and richness, without money and without price. Here is a sight that is satisfying, and a taste that fills the soul with infinite fulness. It is the only goodness worthy of the name; the perfection of goodness. Ye who are trying to find God in Nature, O come here, and learn Him as He is seen in grace, and then Nature will not be so intricate as it now seems to be. O, ye doubting Christianity, whose lives are full of sorrow and darkness, come out into the light and enjoy the fulness of blessing; even the direct witness of the Holy Ghost. (R. G. Porter.) Parallel Verses KJV: O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.WEB: Oh taste and see that Yahweh is good. Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him. |
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