Come! Taste and See!

 

Taste and see that the Lord is good …

—from Psalm 34:8

Has anyone ever invited you to come to his or her home at a particular time, so that he or she could share a tasty meal with you? Most likely you have had just such an experience. The hospitality of good food and good conversation really can’t be beat.

King David clearly recognized that the relationship he had with the God who had chosen David to be king was one that mirrored an experience of rich hospitality. Notice what David wrote in Psalm 34:8:

Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.

It is not beyond reason to say that God is our banquet. He has set a table before us and invites us to come to Him for rest, refreshment, and the very best hospitality available in all of the universe. He, who has created all things, invites us to come to His table and enjoy fellowship, along with protection and refuge.

As we begin each new day, we can do so knowing that we always have a place at God’s table. He waits to welcome us to come and sit with Him for a while. He gladly provides what we need and offers us the very best sustenance available.

 

_{Copyright © 2026 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Encamped Around

 

The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him …

—from Psalm 34:7

When you go to sleep at night, do you like to have the covers all pulled up around you? I do. It’s almost like a cocoon of warmth and protection. Most of us enjoy the feeling of security that a nice cozy blanket can provide, especially when it’s cooler during the night.

King David recognized that, in the depth of his misery and trouble, God had provided a covering around him that was even more secure than a warm blanket on a cold night. That covering of protection came from the presence of the angel of the Lord. Notice what David writes in Psalm 34:7:

The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them.

As followers of the Great King Jesus, we “Christ’s-ones” have that same strong protection surrounding us, as well. God puts His guarding angel in charge of us to keep us all the days of our lives. We can move forward each day, secure in the knowledge that we are divinely protected.

So, as we come to the start of this new day, let’s remember to give thanks to God for His divine protection. And also, let’s remember that we most certainly are under the guardianship of the God who loves us with His eternal love.

 

_{Copyright © 2026 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

The Call of a Poor Man

 

This poor man called, and the Lord heard …

—from Psalm 34:6

Have you ever felt so worthless that you believed if you were to ask someone for help they would refuse? I hope not. Yet, I know our world is filled with people who feel utterly useless, completely worthless, and absolutely hopeless.

We who follow Jesus have a particular responsibility to reach out to those who feel that they have no worth and no hope. We have a wellspring of value and hope because God has chosen us to belong to Himself through His precious Son, Jesus. Therefore, we are compelled to share with others what God has given us.

King David knew what it was to feel that everything he valued had been taken away from him. He believed there was no one who would help him, except for God. David knew that God would never reject him. That’s why David wrote these words found in Psalm 34:6:

This poor man called, and the Lord heard him; he saved him out of all his troubles.

As we begin a new day, let’s remember the lesson David teaches us in this verse of Psalm 34. God stands ready to help us. When we feel like no one knows and no one cares, God loves us, cares for us, and longs for us to ask Him to help us.

 

_{Copyright © 2026 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Radiant Faces

 

Those who look to him [God] are radiant …

—from Psalm 34:5

Can you spot someone who is feeling great joy? I imagine you can. There is just something about the way he or she looks. We often say that he or she appears radiant. Please let me offer two illustrations:

I remember my mother often telling my dad on our way home from church on Sunday that she thought such and such a mother was pregnant. “She’s just glowing,” my mom would say. And, she was usually right. In just a few weeks, the announcement of an impending birth would spread throughout the church.

New brides and grooms often have “that look” about them that says they’re feeling significant joy. Their smiles radiate the love that they feel for each other. In fact, that feeling of being deeply loved tends to affect how they relate to other people, as well.

It should come as no surprise that King David would use such a radiant image to describe the relationship that those chosen by God have with Him. Notice what David writes in Psalm 34:5:

Those who look to him [God] are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame.

A follower of Jesus can receive no greater a compliment than to hear someone say:

“When I look at you, I see Jesus.”

The radiance of Christ’s divine Presence within a believer is surely a mark of great joy. Therefore, as we begin a new day, let’s not be afraid to show the joy that dwells within us because God has chosen us to belong to Himself. We have every good reason to have radiant faces, filled with overflowing joy.

 

_{Copyright © 2026 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

He Always Answers Me

 

I sought the Lord, and he answered me …

—from Psalm 34:4

Did you ever ask someone a question and have them seemingly refuse to answer? Perhaps you asked your son or daughter to take out the trash. In response to your request you heard, well, nothing. You looked to see if your son or daughter had on earphones and was listening to music. No, no earphones. You looked to see if he or she was watching television and did not hear your request. No, the TV was muted for a commercial. So, you asked your question again. And, once again, you heard no response.

Your frustration level began to rise. The third time you asked your son or daughter to take out the trash, your voice likely rose with a tinge of anger. I’m not going to speculate on whether or not you received a response. It is just as likely that you didn’t get an answer than if you did. God is not at all like that. The Psalmist declares in Psalm 34:4:

I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears.

When we seek an answer from God, He always answers us. Now, we may not like the answer we receive. And, we may have to wait until God decides the timing is right to answer us. But, we always receive an answer.

“Wait a minute,” you say. “I’ve prayed and prayed and prayed about something and I don’t feel that God has ever answered me.”

But, don’t you see? God has seemingly remained silent, yet in a sense, He has answered you. By His silence, He is urging you to keep praying and to wait on His timing. As the days pass, you will find that God’s plan for your situation will unfold slowly and carefully right before your eyes.

Other times, the answer that God gives us may appear as exactly the opposite of the answer for which we hoped and desired. Nevertheless, God’s answer will ultimately always prove out as the best possible answer we could have received from Him. This is because He always has our best interest in mind.

As we begin a new day, let’s not hesitate to make our requests known to God. In His loving and caring way, He will always answer us with the right answer—the one we really need.

 

_{Copyright © 2026 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

A Call to Worship

 

Glorify the Lord with me …

—from Psalm 34:3

The church you attend may no longer have a formal “Call to Worship.” Instead, particularly if you attend a church that uses Contemporary Christian Music, you may have a praise song that calls the congregation to worship.

I happen to attend an Evangelical Presbyterian Church that, unlike many churches in that denomination, uses a semi-liturgical form of worship and more traditional church music. We begin each Worship Service with a responsive “Call to Worship” led by a Liturgist—usually the Minister of Music and Worship.

Often based on a Psalm, the “Call to Worship” consists of the Liturgist reading one line from the Psalm and the congregation reading the next line, back and forth, with the last line often consisting of the words: “Let us worship God!”

The Psalms are overflowing with words that can easily comprise a “Call to Worship.” One of those passages is found in Psalm 34:3:

Glorify the Lord with me; let us exalt his name together.

What a fitting way to begin a time of corporate worship. We invite each other to glorify the Lord and join together to exalt His name.

As we begin this new day, we can also call ourselves to a daily time of worship by reading appropriate Psalms. Then, we can spend a few moments telling God what we appreciate about Him. Such an effort on our part is time well spent at the beginning of each new day. We consciously place the focus of our lives back on God. We remind ourselves, and Him, how important He is to us. And, we reap the benefit of knowing that we have told Him how much we love and appreciate Him for exactly who He is in our lives.

 

_{Copyright © 2026 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Boasting in the Lord

 

What do you suppose the Psalmist means when he writes these words in Psalm 34:2:

My soul will boast in the Lord; let the afflicted hear and rejoice.

Said another way, what does it mean to “boast in the Lord”?

When we boast, we tell others how wonderful we are, what we’ve accomplished, or what other people think about us. When we boast in the Lord, we tell others how wonderful God is, what He has accomplished in our lives, and what other people we know think about Him. It’s really that simple.

The Psalmist indicates that because of all that God has done for him, he simply cannot help himself but to always take every opportunity to tell others about the gracious goodness of the Lord. The Psalmist literally boasts about how wonderful God is. And, as a result, all who hear these affirming words rejoice. For, if God has been so very good to the Psalmist, surely God will be very good to them, as well.

As we begin another new day, let’s take our cue from the Psalmist. Let’s determine to boast in the Lord. Let’s gently and tenderly tell others how good God has been to us. Let’s share the many times He has given us aid, direction, sustenance, and love. Surely those who hear our testimony of God’s greatness will rejoice.

 

_{Copyright © 2026 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}