O Come O Come Emmanuel

“Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.” Psalm 34:8

How many of you have ever experienced something like this? “Try it; you’ll like it.” Then, even if you respond that you’d rather not try it because you don’t really like it, the person comes back with, “Well, you’ve never had mine.”

“Tasting and seeing that the Lord is good” is something we often hear during this time of year. But what if you feel like what you are “tasting and seeing” isn’t particularly good? What if you are experiencing an empty seat at the table this year because of the passing of a loved one? What if you are experiencing a health complication? What if your financial outlook is bleak? (What else might you add to this list?)

It’s almost as if God is saying to us, “Try what I have to offer you instead.” David’s Psalm is one that invites us to discover the goodness of the Lord in the midst of whatever it is we are facing. In fact, David is celebrating that God has rescued him from his fears and troubles, and he is inviting us to give thanks for God’s salvation. No matter our context, we can give thanks for the ability to take refuge in God and to taste and see that God’s resurrecting, and restoring power is making all things new.

Psalm 34 is a song of gratitude we can all sing in every season of our lives because it is a reminder that God promises to bless His people. God will deliver, guard, supply, listen and redeem all who trust in His power to save. In fact, David’s joy is only a foretaste of the future redemption God will bring to all who trust in Him and call on Jesus Christ.