Often we take the blessings and goodness in life for granted. Like the air we breathe every moment, or like a mother's love that constantly gives selflessly, we take them for granted and forget to truly appreciate them. We are ungrateful because we think "it's supposed to be." But when the kindness is momentarily absent, we realize how valuable it is. It is the same with God's kindness. Without realizing it, we often take it for granted, such as being able to breathe normally without the help of medical devices, blessings that are sufficient for daily life, relationships that are maintained, and even feelings of calm and optimism in the midst of a crisis. Today's psalm invites us to pause, open our inner eyes, and taste with full awareness how good God is, even when life is not easy.

Psalm 34 is David's song of thanksgiving, written after he experienced deliverance from great danger. Verses 1-3 show how David begins with praise that is not a formality, but a personal response to God's rescue. It is an expression of gratitude born out of humility. More than that, the invitation "Glorify the LORD with me" is a call to experience restoration together. In the socio-religious context of Israel, when one comes out of crisis, thanksgiving and praise are not only a form of personal worship, but also a way to be accepted back into the community. Praise becomes a form of spiritual and social reconciliation. Verse 4 –6 highlights David's personal struggle: "I have sought the LORD, and he has answered me." The word "sought" (נבט –daras) in Hebrew can mean to seek God intensely, such as visiting the temple or crying out in sincere prayer. The result is not just an answer, but complete deliverance. Deliverance from fear, shame, and a sense of abandonment, and those who look to God will have a "radiant face". Those who see God will have their faces transformed by the presence of hope.

Thus, the verse "Taste and see how good the Lord is" is not just a poetic call, but an invitation to live our existence in a more fundamental way. "Taste and see" is a sensory act. The experience of God is not only theological or rational, but real and can be felt by our senses. So when the psalmist says "taste and see," he is inviting the people to experience God's goodness fully, with body, mind, and soul.

Friends of the Bible, in our fast-paced modern lives, we tend to lose sensitivity to God's presence. We live like "autopilot", busy, worried, running to and fro without really tasting life as it happens. Today we are reminded of the importance of being mindful, having full awareness of the moment we are living in right now. Realizing that in every breath, in every deliverance, even in distress, God is still at work. So, let us learn to taste God's goodness every day. When we eat breakfast, remember that it is part of God's providence over our lives. When our wounds are healed, thank God for His healing hand of love. When our prayers are answered, don't forget to witness so that others can glorify God with us.