How often have you enjoyed something and immediately wanted to tell others? It may be some music, an online video, a good book. You want people to know about it — and not only to know about it but to experience it too.
King David was like this. Being a songwriter and musician he used that medium to let everyone know what he enjoyed. He wanted people not just to know but to experience the same joy as he did. One of his songs (Psalm 34) conveys this continually:
I will bless the LORD at all times;
His praise shall continually be in my mouth.
My soul shall make its boast in the LORD;
The humble shall hear of it and be glad.
Oh, magnify the LORD with me,
And let us exalt His name together.
(Psalm 34:1-3)
David was singing about his future. He would bless and praise the Lord. He would trust Him for everything and make much of Him. But notice his desire for those who hear his song:
Oh, magnify the LORD with me,
And let us exalt His name together.
He wants us also to do what he is doing — to bless, praise, and trust the Lord. But how does a person do that? We can only praise or trust someone we find worthy of our praise and trust. So, David tells us why he magnifies the Lord:
I sought the LORD, and He heard me,
And delivered me from all my fears
They looked to Him and were radiant,
And their faces were not ashamed.
This poor man cried out, and the LORD heard him,
And saved him out of all his troubles.
The angel of the LORD encamps all around those who fear Him,
And delivers them.
Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good;
Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!
(Psalm 34:4-8)
David was sure about his past. This was why he could sing about his future. This song was written as the result of a time when David had been in great danger. He needed to escape a powerful enemy who would have destroyed him. The Lord had saved him, and David didn't forget.
But David was not unique in his experience of being saved by the Lord. He says others “looked to [the LORD] and … were not ashamed”. In fact, any person who acts as David did can be rescued by the Lord. So what did David do?
This poor man cried out, and the LORD heard him,
And saved him out of all his troubles.
David realised he had no power to save himself from his danger and he turned to the Lord. What joy this gave to David; and what confidence he now had in his Lord. The God who saved him in the past would be his trust for the future.
But what about us? David wants us to share his experience:
Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good;
Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!
We’re invited. Why? Because we are also in danger. We are in danger because we have sinned repeatedly against God. We are in danger of experiencing eternal punishment. Thankfully there is, for us, a saviour. “For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11).
This Saviour is no less than the Lord Himself. He has come to rescue us from sin and judgment. He has died for our sins and been raised again from the dead. He lives now in heaven and His ear is open to hear our cry “for whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:13).
David wants you to experience his joy. He wants you to be able to look to the past assured that you have been saved and look to the future confident that you are secure forever. And so he says:
Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good;
Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!
Experience it for yourself by turning to the Lord. Taste of His great salvation by trusting in Him.
My greatest blessing is having Christ as my Saviour and I want to share Him with you. Samuel Cluff put it like this:
I have a Saviour, He’s pleading in glory,
A dear, loving Saviour, though earth-friends be few;
And now He is watching in tenderness o’er me,
But O, that my Saviour were your Saviour, too!
For you I am praying,
I’m praying for you
When He has found you, tell others the story,
That my loving Saviour is your Saviour, too;
Then pray that your Saviour may bring them to glory,
And prayer will be answered- ’twas answered for you!
