Every year, we select one special portion from the Word of God, not because the rest of Scripture is any less necessary, but as a simple, intentional reminder of God’s promises and the richness we can find in every single passage. For 2026, that portion is Psalm 34:8–9:
“Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good!
Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!
Oh, fear the LORD, you his saints,
for those who fear him have no lack!” (Psalm 34:8–9)
What’s striking is what David doesn’t say. He doesn’t say, “Understand,” “analyze,” “study,” or “figure it out.” He says, “Taste.” The language is intentionally experiential, personal, embodied, real. It’s as if David is saying, “Don’t just stand at a distance and talk about God’s goodness. Come close. Try Him. Put your weight on Him.”
That leads us to a crucial truth: biblical faith is not merely intellectual agreement with correct ideas. It is lived trust, faith tested and proven in the concrete realities of everyday life. Not a fearful version of faith, but a grateful, confident faith that dares to lean on God.
And David is not writing from a place of comfort. Psalm 34 was born in a moment of distress; what we might call “a cave season.” Yet even there, David can say, “Taste and see that the LORD is good.” That matters, because Christian hope is not built on denying pain, pretending everything is fine, or forcing easy answers. Christian hope is born when we discover God within the pain; faithful, present, and good.
For anyone who starts the year without all the answers… for anyone who has cried, carried burdens, or felt the weight of uncertainty… this invitation is deeply freeing. God does not require you to have everything figured out. He invites you to trust Him, and to experience His goodness even while circumstances remain hard.
Here’s a key teaching: David does not claim that everything is good all the time. He claims that God is good. That distinction is life-changing.
- Circumstances can be difficult
- We can feel weak
- We will shed tears
- Life can hurt
But the goodness of God remains unchanging. And when God’s goodness becomes our starting point, hope becomes far less fragile. To “taste and see” is to recognize God’s faithfulness even when His ways don’t match our immediate expectations.
Then David says, “Blessed is the one who takes refuge in Him.” This is where lasting happiness is found; not in comfort, not in a conflict-free life, but in a deep inner steadiness. The blessing David describes is not ease; it is the quiet strength of a heart that has learned where to hide.
Taking refuge isn’t passive. It’s a deliberate act of dependence. It’s choosing to believe that God is a safer shelter than control, self-sufficiency, or human strategy. Hope grows when the heart stops holding itself up and starts resting in God.
And then verse 9 gives us a phrase that sounds surprising, but it’s profoundly healing: “Fear the LORD… for those who fear Him have no lack.” Scripture speaks of a fear that actually frees us from other fears. The fear of the Lord is not dread, it’s reverence. It’s recognizing God’s holiness, authority, and faithfulness, and letting that reorder our hearts.
Because there are fears that enslave us. But the fear of the Lord does the opposite: it brings clarity, steadiness, and courage. It places God back at the center, so we can plan, lead, create, serve, and love with wisdom, advancing His Kingdom in Word and deed, in our personal lives, our families, our communities, and our ministry.
Finally, that last promise: “Those who fear Him have no lack.” This doesn’t mean we always get everything we want, or that life will never include seasons of need. It means something deeper: in God, we will never lack what we truly need to walk faithfully with Him; His presence, His grace, His wisdom, His strength, and His provision in His perfect time.
So today, before you rush forward, pause for a moment and have a quiet conversation with the Lord. Ask Him honestly:
What has been shaping my heart lately?
What fears have been guiding my decisions?
Where have I been looking for refuge?
What would it look like for me to “taste and see” God’s goodness, right here, in real life?
Because Psalm 34’s invitation is not for people who have it all together. It’s for people in the middle of real life, who are willing to say, “Lord, I will take refuge in You.”
M.Christie
