SERMON NOTES WITH APPLICATION - "TASTE AND SEE" PT I - PSALM 34:1-8 (MSG)

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Series: EXPERIENCING THE HOLY

“TASTE AND SEE” PT I - Psalm 34:1–8 (MSG)

Year Theme: HIGH AND LIFTED UPMonthly Focus: November — Experiencing The HolySeasonal Emphasis: Harvest, Thanksgiving, Restoration, and GratitudeSermon Movement: From remembering what God has done to intentionally experiencing God's goodness in how we breathe, live, recover, and flourish.

BIG IDEA (For Everyone)

You can know about God's goodness without allowing yourself to experience the fullness of what that goodness makes possible in your life.

In our previous sermon, “Don't Forget How You Got Here” (Deuteronomy 8:2–18), we were challenged to remember the lessons that shaped us, remain aligned with God's purpose, and honestly acknowledge the grace, relationships, and opportunities that contributed to our becoming.

But Psalm 34 moves us from remembrance to experience.

David doesn't simply tell us what God has done.

He invites us to discover what God's goodness can mean for our own lives.

“Open your mouth and taste, open your eyes and see—how good God is.” (v. 8, MSG)

There is a difference between hearing somebody describe a wonderful meal and actually tasting it.

There is a difference between knowing that restoration is possible and experiencing the renewal of your own life.

And there is a difference between believing that God is good and learning to recognize God's goodness amid the realities of everyday living.

The invitation to taste and see is an invitation to move from secondhand knowledge to personal encounter.

Psalm 34 is traditionally associated with David's escape from a dangerous encounter with a foreign ruler, described in 1 Samuel 21. The psalm emerges from a context of vulnerability, fear, and deliverance—not a life free of difficulty.

David has known desperation.

He has confronted danger.

He has experienced fear.

Yet he declares that God remains worthy of praise.

This is not a testimony that everything in life is perfect.

It is the testimony of someone who has discovered that God's presence can sustain life even when life is threatened.

And that is particularly significant for our 2026 theme, High And Lifted Up.

God is not simply inviting us to survive difficult circumstances.

God is calling us to recognize our capacity for renewed life, restoration, and meaningful flourishing.

We are not called merely to remember that we made it. We are invited to experience what becomes possible because we are still here.

1. BREATHE IN NEW LIFE (Psalm 34:1–3)

What's Happening?

David opens with an extraordinary declaration:

“I bless God every chance I get; my lungs expand with his praise.” (v. 1)

Notice the imagery.

David connects worship with breathing.

Praise is not presented merely as a religious activity performed at a particular time or place.

It becomes part of the rhythm of life.

Breathing is essential.

We do not ordinarily have to remind ourselves to breathe.

It is the continuous process through which our bodies receive what is necessary to remain alive.

David uses this ordinary human experience to describe his relationship with God.

The God who sustains life is worthy of recognition within the everyday rhythm of living.

Then David declares:

“I live and breathe God…” (v. 2)

This is not simply an expression of religious enthusiasm.

It is a statement about what gives his life meaning, direction, and confidence.

His identity is grounded in something larger than the danger he has experienced.

And then he moves from personal praise to communal invitation:

“Join me in spreading the news; together let's get the word out.” (v. 3)

Notice the progression.

David begins with I.

But he quickly moves to we.

His experience of God's goodness becomes something he wants others to share.

The life God is renewing within us is not intended to remain disconnected from the lives of others.

This is especially important for people who have spent so much time managing responsibilities, surviving disappointments, and meeting expectations that they have forgotten what it feels like to live with joy.

Sometimes we become excellent at functioning while neglecting the deeper work of living.

We go to work.

We pay the bills.

We care for family.

We manage our obligations.

We fulfill our responsibilities.

But we rarely stop to ask whether we are experiencing the fullness of life available to us.

David invites us to rediscover the sacredness of being alive.

Not because every circumstance is favorable.

But because life itself remains a gift filled with possibilities.

Breathe In New Life.

New life does not always begin with a dramatic change in circumstances.

Sometimes it begins with a change in our awareness.

We begin recognizing possibilities we previously overlooked.

We rediscover gratitude.

We reconnect with relationships that give life meaning.

We become intentional about what we allow to occupy our thoughts, shape our attitudes, and direct our energy.

You cannot always control what life brings your way, but you can become more intentional about what you allow to shape the life you are living.

And David reminds us that renewed life is something worth sharing.

Don't become so consumed with managing your life that you forget to experience the gift of living.

Cliff Note (Plain Talk)

You're alive, but are you really living?

Are you enjoying the people you love?

Are you making room for joy?

Are you pursuing what gives your life meaning?

Are you allowing yourself to dream beyond your responsibilities?

Don't spend your entire life surviving what you were created to experience.

Practical Application

Christian: Make gratitude and praise part of your everyday rhythm. Recognize God's presence beyond Sunday worship—in your relationships, responsibilities, opportunities, and ordinary experiences.

Non-Christian: Develop practices that help you recognize and appreciate life beyond productivity and obligation. Make room for reflection, joy, meaningful relationships, and experiences that strengthen your sense of purpose.

Gen Z / Millennials: Don't allow hustle culture, financial pressure, career competition, or social media comparisons to convince you that your life has value only when you are achieving something. Your life is worth experiencing now, even as you work toward your future.

Professionals: Success without well-being can become another form of exhaustion. Build rhythms that support meaningful work, healthy relationships, personal development, and genuine enjoyment of life.

Families & Friends: Create opportunities to celebrate life together. Share meals, tell stories, laugh, travel, worship, and develop traditions that remind everyone that relationships matter beyond what people can provide or accomplish.

Black Community Word:

Black people have developed extraordinary traditions of praise, celebration, creativity, and communal joy, often amid circumstances that threatened our freedom and well-being.

Our music, worship, literature, family gatherings, artistic expression, and cultural traditions have helped us affirm our humanity in a world that has too often attempted to diminish it.

But we must be careful not to reduce Black life to struggle and survival.

Black life is worthy of celebration not simply because we have endured, but because our humanity, creativity, intelligence, beauty, and possibilities are inherently valuable.

We deserve more than the ability to survive injustice.

We deserve opportunities to experience peace, joy, meaningful relationships, economic stability, cultural belonging, and fulfilling lives.

Our children should inherit more than stories of what we overcame.

They should inherit examples of how we lived, loved, created, celebrated, and flourished.

Black joy is not a distraction from our responsibility to pursue justice. It is part of the life and freedom that justice should make possible.

This Week: Practice Breathing in New Life

Identify one activity, relationship, or experience that genuinely gives you life.

Make intentional room for it this week.

And ask yourself:

“Am I merely managing my existence, or am I making room to experience the life I have been given?”

2. BREATHE IN RESTORATION (Psalm 34:4–5)

What's Happening?

David now moves from praise to personal testimony.

“God met me more than halfway, he freed me from my anxious fears.” (v. 4)

Notice what David acknowledges.

He experienced fear.

He faced circumstances that threatened his security.

He knew what it meant to be anxious and uncertain.

Yet his testimony is that God met him in the midst of those experiences.

David does not claim that faithful people never experience fear.

Instead, he describes an encounter with God that changes his relationship to fear.

This connects with an important biblical insight.

In the Psalms, faith and fear frequently exist in tension.

Faith is not always the absence of questions or doubts.

Often, faith is the decision to continue seeking and trusting God while confronting circumstances that produce fear.

Psalm 27 offers a similar emphasis upon confidence in God's presence amid danger.

And Psalm 23 reminds us that the assurance of God's presence—“you are with me”—can sustain us even in threatening circumstances.

The determining factor is not always whether danger disappears, but whether we recognize that danger does not have to possess the final authority over our lives.

Then David declares:

“Look at him; give him your warmest smile. Never hide your feelings from him.” (v. 5)

This is particularly meaningful.

The invitation is not simply to appear joyful.

It is to approach God honestly.

David encourages an openness that makes room for authentic human experience.

You do not have to pretend.

You do not have to deny disappointment.

You do not have to conceal grief.

You do not have to perform happiness.

Restoration begins when we stop pretending that what needs attention does not exist.

And this connects directly with your second point.

Breathe In Restoration.

Restoration is commonly understood as the process of returning something to a former, healthy, or unimpaired condition.

But in human life, restoration may involve more than returning to the way things were.

Sometimes our experiences change us permanently.

A significant loss may alter our understanding of life.

A difficult relationship may reshape our expectations.

An illness may require new rhythms.

A major transition may change our priorities.

In such circumstances, restoration may not mean recovering every feature of the past.

Sometimes restoration means becoming whole enough to live meaningfully in a life that looks different from the one you previously knew.

This is an important distinction.

God's restoring presence does not require us to deny what has happened.

It invites us to confront our experiences honestly while remaining open to renewed strength, perspective, and possibility.

And sometimes the first step toward restoration is recognizing that we need support.

Spiritual practices can be meaningful resources, but they do not replace appropriate medical care, counseling, or other professional assistance when needed.

Seeking help can be part of responsible stewardship of the life God has entrusted to us.

Restoration does not require pretending the pain never happened. It requires refusing to let the pain become the only story you can tell about your life.

Cliff Note (Plain Talk)

You don't have to pretend you're okay to begin getting better.

You can acknowledge what hurts.

You can admit what frightens you.

You can ask for help.

You can change your expectations.

And you can begin rebuilding a meaningful life without waiting for everything to return to the way it used to be.

Practical Application

Christian: Bring your fears, disappointments, and emotional struggles honestly before God. Allow prayer, Scripture, supportive relationships, and appropriate professional resources to contribute to your restoration.

Non-Christian: Recognize that healing often begins with honest acknowledgment. Seek supportive relationships, develop healthy practices, and pursue professional assistance when necessary.

Gen Z / Millennials: Don't confuse emotional exhaustion with personal failure. Give yourself permission to establish boundaries, seek support, and develop healthier rhythms without abandoning your aspirations.

Professionals: Restoration may require reconsidering how you work, lead, and define success. Address burnout, cultivate supportive relationships, and recognize that sustained effectiveness depends upon personal well-being.

Families & Friends: Create environments where people can speak honestly without fear of shame. Listen before offering solutions. Sometimes accompaniment is more meaningful than advice.

Black Community Word:

Black communities have developed powerful traditions of spiritual resilience, mutual support, and collective care.

Our churches, families, and community organizations have often provided spaces where people could find encouragement, dignity, and belonging.

But we must also acknowledge that some cultural expectations have discouraged honest conversations about emotional pain.

We have sometimes celebrated strength in ways that made vulnerability appear unacceptable.

We have encouraged people to keep going without always asking whether they were receiving the care necessary to continue.

And we have sometimes mistaken silence for healing.

Black strength should never require Black suffering to remain invisible.

We deserve spaces where our humanity can be expressed fully.

Where men can acknowledge fear.

Where women do not have to carry every burden.

Where young people can ask difficult questions.

Where elders can receive care without losing dignity.

And where seeking counseling, medical support, or other assistance is understood as responsible rather than shameful.

Our future requires more than teaching Black people how to endure. We must also create communities where Black people can heal and live well.

This Week: Make Room for Restoration

Ask yourself three questions:

What am I carrying that needs attention?
What support have I been reluctant to receive?
What one practical step could contribute to my restoration?

Choose one action.

It might involve a difficult conversation, establishing a boundary, scheduling an appointment, reconnecting with someone supportive, or simply making intentional room for rest.

Restoration becomes more than a desire when we begin participating in the process.

3. BREATHE IN GOD'S REWARD (Psalm 34:6–8)

What's Happening?

David now moves from personal testimony to an invitation for others to experience God's goodness.

“When I was desperate, I called out, and God got me out of a tight spot.” (v. 6)

David remembers a moment of desperation.

He was not operating from a position of strength or security.

He needed help.

And his testimony is that God responded.

Then he declares:

“God's angel sets up a circle of protection around us while we pray.” (v. 7)

This language communicates divine care and protection.

But it should not be interpreted as a guarantee that faithful people will never experience danger, suffering, or loss.

The Psalms themselves are filled with the prayers of people who continue encountering hardship.

The central affirmation is that God's presence and care remain meaningful even amid life's uncertainties.

And then David issues the invitation that gives the sermon its title:

“Open your mouth and taste, open your eyes and see—how good God is.” (v. 8)

This is an extraordinary image.

David does not simply ask people to agree with a theological statement.

He invites them to experience what he has come to know.

Taste.

See.

Discover.

Encounter.

The goodness of God is not presented merely as information to be memorized, but as a reality to be encountered through trust.

And notice the language of blessing.

David associates blessedness with taking refuge in God.

The reward is not simply the accumulation of material possessions.

It includes the assurance of God's presence, the possibility of renewed confidence, and the sustaining relationship through which life can be lived with hope.

This is especially important for November's emphasis upon harvest and thanksgiving.

We often measure our blessings by what we have acquired.

Our homes.

Our income.

Our professional accomplishments.

Our possessions.

Our achievements.

These things may be meaningful, and we can rightly express gratitude for them.

But David invites us to consider a broader understanding of God's goodness.

Sometimes the greatest reward is not what has been added to your life, but what has been restored within your life.

Peace.

Hope.

Perspective.

Courage.

Belonging.

The ability to experience joy again.

The confidence to pursue meaningful possibilities.

And the capacity to contribute to the well-being of others.

Breathe In God's Reward.

This point invites us to recognize that experiencing God's goodness should transform how we live.

If we have experienced care, we can become more caring.

If we have received encouragement, we can encourage others.

If we have found refuge, we can help create safer spaces for those who are vulnerable.

If we have experienced restoration, we can contribute to communities where healing becomes possible.

God's goodness is not simply something we receive. It is something that can become visible through the way we live.

And this brings us back to the communal movement of the psalm.

David begins by declaring his personal praise.

But he invites others to join him.

His testimony becomes an invitation.

His experience becomes a resource.

And his gratitude becomes an opportunity for shared encouragement.

The greatest evidence that you have experienced goodness may be the goodness that begins flowing through your life toward others.

Cliff Note (Plain Talk)

Don't become so focused on what you haven't received that you overlook what is already helping you live.

Sometimes the reward is peace.

Sometimes it's a second chance.

Sometimes it's a meaningful relationship.

Sometimes it's the courage to begin again.

And sometimes the best way to celebrate what you've received is to help somebody else experience something good.

Practical Application

Christian: Reflect upon the ways God's goodness has become meaningful in your life. Express gratitude through worship, responsible stewardship, generosity, and compassionate action.

Non-Christian: Identify experiences, relationships, and resources that have contributed to your well-being. Consider how gratitude can become a motivation for meaningful contribution.

Gen Z / Millennials: Don't define reward exclusively through money, visibility, or achievement. Value emotional well-being, meaningful relationships, personal growth, and the freedom to pursue a life aligned with your values.

Professionals: Use your influence and resources to create opportunities for others. Meaningful success includes the capacity to improve the conditions under which other people work and live.

Families & Friends: Develop traditions of gratitude that go beyond exchanging gifts or sharing meals. Celebrate the relationships, experiences, and contributions that strengthen your lives together.

Black Community Word:

For Black communities, the invitation to taste and see God's goodness carries profound possibilities.

We have experienced the consequences of systems that restricted access to resources, opportunity, safety, and dignity.

Yet we have also created extraordinary traditions of mutual care, spiritual encouragement, cultural celebration, and community-building.

But our vision must extend beyond celebrating what we have survived.

We must also ask what conditions are necessary for Black people to experience the fullness of life.

What would it mean for our neighborhoods to provide greater opportunities for stable housing, educational advancement, economic development, health, recreation, and cultural expression?

What would it mean for our churches to become spaces where people receive both spiritual encouragement and practical support?

What would it mean for our children to grow up expecting not merely to overcome barriers, but to experience genuine opportunity and belonging?

And what would it mean for Black adults to have the freedom to rest, pursue joy, develop meaningful relationships, and enjoy the fruits of their labor?

God's goodness should inspire us to pursue communities where people can do more than survive—they can flourish.

This Week: Turn Gratitude Into Goodness

Identify one blessing, resource, or opportunity that has contributed meaningfully to your life.

Then determine how you can use it to benefit someone else.

It might involve mentoring, sharing knowledge, providing practical assistance, supporting a community organization, or creating an opportunity.

Don't simply celebrate the goodness you've experienced. Become intentional about helping goodness reach somebody else.

BIG PICTURE TRUTH

Psalm 34:1–8 offers three movements through which we can understand what it means to experience the Holy.

Sermon point	Spiritual invitation	Practical outcome
Breathe In New Life	Recognize and celebrate the gift of living	Joy, gratitude, renewed purpose
Breathe In Restoration	Confront fear and pursue wholeness	Healing, courage, healthier rhythms
Breathe In God's Reward	Personally experience and share goodness	Trust, generosity, communal flourishing

These three movements are deeply connected.

New life invites us to recognize possibility.

Restoration helps us recover our capacity to pursue that possibility.

God's reward invites us to experience goodness and extend it toward others.

And there is an important theological distinction.

David does not promise a life without difficulty.

He testifies that God's goodness can be experienced within a life that has known danger, fear, and desperation.

The psalm is not an invitation to deny suffering.

It is an invitation to recognize that suffering does not exhaust the possibilities of life.

Experiencing the Holy means learning to recognize God's presence and goodness not only in extraordinary moments, but also in the ordinary rhythms through which life is sustained, restored, and shared.

FINAL WORD

Somebody has been through more than you ever imagined you would have to endure.

You've faced uncertainty.

You've experienced disappointment.

You've carried responsibilities that sometimes felt overwhelming.

You've watched plans change.

You've struggled with fear.

And perhaps you've become so accustomed to surviving that you have forgotten what it feels like to live with joy.

But David comes with a word:

“TASTE AND SEE!”

Not simply hear about it.

Not merely remember what somebody else experienced.

Not just repeat what you've been taught.

Open yourself to the possibility of experiencing God's goodness in your own life.

BREATHE IN NEW LIFE.

You are more than your responsibilities.

You are more than your accomplishments.

You are more than the difficulties you've survived.

There is still life to experience.

There is still joy to discover.

There are still relationships to nurture.

There are still dreams worth pursuing.

Don't become so consumed with making a living that you forget to live.

BREATHE IN RESTORATION.

You don't have to pretend that everything is okay.

You don't have to deny what hurts.

You don't have to carry every burden alone.

You can acknowledge your fears.

You can seek support.

You can establish healthier rhythms.

And you can begin rebuilding a meaningful life even when the future looks different from what you once imagined.

Restoration is not always about getting your old life back. Sometimes it's about discovering how to live fully in the life unfolding before you.

BREATHE IN GOD'S REWARD.

Don't measure God's goodness only by what you've accumulated.

Recognize the value of peace.

Celebrate meaningful relationships.

Appreciate the ability to begin again.

Give thanks for opportunities to grow.

And remember that the goodness you experience can become a resource for somebody else.

The blessing is not simply what comes into your life. It is also what becomes possible through your life.

And as we continue living High And Lifted Up:

Dream Big.Because your present circumstances do not have to become the limits of your future.

Decide To Become.Become someone who makes room for joy, restoration, gratitude, and meaningful growth.

Demonstrate Your Power.Take practical steps toward the life you desire while using your gifts, resources, and opportunities to contribute to the flourishing of others.

And when somebody asks why you still have hope—

after the difficult seasons,

after the disappointment,

after the anxiety,

after the uncertainty,

after everything you've been through—

you can declare:

“I'M STILL HERE, AND THERE'S STILL LIFE FOR ME TO LIVE!”

I have learned from my past.

I am growing through my present.

And I am remaining open to the possibilities of my future.

I will not reduce my life to what has happened to me.