Psalm 37:4 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.

NIV: Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.

NASB: Delight yourself in the Lord; And He will give you the desires of your heart.

CSB: Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart's desires.

NLT: Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires.

KJV: Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

NKJV: Delight yourself also in the Lord, And He shall give you the desires of your heart.

This verse is easily misapplied, as are many such references to the promises of God. To "delight in the Lord" is to enjoy all the blessings found in Him, because they are from Him, not merely because they are to our benefit. It's often said that the person who delights in the Lord values the Giver more highly than His gifts. The Hebrew word translated as "delight" here is from a root word that implies pleasure and enjoyment.

In context with the surrounding verses (Psalm 37:3, 5), this clearly refers to those whose desires are in harmony with those of God. A person who "delights in the Lord" has righteous desires. He will not desire anything that springs from selfish desires. No one can expect God to give something contrary to God's will, or the Lord's glory. So far as our wills are attuned to the will of God (John 14:15), our requests will be granted (John 14:14; Matthew 6:33). This idea is expressed often in the Psalms (Psalm 21:2; 145:19).

Some commentators suggest this statement could be interpreted to mean the Lord will place into our hearts those desires which are godly. In other words, when we delight in God, He makes us want what He wants (Romans 12:2; Galatians 5:16–24).

Psalm 16:11 assures us that in God's presence there is fullness of joy, and pleasures that last forever are at His right hand. A truly joyful life, one which extends through eternity, is based on our delighting ourselves in the Lord. The book of Ecclesiastes traces Solomon's search for happiness and meaning in a variety of things, but his search led only to emptiness until he found happiness and meaning in a personal relationship with God. At the end of the book he counsels his readers: "Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw near of which you will say, 'I have no pleasure in them'" (Ecclesiastes 12:1).

Psalm 37:1–11 encourages David's audience to maintain a proper relationship with God by refusing to wallow in anxiety over their circumstances. Instead, they ought to trust in the Lord, find their joy in the Lord, and commit their future to the Lord. The tone of this passage resembles Proverbs chapter two, which explains the benefits of following godly wisdom. Matthew 5:5 holds a promise that parallels verses 9 and 11 of this psalm.

In this psalm, David contrasts the way God protects and saves His people, contrasted with the ruin which awaits the wicked. Much of this seems to be based on David's own experiences (Psalm 37:25, 35). As with many other passages in Psalms and Proverbs, this passage encourages godly wisdom. Those who reject God and His ways can expect uncertainty on earth and disaster in eternity.

Psalm 37 lies in the first division of Psalms and addresses mankind. Its tone resembles that of the book of Proverbs. The psalm dispenses wisdom about the security of the righteous man and the insecurity and fate of the wicked man. Psalms 36 and 39 also describe the insecurity and fate of the wicked. The covenant God made with Israel in Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 27—30 is the basis for David's assurance that the righteous are secure. The issue of the prosperity of the wicked is also featured in Psalms 49 and 73. David most likely wrote Psalm 37 in his old age.

The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.