When I was a young mother, my husband, me and our six month old son moved 8 hours away from home to Roanoke, Va to become youth pastors. I had never been very far from home, so this was a new experience for me. As I looked around, breathtaking mountain ranges surrounded me. I was stunned by how beautiful this place was. I thought to myself, “maybe I could do this after all. ” At least there is beauty to admire. But unbeknownst to me, I would get hit with the worse case of homesickness anyone could experience.
I remember one putting my son down for a nap and opening my Bible to the Psalms. They brought me a lot of comfort during this season of my life. On this particular day, I turned to Psalm 37 and began to read. I quickly came to verses 3 and 4:
“Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness. Delight yourself also in the Lord,
and He shall give you the desires of your heart.”
I sat there staring at verse 4, immersing myself in its profound meaning. Could this be? Can God really give me my deepest heart’s desire? The thought caused me to have new hope. I closed my Bible with excitement, my heart racing as I considered all the possibilities. There was nothing more that I wanted than to go back home, back to the familiar warmth of my surroundings and the love of my family. This place, though brimming with beauty and potential, felt distant from what I had always planned for my life. God was going to grant me my desire because that’s what His word says.
How many know this is not what happened? Six months passed, then a year, and then five years, and I still was not home. Depression began to set in. I thought God didn’t care about me because He never gave me my heart’s desire. I didn’t understand what went wrong. In fact, I was kicking against God’s will so much, I never gave Roanoke a chance to feel like home. I thought home was where I grew up. But in reality, it is what you make of the place God plants you in.
One day, as I was praying, I realized one of two things were going on: Either God wasn’t true to His word in my life, or I misinterpreted the true meaning of this verse. Being pretty confident in God’s faithfulness, I realized I needed to understand the true meaning of this passage.
What Does it Mean to Delight in the Lord?
When we read Psalm 37:4, we often look at the second part of the verse without considering the pre-requisite that precedes it. That being that one must delight themselves in the Lord, which is a condition that holds profound significance. To delight means “to gain great pleasure, satisfaction, and happiness,” and this implies an active, intentional engagement with our faith. It calls on us to find joy in our relationship with God, to seek Him earnestly, and to cherish His presence in our lives. This delight is not merely about fleeting emotions but reflects a deep-rooted affection that influences our hearts desires. Thus, when we fully embody this delight, we align ourselves more closely with God’s will, opening our hearts to receive the gifts He has in store for us.
The Passion Translation translates Psalm 37:4 this way: “Make God the utmost delight and pleasure of your life, and He will provide for you what you desire the most.”
Now, this verse doesn’t mean that God is going to give you everything your little heart desires. It means when you truly delight yourself in the Lord and put Him first in your life, your desires will begin to align with His desires for your life.
The Alexander Maclaren Commentary describes Psalm 37:4 as “longings fixed on Him fulfill themselves.” Nothing else in the world matters. Your delight is in the Lord and you are content in Him.
How Do I Delight in the Lord?
There are three things this Psalm tells us to do to delight in the Lord.
- Trust in the Lord and Do Good. (verse 3)
- When trying circumstances are happening all around you, it is easy to succumb to feelings of fear, depression, anxiety, confusion, and anger. But the heart that stays focused on God and trusts that He will take care of everything is a heart that delights in the Lord, finding strength in His promises and peace in His presence, leading to a deeper sense of hope and resilience in the face of life’s challenges.
- Commit your Way to God (verse 5)
- In everything you do, give it over to God. We often love to plan out our lives and set goals for ourselves, believing that we know the best path to take. Many times these plans, as good as they may seem, may not be what God’s plans are for our lives. It’s essential to remember that God’s perspective is far greater than our own; He sees the bigger picture that we sometimes cannot comprehend. Make sure to commit, or surrender, everything you do or want to do, over to God. This act of letting go is a demonstration of faith and trust in His wisdom. Following His desires and His will for your life will cause His blessings to shower you in ways you may never have imagined.
- Be Still Before God (verse 7)
- This is a tough one for many of us. I, for example, like to stay in motion. When I am faced with a problem or a trial, I tend to go into overdrive trying to fix it. I then become all worried and anxious, wringing my hands, because nothing I am doing seems to be working. But God is telling us to be still. So, what does this mean? It means to be calm and quiet in the presence of God and stop trying to control everything. Come to Him, lay everything before Him and just rest. Stop frantically trying to figure everything out and be still in God’s presence. It’s in this quiet time that we can truly listen and receive His guidance, allowing our hearts to be filled with peace rather than anxiety. Embracing moments of stillness transforms our worries into prayers, shifting our focus from our problems to His promises.
Bible Verses About Delighting in the Lord
The Bible is a good place to learn to delight yourself in the Lord, as it offers profound insights into what delighting yourself in the Lord means. Spend some time reading about what it says to delight yourself in the Lord, and you will discover numerous passages that encourage a deeper relationship with Him. Here are a few verses I have found to help get you started.
You will show me the path of life;
In Your presence is fullness of joy;
At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
As for me, I will see Your face in righteousness;
I shall be satisfied when I awake in Your likeness.
I delight to do Your will, O my God,
And Your law is within my heart.”
Then I will go to the altar of God,
To God my exceeding joy;
And on the harp I will praise You,
O God, my God.
I have rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies,
As much as in all riches.
Then you shall delight yourself in the Lord;
And I will cause you to ride on the high hills of the earth,
And feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father.
The mouth of the Lord has spoken.”
I will greatly rejoice in the Lord,
My soul shall be joyful in my God;
For He has clothed me with the garments of salvation,
He has covered me with the robe of righteousness,
As a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments,
And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.
If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.
Conclusion
After studying and learning the real meaning of Psalm 37, I realized that I had misinterpreted verse 4. Now, I’m not saying that God will never give you your hearts desires, I’m just saying that those desires need to be aligned with His desires for your life. We often tend to think that we know what is best for us. I thought moving back home was the best thing for me. But God was developing me, and teaching me that He is in control and He could be trusted. All I needed was Him. He was the only One who could satisfy that longing desire in my heart.
As we begin to delight ourselves in the Lord, we will start to see our perspectives change significantly. The things we thought we wanted most, whether they be material possessions, a new home, or whatever else we desire, will appear minor in the light of His glorious presence. As we deepen our relationship with Him through prayer and reading the Bible, we will find that our desires shift from being superficial to being only what He wants for our lives.
Matthew 6:33 says: “But seek first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you”
Seek and run after God. Delight in Him and make Him your hearts desire today.
Find Joy In Today 
Leave a reply to Psalms 91 Ministries Cancel reply