What do you think when you hear the word delight?
Something that brings joy? Maybe a meal at your favourite restaurant or fresh blooms from the local market? Perhaps delight is emotional happiness, the release of the proverbial ‘dopamine’ when you undergo activity that is pleasurable to you. These things are true and do bring delight to the senses, the physical realm of our human existence, but biblical delight however, one might ponder upon, goes a little deeper than just the realm of the material senses.
We find the word delight appearing in a multiplicity of places within the Word. The Psalms especially hold true to this. Psalm 40:8 presents David talking about delighting in God’s law (or His ways) as the affection of one’s innermost heart. It signifies that in which one finds pleasure, i.e., the object of one’s love.
Psalm 37 also encourages us to delight in Him, to not worry about the ‘issues that confront us’ but to ‘delight in the Lord’ because He will give us the desires of our hearts.
Don’t worry about the wicked
or envy those who do wrong.
For like grass, they soon fade away.
Like spring flowers, they soon wither.
Trust in the Lord and do good.
Then you will live safely in the land and prosper.
Take delight in the Lord,
and he will give you your heart’s desires.
Thus, ‘delighting in the Lord’ is arguably far deeper than just doing the pleasurable things that make us happy. It is in fact, finding pleasure in trusting and loving Him with every aspect and area of our lives.
Thus, ‘delighting in the Lord’ is arguably far deeper than just doing the pleasurable things that make us happy. It is in fact, finding pleasure in trusting and loving Him with every aspect and area of our lives
When we read Psalm 37 contextually, the Psalmist is juxtaposing those who trust in themselves or in the ‘ways of the world.’ It eventually leads to destruction! But those who ‘trust in the Lord’ or ‘delight in Him’ will have their heart’s desires fulfilled. What an amazing promise from our amazing God!
The Lord Delights in You!
But wait a minute! The scriptures are not one-sided in the action verb of delighting. We see in Zephaniah 3:17 that God delights in His people as well. This promise found within the writings of the minor prophet Zephaniah is crucial because the nation of Israel is still in exile at this point in time. The majority of them have not repented nor bothered to ‘delight in the Lord’ but yet God promises that He desires to live amongst them and to delight in them with gladness. Wow!! The relationship is not one-sided. Delight begins in God and is reciprocated by us.
For the Lord your God is living among you.
He is a mighty savior.
He will take delight in you with gladness.
With his love, he will calm all your fears.
He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.
For God so loved (delighted) in the world that He gave Jesus to us (John 3:16 paraphrased). You see, we delight in Him because He first delighted in us. Our delight is a reciprocation of His great and everlasting love in us.
So today, walk in His delight and praise Him with gladness. Delight in the Lord with all your soul because He is your reason and your ultimate reward. Your delight is found in Him!
Delight in Him because He first delighted in you!
Delight in the Lord with all your soul because He is your reason and your ultimate reward. Your delight is found in Him!
