What is the meaning of Psalm 37:4?

Psalm 37:4, a verse cherished by many for its comforting and uplifting message, reads: "Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart" (ESV). This verse, nestled within a psalm attributed to David, offers profound wisdom on the nature of our relationship with God, our desires, and the alignment of our will with His.

To understand the meaning of Psalm 37:4, we must first consider the broader context of Psalm 37. This psalm is a piece of wisdom literature, much like the Proverbs, and it addresses the perennial issue of the apparent prosperity of the wicked and the suffering of the righteous. David encourages the faithful to trust in the Lord and commit their ways to Him, assuring them that God will ultimately vindicate them.

"Delight yourself in the LORD" is the first part of the verse and serves as a crucial directive. To delight in the Lord means to find deep, abiding joy and satisfaction in our relationship with Him. It implies a profound, intimate connection with God, where our greatest pleasure comes from knowing Him, loving Him, and being in His presence. This delight is not superficial or based on external circumstances but rooted in the recognition of God's character and His unwavering love for us. As we grow in our relationship with God, our desires begin to align with His will.

The second part of the verse, "and he will give you the desires of your heart," hinges on the first. It is essential to understand that this is not a blanket promise that God will fulfill every whim or fleeting desire we have. Rather, it implies a transformation of our desires as we delight in the Lord. When our joy and satisfaction are found in God, our hearts are molded to desire what He desires. Our will aligns with His will, and our prayers and longings reflect His purposes.

This concept is echoed throughout Scripture. In John 15:7, Jesus says, "If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you" (ESV). The promise of answered prayer is contingent upon our abiding in Christ and His words abiding in us. Similarly, in 1 John 5:14-15, we read, "And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him" (ESV). Our confidence in prayer comes from aligning our requests with God's will.

The transformation of our desires is a key aspect of spiritual growth. As we delight in the Lord, our hearts are increasingly conformed to His image. This process is beautifully described in Romans 12:2, where Paul urges believers, "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect" (ESV). The renewal of our minds leads to a discernment of God's will and a transformation of our desires.

Furthermore, delighting in the Lord involves a deep trust in His goodness and faithfulness. Psalm 37:3-5 provides a fuller picture: "Trust in the LORD, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness. Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him, and he will act" (ESV). Trusting in God, committing our way to Him, and delighting in Him are intertwined actions that lead to a life of faithfulness and fulfillment.

The life of David, the author of this psalm, exemplifies this principle. Despite the many trials and tribulations he faced, David found his ultimate joy and satisfaction in his relationship with God. His psalms are replete with expressions of his deep longing for God and his trust in God's faithfulness. In Psalm 63:1, David writes, "O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water" (ESV). This intense desire for God reflects a heart that delights in the Lord above all else.

In practical terms, delighting in the Lord means prioritizing our relationship with Him through prayer, worship, and the study of His Word. It means seeking His presence daily and allowing His Spirit to guide and shape our desires. As we do so, we find that our longings and aspirations are increasingly aligned with His purposes, and we experience the fulfillment of those desires in ways that bring glory to Him and joy to us.

The writings of C.S. Lewis offer a helpful perspective on this transformation of desires. In his book "Mere Christianity," Lewis writes, "If we find ourselves with a desire that nothing in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that we were made for another world." Our deepest desires point us to our ultimate fulfillment in God. As we delight in Him, we discover that He is the true source of our joy and satisfaction, and our desires are fulfilled in ways that transcend our earthly understanding.

Therefore, Psalm 37:4 is an invitation to a deeper, more intimate relationship with God. It encourages us to find our ultimate joy and satisfaction in Him, trusting that as we do so, our desires will be transformed and fulfilled according to His perfect will. This verse reassures us that God is attentive to our hearts and committed to our ultimate good. As we delight in Him, we experience the profound truth that He is the giver of every good and perfect gift (James 1:17), and our hearts find their true home in His love.