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Answer
Psalm 37:4 contains a significant promise: “Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” This verse encourages us to cultivate a deep and intimate relationship with God. By finding joy in Him, He will fulfill the desires of our hearts. To fully grasp this promise, we need to consider the immediate context, understand its significance, and apply it to our lives.
Psalm 37, written by King David, is a poetic reflection on God’s righteousness and faithfulness to His promises. This psalm addresses the challenges that the righteous face in a world where the wicked seem to prevail (verses 1–2). Despite these challenges, David urges his audience to “trust in the Lord and do good” (verse 3). It is in this context that we encounter the assurance in verse 4 that God will “give you the desires of your heart.”
To grasp the promise in Psalm 37:4, we must first understand what it means to delight in the Lord. Delight involves experiencing profound joy, satisfaction, and contentment. When we delight in the Lord, we seek His presence «One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; That I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple. », (Psalm 27:4), meditate on His Word day and night «This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. », (Joshua 1:8 and Psalm 1:2), and align our will with His «And beNot conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” , (Romans 12:2). This involves the heart, mind, and soul “Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.” , (Matthew 22:37).
When we delight in the Lord, we will experience a radical shift in our desires. In other words, we will no longer desire selfish and sinful things (Galatians 5:17-21). Instead, we will desire the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (verses 22–23). And, when we desire the same things God desires for us, our requests will be granted “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” , (Matthew 6:33 and John 14:14).
The promise in Psalm 37:4 does not imply that God is a cosmic genie who grants every fleeting whim or selfish request. On the contrary, the promise points to a definitive transformation within our heart as we draw closer to Him.
God’s response to our delight in Him is twofold. First, He shapes and molds our hearts to align our will with His. Through the work of the Holy Spirit, we are purged of selfishness, pride, and unrighteous desires. As we draw closer to Him, our desires will begin to mirror His desires for us, reflecting His goodness and righteousness.
Second, God will grant desires that accord with His will and glory “For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.”, (Romans 11:36). This does not imply that every request will be granted; instead, the desires of our hearts will be fulfilled in ways that achieve His purpose for our lives «And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. », (Romans 8:28).
God’s response to our delight in Him may not always meet our expectations or happen immediately. His ways are higher than ours (Isaiah 55:8-9), and His timing is beyond our understanding. He might even use delays or redirections to refine our desires and strengthen our faith in Him. While we wait for God to answer our requests, we can trust that His timing is always perfect «but those who wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.», (Isaiah 40:31).
Psalm 37:4 encourages us to delight in the Lord and align our desires with His perfect will. As we nurture a heart that finds joy, satisfaction, and contentment in Him, He will transform our desires to mirror His purposes. While the fulfillment of our desires may not always match our expectations, we can rely on God’s faithfulness. By embracing the promise in Psalm 37:4, our lives become marked by the fulfillment of desires that bring glory to Him.
