A Delight It Is!

A Delight it is!

Psalm 37:4 (KJV)

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

📖 Meaning of ‘anog

The Hebrew meaning of delight (‘anog) goes far beyond simply “being happy” or “enjoying something.”

It carries a deep spiritual and emotional richness:

1️⃣ To take exquisite delight in

A gentle, tender enjoyment — like savoring something precious.

2️⃣ To be soft, pliable, delicate

This is powerful.

It suggests a heart that is softened toward God, not resistant…

A spirit that is pliable in His hands…

A soul that becomes sensitive to His leading.

3️⃣ To find pleasure in God Himself

Not in His blessings, not in His gifts, but in Him.

It means making God your greatest joy — not a task, not a burden, but your treasure.

4️⃣ To lean into God with full enjoyment

To make Him your happy place, your haven, your delight.

Okay I see that this delight has absolutely nothing to do with self-gratification but making God your greatest joy — not a task, not a burden, but your treasure.  I love this for us because it focus our attention solely on Him - making who we are to become pliable in His hands and sensitive to His leading.  This delight yourself in the LORD goes far beyond simply “being happy” or “enjoying something.”

Our worldly concept says to delight yourself is taking pleasure in something that is tangible. But our delight is in Christ Jesus and A gentle, tender enjoyment — like savoring something precious.

Let’s look a little closer - 🌸 What This Reveals About Psalm 37:4

When God says:

“Delight thyself also in the LORD…”

He is saying:

“Soften your heart toward Me.

Enjoy Me.

Find your pleasure in My presence.

Let Me become your deepest joy.”

And then —

“…and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart.”

Let’s dive into King David and his desired pointed toward to please God

King David: A Man Who Delighted in the Lord

1️⃣ David Delighted in the Lord Because His Heart Was Tender

David wasn’t perfect — far from it. But he possessed something God values above talent, status, or strength: a tender heart.

Even after sinning with Bathsheba and orchestrating the death of her husband, David didn’t try to justify, hide, or excuse himself.

He cried out:

“Against Thee, and Thee only, have I sinned…” — Psalm 51:4

A man who delights in the Lord is not a man without flaws —

it is a man who returns quickly, humbly, and sincerely when he falls.

David’s heart was soft.

Pliable.

Responsive.

Exactly the picture of ‘anog — delight.

⸻

2️⃣ David’s Desires Were Pointed Toward God, Not Self

Even in failure, David’s greatest concern was not public opinion, reputation, or consequences.

His cry was:

“Cast me not away from Your presence…” — Psalm 51:11

That is the essence of true delight —

when the presence of God means more than the pleasures of sin, the applause of people, or the comfort of convenience.

Delighting in the Lord shapes our desires until pleasing Him becomes our highest aim.

⸻

3️⃣ David Shows Us That Delight Doesn’t Require Perfection — Only Surrender

David committed serious sins, yet he remained “a man after God’s own heart.”

How?

Because God was his delight.

Every time David messed up, he ran toward God, not away from Him.

Delight means:

✔️ returning quickly

✔️ repenting sincerely

✔️ surrendering fully

✔️ allowing God to reshape the heart again

David’s life teaches us this powerful truth:

God can work with a heart that stays open.

⸻

4️⃣ Delight Restores What Failure Tried to Destroy

David’s sin should have destroyed him completely — emotionally, spiritually, and even politically.

But his delight in the Lord became the very thing that restored him.

Where pride builds walls,

delight builds altars.

David didn’t just acknowledge his sin —

he asked God to create in him a clean heart and renew a right spirit.

Delight invites God to rebuild what sin tried to break.

⸻

5️⃣ Delighting in God Keeps Us Aligned With His Will

David often prayed:

“Teach me Thy ways, O Lord.”

“Lead me in a plain path.”

Even as king, he delighted more in God’s leadership than in his own authority.

Because delight leads to alignment —

and alignment leads to fulfillment.

David shows us what Psalm 37:4 truly means:

When your delight is in God,

your desires will be shaped by God.

And when your desires are shaped by God,

He delights to fulfill them.

🌟 POWERFUL CONCLUSION

What a beautiful truth: God is not asking us to be perfect — He is asking us to be pliable.

Delight is not about living flawlessly.

Delight is about living surrendered.

When Scripture says, “Delight thyself also in the LORD,” it is calling us to soften, to lean in, and to find our deepest joy in Him. It is calling us to become tender enough for God to shape, sensitive enough for God to lead, and humble enough to let God correct us when we drift.

David shows us what this looks like.

He sinned, yes — but he also repented.

He fell, yes — but he always returned.

He missed God’s mark, yes — but he never abandoned God’s presence.

Because at the core of David’s life was this truth:

He delighted himself in the Lord.

And that is why God calls him “a man after My own heart.”

Delighting in God doesn’t keep us from falling —

it keeps us from staying fallen.

Delighting in God doesn’t prevent mistakes —

it prevents distance.

Delighting in God doesn’t guarantee a perfect life —

it guarantees a guided, restored, and aligned one.

And here is the promise:

When your heart becomes soft enough to delight in Him,

God will begin shaping the desires inside you.

He will place His will within your will…

His plans within your plans…

His dreams within your dreams…

…and then He will fulfill them in His perfect timing.

The desires that rise out of a delighted heart

are the desires God Himself planted.

So today, let God be your joy.

Let His presence be your pleasure.

Let His voice be your pursuit.

Let His heart shape your desires.

Because when your delight is in the Lord,

your destiny will always follow.

✨ CLOSING PRAYER

Father,

Today I choose to delight in You.

Soften my heart, Lord.

Make me tender to Your voice, pliable in Your hands, and sensitive to Your leading.

Remove every hardness, every distraction, every desire that does not come from You.

Create in me a clean heart and renew a right spirit within me, just as You did for David.

Teach me to enjoy Your presence more than anything this world could offer.

Help me to seek You, love You, and find my joy in who You are — not in what You give.

Align my desires with Heaven.

Shape my will until it matches Your will.

Plant in me the desires that are best for my life, and give me the strength to release anything that was never meant for me.

Lord, let my delight in You open the door for guidance, clarity, restoration, and divine fulfillment.

Make me a person after Your own heart — quick to repent, quick to return, and quick to obey.

You are my treasure.

You are my joy.

You are the desire of my heart.

And because I delight in You,

I trust that every desire You birth in me

will come forth in Your perfect timing.

In Jesus’ name,

Amen.

✍️ About the Author

Lauretta Scott is a faith-filled writer, devotional creator, and the heart behind iPublishub-Books, a growing inspirational brand dedicated to encouraging, uplifting, and transforming lives through the power of God’s Word. Known for her transparent storytelling and spiritually rich teachings, Lauretta writes with compassion, clarity, and a prophetic edge that reaches readers right where they are.

Her blogs, books, and daily reflections point believers back to intimacy with God, reminding them that healing, purpose, and fresh strength are always found in His presence. With a passion for helping others grow spiritually, Lauretta uses her own journey — her victories, her wilderness seasons, and her testimonies — to speak life into those seeking direction, hope, and restoration.

Whether she is writing devotionals, teaching biblical truths, or crafting inspirational stories, Lauretta’s mission remains the same:

to make God known, to make faith practical, and to make encouragement accessible for every reader.

Follow her journey and explore more uplifting content at iPublishub-Books.