Psalm 37:4 Text
King James Version (KJV)
Delight thyself also in the LORD ; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.
World English Bible (WEB)
Also delight yourself in Yahweh, and he will give you the desires of your heart.
What Psalm 37:4 Means
This verse links delight and desire in a way that is easy to flip around. The condition comes first: take delight in the Lord, meaning find your deepest pleasure and satisfaction in him. The promise follows: he will give you the desires of your heart. Many readers hear this as God granting any wish, but the order suggests something more interesting. As a person delights in God, their wants themselves tend to be shaped and reordered, so what they hope for starts to line up with what God cares about. The Hebrew word for delight carries the idea of enjoying something softly and luxuriously. The KJV says Delight thyself also in the LORD, while the WEB says Also delight yourself in Yahweh, and in both the small word also ties it to the surrounding advice about not fretting over evildoers.
Context of Psalm 37:4
Traditionally this psalm is attributed to David, and it reads like advice from an older man who has watched many years of life, as verse 25 suggests. It is a wisdom psalm, arranged as an acrostic. Its main theme is that those who trust God need not fret when the wicked seem to prosper, because their success is temporary. The verses around it urge trusting the Lord, doing good, and committing your way to him. To read the whole book, see random verse from Psalms.
How to Apply Psalm 37:4
Ask yourself what you most enjoy about God, and spend a few minutes on it, such as through a favorite psalm, a walk, or music. Notice what you are wanting right now and hold it loosely. Let your desires be tested and refined by time with God, trusting that the process matters as much as the result.
Related Verses
- Psalm 37:5 – Commit thy way unto the LORD ; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.
- Matthew 6:33 – But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
- Psalm 20:4 – Grant thee according to thine own heart, and fulfil all thy counsel.
- Psalm 145:19 – He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him: he also will hear their cry, and will save them.
Looking for more verses on this theme? Browse Bible Verses About Joy, each with a short note on its context.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does delight yourself in the Lord mean?
It means finding real pleasure and satisfaction in knowing God, not only obeying him. It involves attention, gratitude and affection toward God in prayer, worship and daily life. The psalm suggests that this kind of delight changes what a person wants.
Does Psalm 37:4 mean God will give me whatever I want?
No. The verse ties the promise to delighting in God, which shapes your desires. Many readers see that wants change as you grow closer to him. The psalm also warns against fretting and urges patience, so it is not a guarantee that every wish will be granted.
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