"Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart."
— Psalm 37:4 (NIV)
Psalm 37:4 is the "delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart" verse. This page gives the verse, where it sits in Psalm 37, and a plain reading. For more on the theme, see Love and desire, Bible verses about trust, and Bible verses about joy.
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The verse
The King James says, "Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart."
"Delight" is anag (H6026), to take pleasure in or enjoy. "Desires" is mishalah (H4862), a request or petition. "Heart" is leb (H3820), the inner person: mind, will, and feeling together.
Where it sits in Psalm 37
Psalm 37 is a psalm of David about watching wrongdoers seem to win. It opens, "Do not fret because of those who are evil or be envious of those who do wrong" (Psalm 37:1).
Verse 4 is one of a short run of commands. Just before it: "Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture" (Psalm 37:3). Just after it: "Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this" (Psalm 37:5). "Commit" is galal (H1556), to roll something onto someone, and "trust" is batach (H982). Then: "Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him" (Psalm 37:7).
What the verse is saying
The verse is not a promise that God hands over whatever you want if you add him to the list. The command comes first: enjoy God himself. When the LORD is the one you delight in, what you ask for starts to change, and he is the one who answers.
Read with verses 3, 5, and 7, delight sits alongside trusting, committing your way, and waiting. It is a settled heart that does not need to fret about how others are doing. For more, see Bible verses about patience, Matthew 6:33, and Psalm 46:10.
Questions people ask
What does Psalm 37:4 say?
In the NIV it says, "Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart." The KJV says, "Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart."
Does Psalm 37:4 mean God gives me whatever I want?
Not as a formula. The verse starts with delighting in the LORD himself. As he becomes your delight, your desires are shaped by him, and the next verse says to commit your way to him and trust him.
What does "delight yourself in the LORD" mean?
"Delight" is the Hebrew anag, to take pleasure in or enjoy. It means finding your joy in who God is, not only in what he gives.
Who wrote Psalm 37?
The psalm is titled "Of David." Later in it he says, "I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread" (Psalm 37:25).
What verse goes well with Psalm 37:4?
Psalm 37:5 follows it: "Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this." Matthew 6:33 says to seek first God's kingdom, and the things you need will be given to you as well.
