Even if you or I genuinely love God and delight in him, which of us can put our hand on our heart and say that we do this perfectly? Which of us does not have times—sadly, many times—when what consumes our hopes and affections is not God but some blessing we hope God will give us? A job. A wife. A child. A healthy body. Or whatever it may be. And yet the moment I fall short of perfect delight in the Lord I disqualify myself from the promise that God will give me the desires of my heart.
Delight yourself in the LORD,
and he will give you the desires of your heart. —Psalm 37:4
The Heart’s Desires
Doesn’t that sound terrific? Anything I want, and it will be mine! Until I think a little harder.
Suppose my heart desires for my boss to be sick or die. Will God give me that?
Suppose my heart desires, by some deceit, to get the credit for something I didn’t do. Will God give me that?
Suppose my heart desires my neighbor’s pretty wife. Will God give me her?
Of course not, for these break three of the ten commandments. Of course God will not give me things that are morally wrong.
But what about morally neutral things?
Suppose I really want a particular job. It’s a good job, a worthwhile job, and a job for which I feel I am equipped. Will God give me that?
Suppose I hope to date a particular person and hope I might marry them. This person is a believer. There’s no reason why I shouldn’t do this. Will God grant me this?
Suppose my spouse and I hope to have children. Will God bless us like that?
Suppose I long to be healed of some disease. Will God give me that?
The answer to all those questions is maybe. He might or he might not. But, someone objects, this verse tells me that God will give me the desires of my heart. May I not claim this as a promise? Why not?
Who Is “You?”
The big question is this: Who is “you” in this verse? To whom is this promise spoken?
The key to the second line is the first line. “You” is the man or woman who delights in the Lord, the covenant God, the God revealed to us in all the Scriptures. Here is a person who loves God with heart, mind, soul, and strength. One whose only desire and delight is the Triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. One who loves not primarily the blessings that God may give but God himself. Who longs for God’s glory, for God’s kingdom, for God to be praised and honored.
We may paraphrase the verse like this: If you delight yourself in the covenant Lord, if you love him, if you want above all else to know him and see his kingdom, if this expresses the deepest desire of your heart, then you may be sure that God will give you what you want. Do you want God? You will have God. Do you delight in God? You will enjoy God.