“Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart.” Psalm 37:4 NIV
This well known verse has been a favorite of countless people, but as with so many scriptures, there are treasures of truth beneath the surface of this verse that can help us to mature in our walk with God. A cursory reading of this verse gives the impression that we should focus on the Lord and be “delighted” in him. And while that is totally in line with the scriptures, there is another meaning behind the word “delight” in this verse. It is a form of the Hebrew word “anog” (aw-nag’). The root of this word carries the meaning of “being soft and pliable” like clay that can be shaped and molded in the hands of an artist.
There are other scriptures in the Bible that encourage the people of God to be pliable and cooperative with God as he works to shape us according to his will. “Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel.” Jeremiah 18:6 NIV. “For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son…..” Romans 8:29 NIV. It is God’s will for all of us to remain soft and pliable (receptive and cooperative) to his work in our lives. So this is a part of the meaning of the word “delight” in Psalm 37:4.
Another treasure of truth is found in the phrase, “he will give you the desires of your heart.” The word translated as “give” in this verse comes from a form of the Hebrew word “nathan” (naw-than’) which in many cases is correctly translated as “give.” But there are also other meanings of this word that can reveal an often overlooked truth in this verse. “Nathan” is also translated in other verses as the words “put” and “set.” A form of this same word “nathan” is translated as “put” in Isaiah 42:1 in which God declares, “I will put my Spirit on him…..”
So, what does this all mean? When we take into account the additional concepts in these Hebrew words, Psalm 37:4 could be translated, “Delight yourself in the Lord by being soft and pliable in his hands and God will put the desires into your heart that will lead you on the pathway of his will for your life.” Acting on this “amplified” translation of Psalm 37:4 is without question God’s will for all of our lives—so let’s act in obedience to this truth!
