Delight in the Lord

 

  

 

Psalm 98

A psalm.

¹ Sing to the Lord a new song,
    for he has done marvelous things;
his right hand and his holy arm
    have worked salvation for him.
² The Lord has made his salvation known
    and revealed his righteousness to the nations.
³ He has remembered his love
    and his faithfulness to Israel;
all the ends of the earth have seen
    the salvation of our God.

⁴ Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth,
    burst into jubilant song with music;

⁵ make music to the Lord with the harp,
    with the harp and the sound of singing,
⁶ with trumpets and the blast of the ram’s horn—
    shout for joy before the Lord, the King.

⁷ Let the sea resound, and everything in it,
    the world, and all who live in it.
⁸ Let the rivers clap their hands,
    let the mountains sing together for joy;
⁹ let them sing before the Lord,
    for he comes to judge the earth.
He will judge the world in righteousness
    and the peoples with equity.

Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.  - Psalm 37:4 (NIV)
 

What does it mean to take delight in the Lord? I have struggled with this question over the years, wondering if I have experienced delight in my relationship with the Lord. First, I thought about my children and my feelings of joy and pleasure as I watch them grow and mature. I thought of how I rejoice in a sunset or sunrise, how I thrill to be able to pet or ride a horse, and how

 I take pleasure in a hike through the woods after a fresh rain. I ponder the feelings of exultation that overtake me when I reunite with a friend. I take delight in all these circumstances. Next, I consider how my heart reacts in worship services at church. My response is often joy, excitement, and pleasure. I am reminded of who God is when I sing in the fellowship of other believers. In my considerations, I realized that I experience pleasure in the Lord not only during worship, but also when I delight in my children, in God’s creation, and in my friends. Finally I rejoice in God, who is Lord of all. All of life is an occasion to delight in the Lord.

 

The Author Tara H. West (Ohio, USA) from The Upper Room

Thought for the Day

Each day presents opportunities to delight in God.

Prayer

Dear God, make us aware of your presence in all our experiences. May we delight in you wherever we find you. Amen.

Prayer focus  Someone who needs God’s joy