How would you interpret Psalms 37:4?

Question

Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart.

I have a problem w/ my mom and her expectations of God. I'm the type that believes that you have to at least do something on your part in order for God to help you. I think she believes He'll give immediate relief. What's your thinking?

Because bad things happen to her while other christians seem to have good life, she doesn't understand how miracles and good come to others but not her. I know, kind of immature, but that's her thinking. Come on, aren't there any smart christians out there??? Give me a good answer, not a "god loves" touched by an angel answer.

Answer 1

No, you don't have to do anything first in your part in order for God to help you. The only thing you must do is to reach out and accept His promise. He says in Isaiah 65:24
24 “ It shall come to pass
That before they call, I will answer;
And while they are still speaking, I will hear.



But you are also right, sometimes God wants you to do something in your part. For instance when you ask for a job, you must go out and apply for a job around. You can not just stay at home and expect somebody come to your house and offer you a job.

Sometimes the Lord wants us to show our faithfulness to Him before He give us what we want. That is is harmony with Psalms 37:4
Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart.

Just as your parents, who expect you to love them, and obey them, and they will give you what you want without even asking them.


For salvation we do not have to do anything to accept His pardon and grace. But in certain cases we have to use our effort to "seek" and "knock".

That's why the Bible says:
7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened." (Matthew 7:7,8.)
There are things that you can just ask, other things you have to go and seek, and still other things you have to knock at doors or people;s hearts.

Answer 2

First, you must read the whole psalm. You can not just take a part here and a part there. If you wrote a couple of paragraphs and someone took one sentence out of it, it could be used to say anything. So let us look at the whole thing. It is a reflection on good and evil. It says that one should commit their life to God, trust in him, do good and not evil, and in the long run all will be well.

Having said that we can look at the one passage if you wish. My version says: "if you find your delight in the Lord, He will grant your hearts desire." This is like saying Jesus is our Lover and when we delight in his company He wants to please us as well. But keep in mind that our hearts desire may not be totally know to us. We think we know what we desire with our mind, but it is what is in our heart that he will give us.

We do not have to do anything for God to Love and want to give to us, like anyone who deeply loves us. So your mother is right.

Answer 3

Interpret it as is.
When you delight yourself in the Lord," you are DOING somrthing. You re talking to Him, praising Him, singing to Him--that's doing sonething.
The rewards for DOING something do come from God. He knowa your heart' s desires, and although the blessing may not come immediately like your mom thinks, they will come.Both of youshould delight yourself in the Lord, and enjoy the blessings when they come.

Answer 4

I just looked it up. It sounds like ordinary weather to me. Read the rest of it..Psalms 37: 1- THe storm makes my heart beat wildly.2- Listen to you all to the voice of God to the thunder that comes from his mouth. 3- He sends the lightning across the sky from one end of the earth to the other.4- Then the roar of his voice is heard, the majestic sound of thunder, and all the while the lightning flashes.................Lots of people were intimidated by natural phenomena. My father used to tell me that the "gods" were bowling to qwell my fears. Which myth would you prefer to believe?

Answer 5

you know, i think it is all in the eye of the beholder. but on a personal note, i dont think God is giving out handouts. why would he have put us on earth in the first place then? he put us here to be tested, so that we can go to heaven according to our deeds. granted, we need his help, and i think that is where our "delight" comes in. if we work towards what will bring us closer to God, he will help us along the way. but we cant sit there and wait for it to happen, we need to be actively engaged in a good cause

Answer 6

God helps those that can't help themselves. Glorify, praise and thank God continually, doing His work, praying always, and He will give you the desires of your heart, which should be to be continually in His presence, here or in Heaven. Heaven is, after all, where God is.

Answer 7

Book Of Psalms
Psalm 37

A psalm for David, for a remembrance of the sabbath. 2 Rebuke me not, O Lord, in thy indignation; nor chastise me in thy wrath. 3 For thy arrows are fastened in me: and thy hand hath been strong upon me. 4 There is no health in my flesh, because of thy wrath: there is no peace for my bones, because of my sins. 5 For my iniquities are gone over my head: and as a heavy burden are become heavy upon me.
6 My sores are putrified and corrupted, because of my foolishness. 7 I am become miserable, and am bowed down even to the end: I walked sorrowful all the day long. 8 For my loins are filled with illusions; and there is no health in my flesh. 9 I am afflicted and humbled exceedingly: I roared with the groaning of my heart. 10 Lord, all my desire is before thee, and my groaning is not hidden from thee.

Answer 8

Hon...I believe like you.....I personally know that God WILL bless us a whole lot, even without us knowing it.....But I also know that God don't just keep giving and giving without "getting" something from us back, which is doing what's right.....that's my opinion...

Answer 9

.

To delight yourself in the Lord is to do his works that He asks you to do. Then and only then shall He give you Your hearts disires according to His will and time.

You are right and your mom is wrong.

Answer 10

Summing it up, you are probably more right than she is.
HOWEVER,
God does what He thinks is best, whether that be letting you find your own way, or physically putting you on the right path.
He knows what you need at any given time.