Delighting in God

At the beginning of a new year, Scripture calls us to examine not merely what we do, but what we love.

In Psalm 37:4, David issues a command that reaches the deepest part of the human soul: “Delight yourself in the LORD.” This is not a suggestion, nor is it sentimental language. It is a theological command that addresses the affections of the heart and exposes the true foundation of the Christian life.

In this sermon, we will consider what it means to delight in God—not in His gifts, not in favorable circumstances, and not in the benefits of religion, but in God Himself. We will see that delight in God is essential for faithfulness, prayer, obedience, patience, and perseverance. When delight is disordered, the Christian life becomes burdensome, mechanical, and joyless. When delight is rightly fixed on the Lord, the soul finds stability even in a world that provokes anxiety, envy, and impatience.

This message will walk carefully and exegetically through Psalm 37:4, with minimal but necessary attention to its surrounding context. We will consider the nature of biblical delight, the object of true delight, the promise God attaches to delighting in Him, and how Christ Himself is the fulfillment and ground of lasting joy.

This sermon is both a warning and an invitation: a warning against a cold, dutiful, and joyless Christianity, and an invitation to a life ordered by holy affection, deep communion with God, and enduring hope.