Psalm 37:4 in Context
Psalm 37:4 read in its full chapter context. See the verses before and after, plus historical setting and flow of thought.
"Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart."
— Psalm 37:4 (KJV)
Where This Verse Sits
Psalm 37:4 appears in Psalms chapter 37, verse 4. David wrote this wisdom psalm as an older man reflecting on a lifetime of faith, likely around 970 BC. As an acrostic psalm, each section begins with successive Hebrew letters. David had experienced both the heights of kingship and the depths of exile, giving his counsel deep personal authority.
The Verse Itself
"Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart."
— Psalm 37:4 (KJV)
Flow of the Passage
To grasp Psalm 37:4 fully, read it inside the surrounding paragraph. The verses before set up the argument, and the verses after show its outworking. Psalms 37 as a whole carries forward the theme of desires, and this single verse is one beat in that larger movement.
David teaches that when we find our greatest joy in God Himself, our desires become aligned with His will. God then delights to fulfill those God-honoring desires.
Cross-References
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