Delight

“But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate  day and night.” Psalms 1:2

“Praise  ye the LORD. Blessed is the man that feareth  the LORD, that delighteth  greatly in his commandments.” Psalms 112:1

The word “delight” means “pleasure”, “desire.” This verse refers to the “blessed” man. The “happy” man. Not just happy over something that has occurred, but an indwelling happiness. This seems to me like something we should consider. There is a lot of unhappiness in today’s world, but we have been given an option for true happiness.

Notice the object of the delight: God’s Word. What could this possibly do for my happiness? There are lots of books about how to be happy, how to get more enjoyment out of life. However, they never seem to work very well. At best you might find some temporary happiness. 

God’s Word is different because it is a living book about a living Savior. The happiness does not come from just reading the book, or just trying to do some things that are stated in the book. True happiness comes from knowing the One the book is about. Studying God’s Word is not about learning some secret formula or magic incantation. It is about coming into a deeper relationship with the God of the universe. 

The Psalmist knew this very well, because he had a relationship with God and it was deepening all the time. He had come to understand the value of being under God’s care. And, this caused him to seek more.

“I delight  to do  thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.” Psalms 40:8

For those that have found pleasure in God’s Word, they soon find that they also find pleasure in God’s will, which we learn from the study of God’s Word. Being in God’s will is the safest, most complete place to be. Everything else will lead to disappointment. 

I really want to notice the thought about “delight.” This is not about doing God’s will because it is a “requirement,”  but really taking pleasure in doing God’s will. When we take the approach of “requirement,” we will find ways to rationalize that anything we are doing is God’s will. When we truly take pleasure in doing God’s will, we will continually be searching to understand His will in our lives.

This is why the Psalmist mentions that God’s Word is in his heart. While we may not find direct, specific details about God’s will in our lives, knowing His Word will allow us to understand if we are walking in His will or simply choosing our own.

Why should we “delight” in God’s Will and God’s Word? Because it is the only way to be truly happy (blessed). And, it is the one thing we can choose to do that we will never regret; not now, and not in eternity. Don’t just do God’s Will, take pleasure in it. Don’t just read God’s Word, take pleasure in it.

Gordon Crook