We each have things that bring us pleasure. Most of the time our pleasure comes from the temporal things. We are such pleasure-seeking people that we tend to jump from one situation to the next seeking pleasure. We get up in the morning and take pleasure in a cup of coffee. We go to work and take pleasure that there is not as much work as the day before. We come home and take pleasure in heading out to the ballpark to watch our children play. We head home and take pleasure in eating a good meal and settling down for the night. These things are to be enjoyed, but all of these are things that please the physical body. What are we taking pleasure in that will last forever? We are in such a rut of seeking temporal pleasure, that we are missing the greatest pleasure of all. The greatest pleasure of all is knowing that God takes pleasure in us!
In Psalm 149:4, the psalmist tells us that the Lord takes pleasure in His people. All of Psalm 149 is focused on praising God. In verse 1, we are to sing a new song praising God among the saints. In verse 2, His people are to rejoice in Him as their King. In verse 3, we use instruments, we are to dance, not the sensual dance of our time, but a joyful movement that leaps, marches, raises hands to the one true God. We are to be so filled with praise that we can’t be still. In verse 5, we are to sing joyfully, out loud, on our beds, in other words, day and night His praise should be on our lips. In verses 6-9, we are to serve God, even in war. We should be confident in Him and His leadership, and as we understand we are instruments in His hand, to accomplish His purpose.
All the verses around verse 4, are expressions of our actions that cause Him to take pleasure in us. Notice that chapter 149 begins and ends with “Praise ye the Lord.” When we fulfill the command to praise he is delighted in His children. The actions and attitudes of praising and serving Him should add to our joy and fill our hearts with gladness.
While He is the creator and everything is His, He does not take pleasure in everyone. He takes pleasure in ‘His people. When this Psalm was written His people were the Israelites’ Today, He takes pleasure in all who have received Jesus as their Savior.
John 1:12 “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:”
When we read the words “taketh pleasure” we need to make sure we understand it from the original Hebrew word “ratsah.” This word is used several times in the Old Testament and translated to mean different words. In Leviticus 22:27 it is translated as “accepted,” Leviticus 26:34 translates it as “enjoy,” I Samuel 29:4 it means “reconcile,” in I Chronicles 28:4, it means “liked,” in I Chronicles 29:3 it means to “set my affection,” and in Psalm 62:4 it means “delight.” We should feel humbled and honored that God would use these words in reference to us.
When I think of my God, the King of the Universe, the creator of everything taking pleasure in insignificant me, I am overwhelmed! While this thought is true, it is hard to comprehend. It brings me to my knees with gratitude and lifts me to the heavens with praise. When I think of how He loves me I want to burst out with the song “How Great Thou Art!”
Read the verses below over and over and let them sink into your soul.
Psalm 149:1-3 “Praise ye the LORD. Sing unto the LORD a new song, and his praise in the congregation of saints. Let Israel rejoice in him that made him: let the children of Zion be joyful in their King. Let them praise his name in the dance: let them sing praises unto him with the timbral and harp.”
Psalm 149:4 “For the LORD taketh pleasure in his people: he will beautify the meek with salvation.”
Psalm 149:5-9 “Let the saints be joyful in glory: let them sing aloud upon their beds. Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand; To execute vengeance upon the heathen, and punishments upon the people; To bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron; To execute upon them the judgment written: this honor have all his saints. Praise ye the LORD.”
Psalm 35:27 “Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that favor my righteous cause: yea, let them say continually, Let the LORD be magnified, which hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant.”
