God Delights in Me

The Psalmist David had an amazing ability to declare what was going on in his life, the needs, emotions, failures, successes and victories, at the same time that he was declaring his utter dependency upon, and the sovereignty of, God.  It is at times challenging to read, to keep it all in context.  Psalm 18 is such a Psalm.

"He also brought me into a broad place; He delivered me because He delighted in me." (vv.19-20).  I love this verse.  The Lord can DELIGHT in ME.  What an amazing thought!  And this brings comfort, hope, and security to me.  Think about how easy it is for us to delight in someone or something that we love.  It is the same with God - He loves us, and I'm sure it brings great joy to His heart to be able to delight in us.  I experience this with my children.  There are times when I truly delight in them, my love and enjoyment of them just seems to fill me up and run all over.

But not all the time.

Have you ever been in a relationship--or place of authority, as a parent, a teacher, a boss-- where you were not delighting in the one you are with?  Why?  What diminished the delight?  Have you ever been in a position where YOU have caused the delight to drain out of someone's eyes?  This is where I get uncomfortable.

See, I like to think about God delighting in me, unconditionally loving me.  Yet I don't like to think of it in conjunction with the rest of the verse, "The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands He has recompensed me".  My immediate instinct here is for self-preservation, and I think "BUT, it's no longer by MY righteousness, but by the righteousness of Christ that I am made acceptable.  What about the rich young ruler?  He tried so hard to do everything right, but in and of himself he couldn't make himself perfect.  See?  I can't earn God's love.  He loves me as I am".

Yes, God absolutely loves us as we are, in our imperfections.  (Thank you, Father!)  But love and delight are not the same thing.  I love my children.  Period.  That will never change.  But I do not always delight in them.  People are able to hurt us.  Disappoint us.  Let us down.  

So here's the deal.  "It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect" (v.32).

Throughout this Psalm, David recounts all the works he has done, but he then continually brings it back to this, that it is in God alone that he is able to accomplish anything.  David is dependent upon the Lord for his rescue, his victory, his peace.  This was the key to God's delight in David.  It wasn't about what David did, but about God at work in David's life.

"YOU have also given me the shield of Your salvation; YOUR right hand has held me up, YOUR gentleness has made me great, YOU enlarged my path under me, so my feet did not slip."  (vv.35-36).

David's righteousness was not his own, it was in God.  Even before Christ, David knew where His help came from.  And the Lord delighted in him.

I like being the object of someone's delight.  When I see that delight shine through the eyes of those I love, I am richly blessed.  What greater joy could I have than to see that delight shining from the eyes of my Greatest Love?  

Your love, O Lord

reaches to the heavens

Your faithfulness

stretches to the sky

Your righteousness 

is like a mighty mountain

Your justice flows

like the oceans tide

I will lift my voice

and worship you my King

I will find my strength

in the shadow of Your wing