Two precious jewels glittering side by side

(Charles Spurgeon)

"Delight yourself in the Lord." Psalm 37:4

The teaching of these words must seem very surprising to those who are strangers to vital godliness. But to the sincere believer, it is only the inculcation of a recognized truth.

The life of the believer is here described as a delight in God--and we are thus certified of the great fact--that true religion overflows with happiness and joy. Ungodly people and mere professors never look upon piety as a joyful thing; to them it is dreary service, duty, or necessity--but never a pleasure or delight. The thought of delight in Christ is so strange to most people, that no two words in their language stand further apart than "holiness" and "delight." But believers who know Christ, understand that delight and holiness are so blessedly united, that the gates of hell cannot prevail to separate them. Those who love Christ with all their hearts, find that all His ways are ways of pleasantness; and all His paths are peace.

Christians discover such joys, such brimful delights, such overflowing blessednesses, that so far from serving Him from custom, they would follow Him--though all the world casts out His name as evil.

We do not love God because of any compulsion:
  our faith is no fetter,
  our profession is no bondage,
  we are not dragged to holiness,
  nor driven to duty.

Our piety is our pleasure,
our hope is our happiness,
our duty is our delight!

Holiness and delight are as allied--as root and flower. They are, in fact, two precious jewels glittering side by side in a setting of gold!