For the LORD takes pleasure in His people;
He will beautify the humble with salvation. Psalm 149.4

A contradiction?
At first glance, it might seem that what the psalmist claims in this verse is contrary to what we considered in our previous installment. Here it sounds like the pleasure of God is somehow enhanced or improved by factors outside Himself, namely, His people.

Previously we explained that God is complete within Himself, needing nothing. If there were anything outside God that could somehow improve or change or add to or enhance Him as He is in Himself, then that thing, whatever it might be, would actually be greater than God, since God Himself would seek it.

We have to be careful here, because we don’t want to make the text say anything other than what it actually intends. A literal translation of the first part of verse 4 goes something like this: “For the LORDpleasures in His people.” What’s the difference between the Lord “taking” pleasure, which the text does not actually say, and the Lord “pleasuring” in His people?

The difference is subtle, but important, and to capture the psalmist’s meaning we need to go back to verses 1-3 of Psalm 149.

Why are these people so happy?
Let’s consider those three verses:

Praise the LORD!
Sing to the LORD a new song,
AndHis praise in the assembly of saints.
Let Israel rejoice in their Maker;
Let the children of Zion be joyful in their King.
Let them praise His name with the dance;
Let them sing praises to Him with the timbrel and harp.

Here is a picture of pure, holy, jubilant celebration, involving singing, dancing, playing instruments, and having a pure and perfectly great time among many others who have made the Kingdom turn. We should ask: Why are these people so happy? What’s bringing them such pleasure? Such sheer and holy joy?

The answer is in two brief prepositional phrases: “in their Maker” and “in their King.” And verse 5 adds, “in glory.” Why are these people so happy? Simple: They have entered into the presence of the Lord and His glory, and they are filled with the pleasure that comes from partaking of and participating in Him. And as they enter into His pleasure, they know Him, “in the assembly of the saints” (v. 1), “pleasuring” in them.

The pleasure Israel experienced in worshiping the Lord is nothing other than their participating in Him and the pleasure He takes in Himself. God “pleasures” in His people, in the pleasure of their company as they enter into the pure and perfect pleasure He knows within Himself.

Pleasuring together in the Lord
Knowing the pleasure of the Lord is heightened when we enter it together with others who are experiencing His pleasure. This only makes sense; it’s the way we’re constructed as image-bearers of God. I might take great pleasure in watching my favorite football team win a game over their arch-rival. But put me in the company of ten or twenty others who share that favorite team with me, and I can guarantee you, a much more splendid time will be had by all.

This is how worship works to edify us in the Lord. If we think that the best way to make worship satisfying and edifying is to focus it on ourselves – by singing lots of easy and familiar and pleasing melodies, giving us an opportunity to talk about ourselves, making worship into something that’s “fun” or “relevant”, or focusing everything on us and our needs – if we think this is the way to true and edifying worship, we’re deceiving ourselves. The way to true and edifying worship is to get into the pleasure of God and share in that pleasure with Him!

This means our worship needs to be focused on God in whole and in part. It needs to lift us out of our sinful, pleasure-seeking lifestyles, into the purity and perfection of the pleasures God enjoys in Himself alone. Our worship will draw us into the pleasure of the Lord as we contemplate and celebrate His beauty and goodness, marvel at and bow down to His majesty and might, meditate on each of the Persons of the Godhead and Their many perfections, submit without reservation to His Word, and give ourselves entirely to His pleasure and will.

Then, in the company of others similarly convinced and devoted, we will enter the pleasure of the Lord, and know Him pleasuring in us.

Next steps: Would you describe the service of worship in your church as primarily centered on entering the pleasure of God or primarily bringing pleasure to the worshipers? Why? Talk with a church leader about these questions.

T. M. Moore

This week’s study, Kingdom Pleasure, is the seventh of an eight-part series on The Kingdom Turn, and is available as a free download. T. M. has written two books to complement this eight-part series. You can order The Kingship of Jesus by clicking here, and The Gospel of the Kingdom by clicking here.

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Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.