God Takes Pleasure In His People

Psalm 149.4 | For the LORD takes pleasure in his people; he adorns the humble with salvation.

The Hebrew definition of “takes pleasure” is, “be favorable to someone; be well disposed; accept with pleasure; become friends.”

I am a friend of God because God takes pleasure in me. I can write that out with certainty, knowing this to be true. Can you? To God, we are favorable to him. He accepts us, his people, with pleasure through Christ. Is there anything in me that is worthy of this? Of course not. But I’m not allowed to not believe this to be true because of who I know I am—a sinner in need of the grace of God. Rather, I am invited and called to believe this is true because of who God is. God takes pleasure in us, his people. God takes pleasure in you, dear brother or sister in Christ. He accepts you with pleasure. You are his!

And as if that’s not enough, God adorns the humble with salvation. The King James Version words it beautifully: “He will beautify the meek with salvation.” The meek. The humble. The poor. The afflicted. In this state of being, God will save. God will come through with his salvation, both ultimately in our redemption through Christ as well as in the situations that we face on a regular basis. In all of our humbled and afflicted seasons, God will save. 

“Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will help you; I will hold on to you with my righteous right hand.” – Isaiah 41.10 (CSB)

“For I am the LORD your God, who holds your right hand, who says to you, ‘Do not fear, I will help you.’” – Isaiah 41.13 (CSB)

And listen to these words, again through the prophet Isaiah, as he addresses the people of Israel. But I want you to do something as you read it slowly. In the beginning of the scripture passage you’ll see Isaiah refer to Jacob and Israel. Both of these titles are referring to the people of Israel. What I want to invite you to do is to put your name where you see “Jacob” and “Israel” while you read it to hear the Lord’s words to you personally.

“Now this is what the LORD says—the one who created you, Jacob, and the one who formed you, Israel—’Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you and the rivers will not overwhelm you, when you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched and the flame with not burn you. For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.’” – Isaiah 43.1-3a (CSB)

How awesome is that?! In fact, read that again, again with your name in it. Read it slowly and listen as the Holy Spirit brings comfort and rest as he reminds you of what he will always do for you.

And what should our response be? “Let the faithful celebrate in triumphal glory; let them shout for joy on their beds.” (Psalm 149.5, CSB)

Celebratory worship and shouts of joyful praise should be what flows out of mouths like a roaring river, even while we lay in our beds at night. And I’m not saying forced worship and praise of celebration and joy as if we can muster this up by “making ourselves” joyful. Rather, I believe that this flows out from us when we truly believe that the LORD, the self-existent, covenant keeping God, takes pleasure in us, accepting us with pleasure as friends. 

What a truly beautiful and amazing God we serve and follow. What a great friend he is.