What Pleases God?

From Prayer, Praise and Promises by Warren Wiersbe:

¹⁸Do good in Your good pleasure to Zion; rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. ¹⁹Then will You delight in the sacrifices of righteousness, justice, and right, with burnt offering and whole burnt offering; then bullocks will be offered upon Your altar.

-- Psalm 51:18-19

We can live to please ourselves. We can live to please others. But above all we should live to please the Lord. David closes his prayer of confession, “Then You shall be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness” (Ps. 51:19). Everything we do should please the Lord.

A. W. Tozer used to say, “God is not hard to get along with.” And this is true. One day David said, “Let [me] fall into the hand of the Lord, for His mercies are great, but do not let me fall into the hand of man” (2^nd Samuel 24:14). God knows us, loves us and is patient with us. Everything He plans for us is for our good, our enjoyment and His glory. So what pleases Him the most? An obedient walk, not sacrifices. David says, “If I brought sacrifices without repentance, You wouldn't accept them. But if I repent and bring you a broken and a contrite heart, then you will accept my sacrifice and my service.”

It's interesting how David ends this psalm. “Do good in Your good pleasure to Zion; build the walls of Jerusalem” (v. 18). David in his sin had been tearing down, not building up. He had given opportunity to the enemies of Israel to blaspheme God. The word got out. Soon everyone knew what David had done. So he says, “O God, when I was sinning, I was tearing down. I was not pleasing You. Now I want to please You. And because I'm pleasing You, I will be building up. And the walls of Jerusalem, walls of protection, will be strong.” Are you tearing down or building up?

God plans everything for your good, your enjoyment and His glory. As His child, strive to please and honor Him in all you do. Is your walk with God one of obedience? Make your life the kind that pleases Him.

¹⁴And David said to Gad, I am in great distress. Let us fall into the hands of the Lord, for His mercies are many and great; but let me not fall into the hands of man.

-- 2^nd Samuel 24:14

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