1. Our Heart’s
Desires
PSALMS 37:1-8

2. Psalms 37:1-8
1 Fret not yourself because of evildoers, neither
be you envious against the workers of iniquity.
2 For they shall soon be cut down like the
grass, and wither as the green herb.
3 Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shall you
dwell in the land, and truly you shall be fed.
4 Delight yourself also in the LORD: and he
shall give you the desires of your heart.

3. 5 Commit your way to the LORD; trust also in him; and
he shall bring it to pass.
6 And he shall bring forth your righteousness as the
light, and your judgment as the noonday.
7 Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not
yourself because of him who prospers in his
way, because of the man who brings wicked devices to
pass.
8 Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not yourself
in any wise to do evil.

4. I. Introduction
• The psalmist writes,“Delight yourself in
the LORD, and He will give you the desires
of your heart” (Ps. 37:4).
• But can we expect God to deliver whatever
we want, whenever we want it? The Lord
should be first in our hearts. And only
when our dreams align with the Father’s
plan for our lives does He fulfill them.

5. II. Our desires reveal who we are in the
following areas:
A. Character
A person with immoral desires lacks integrity. Dishonest
individuals want to take advantage of others by deceiving or
controlling them. Godly people long for what is righteous.
B. Self-esteem
Many people don’t feel worthy to ask the Lord for their heart’s
desires. But God wants us to approach His throne with boldness and
confidence
Heb 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we
may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
C. Direction
Knowing our dreams gives us focus.

6. D. Purpose
Desires reveal what someone hopes to accomplish.
E. Thinking
Our conversation brings to light the content of our
thoughts. And what we think stems from our heart’s yearnings.
F. Knowledge of God
Our aspirations expose the state of our relationship with
Christ. Walking with Jesus changes our focus and outlook.

7. III. The Father warns us against
wrong cravings
• We should allow God to direct what our hearts seek—and
make changes if necessary. Sinful passions lead to
emptiness, pain, suffering, and disappointment. They can
result in devastation and even death. Wrong desires can
be:
A. Harmful
• Some longings, such as an obsession to become rich,
can destroy a person.
• 1 Tim 6:9 But they that will be rich fall into temptation
and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts,
which drown men in destruction and perdition.

8. B. Worldly
• Believers are called to deny ungodliness and worldly passions
• Titus 2:11-12 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to
all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we
should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
C. Corrupt
• Because of the fall, humans have impure desires.
• 2 Pet 2:10 But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of
uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, self-
willed, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.
• Only by submitting to the Holy Spirit can we live righteously.

9. D. Fleshly
• 2 Pet 2:18 For when they speak great
swelling words of vanity, they allure
through the lusts of the flesh, through
much wantonness, those that were clean
escaped from them who live in error.
• warns us against carnal lusts.

10. IV. What principles lead to obtaining your
heart’s desires?
A. Delight yourselves in the LORD
• Ps 37:4 Delight yourself also in the LORD: and he shall give
you the desires of your heart.
• Christians should rejoice in God and desire to walk in
obedience. The Lord must have first place in your life before
you can claim the promise in this verse.
B. Commit your way to the LORD
• Ps 37:5 Commit your way to the LORD; trust also in him; and
he shall bring it to pass.
• Allow God to change any aspect of your dream that is not His
will. Remember that when He doesn’t answer a prayer as you
wished, it’s for a reason.

11. C. Trust in Him (v. 5).
• Ps 37:5 Commit your way to the LORD; trust also in him; and he
shall bring it to pass
• God is all-knowing, merciful, kind, and generous. You can trust
Him with your hopes and dreams.
D. Rest in Him (v. 7).
• Ps 37:7 Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not
yourself because of him who prospers in his way, because of the
man who brings wicked devices to pass.
• Resting in the Lord means trusting Him to answer prayers in His
timing or transform your dreams so they conform to His will.

12. E. Wait patiently for God (v. 7).
• Ps 37:7 Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him:
fret not yourself because of him who prospers in his
way, because of the man who brings wicked devices to
pass.
• Jesus waited three decades before beginning His three-
year ministry on earth. According to His example,
waiting is one of the key principles of Christian living.

13. V. What if your desires are never
fulfilled?
Perhaps the Father knew that fulfilling
the request wouldn’t be good for you. If the
Lord doesn’t respond affirmatively to your
prayers, ask Him to make your desires
conform to His will. Whatever you do, don’t
take matters into your own hands and go
after what you want. There is always a high
price to pay for rebelling against the Lord.

14. VI. God understands honest mistakes
• When a believer misinterprets the Spirit’s
guidance or receives bad advice from a friend, the
Lord looks at the heart. The Father may allow the
consequences of a poor choice to play out, but He
won’t shame His children for an honest mistake.
He can turn a bad situation into something good
• Rom 8:28 And we know that all things work
together for good to them that love God, to them
who are the called according to his purpose.

15. Conclusion
• Do your desires align with the Lord’s purpose and
plan for you?
He longs to give His followers abundant blessings
and fullness of joy.
• So allow your dreams to be conformed to the
Lord’s will, and follow His guidance faithfully.
That’s how to experience God’s best for your life.